Rev3 Half Rev Race Report - Run

Starting the run I had my PowerGels on my race belt and in my side pockets.  I was down a couple but I could easily pick them up at the aid stations where I would be getting my water.

I tried to be very conservative for the opening miles.  My inner quads started to cramp on the bike and I needed to loosen them up before trying to squeeze out any speed.

Two years ago when I did the HalfRev I had gone too hard on the bike and cramped up bad.  In 2010 I spent some time at the first aid station walking out the cramps and taking salt tablets.

This year I was able to cruise right by the aid station while calming down the quads.  I was going to stop and take a pee but I saw someone duck into the port-o-potty and another was in line.  As I ran past the last volunteer I saw several other guys heading towards to tall grass to relieve themselves.  I was fine for the time being and kept on trucking along.

At the mile markers I pressed the split button of my watch but didn't look at my time.  I just wanted some data to look at after the race.  I was going to race by perceived exertion.  Just like I've ran all year I would find an effort I felt I could hold the entire distance.  Only problem was that this would be my longest race distance of the year and there were mile markers telling me how much I had left to run.

Between miles 2 and 3 Mark finally passed me with a smack on my butt.  He was moving at a great pace and was by me in seconds.  There was no way I could stick with him and not pay for it dearly in the later miles.  I had to let him go and stick with my own strategy.

Nutritionally I was taking a PowerGel every other mile and water at all aid stations.  The PowerGels keep me mentally aware of the race and what I am doing.  Without proper nutrition on the run I turn in to a zombie just going through the motions. 

I did my fair share of passing people but was also passed by some people much faster.  But I held my own, raced my race and thanked the volunteers when I could.

For the first three miles I was averaging a 7:40 pace.   In hindsight that was probably too fast but that is what felt comfortable at the time.  For these longer races, half and full, I may need to pay attention to my watch a little closer and control my efforts.

At some point during the first half of the run I couldn't stand the loaded bladder and didn't want to bother with a pot-o-potty.  For the second time this year I peed during the run while running.  At the next aid station I grabbed some water and dumped it on my legs.  It felt good to have an empty bladder again.

Right before mile 6 I approached Daly's Pub and saw the CTC crew setting up their corner of the patio to cheer the runners.  They saw me and started cheering.  I saw them and headed towards them to get some high fives.  One person I was glad to see was an old teammate Adam.  I haven't seen him in a long time and it was great to get a high five and some encouraging words from him.

I continued on my way and got back on pace.  At this point I was going to start picking up the pace but my legs had different ideas for me.  My right calf decided it was a good time to start cramping. 

I was maintaining a good 8 minute pace but certainly some dehydration over the course of the day had seeped in.  I shortened my stride to prevent a full blown cramp from developing and had some good self talk with the calf in question.

I just told my muscles to relax and we would get through this with very little problems.  I was still cognizant about my surroundings and encouraged those athletes around me that I knew.  I passed my Hood to Coast teammate Steve.  He said he was hurting but I told him to control the pain and push through it.  He eventually placed in his Clydesdale division.

My calf tried to cramp on me no less than five times during the last half of the run.  But I fought through it.  There were several times I thought I would be forced to walk but I didn't.  I saw Mandie, 1 Puma, on her run and yelled that she was looking good.

I also saw Ginny near the 3 mile aid station.  She was three miles into her run and I was three miles from finishing mine.  I still managed to cross over and give her a high five, despite almost crashing into a volunteer.

I loved seeing my teammates and friends on the course.  We managed to give each other a mutual exchange of energy to boost our spirits and lighten our stride.

With about 1.5 miles to go we cross over a bridge which is the largest elevation gain/loss of the entire run.  It's only about 20 feet but near the end of the run it feels much steeper and taller than that.  I was gaining on the person ahead of me and I would make the pass near the top of the bridge.  Despite his compression socks I could tell he was in me age group.  I made what felt like a solid pass and pushed myself to widen the gap between us.

The calf was screaming at me some more but I kept a steady breathing pattern that allowed me to control the pain.  Only one more mile to go.

Mike took this picture of me at my finest.  I was grunting my way to the finish line.  I passed a couple more people before entering the final gated chute. 

There was an opening in the fence for relay teammates to join their runner to the finish line and I saw some familiar faces as they cheered for me.  Right before the passing under the inflatable arch I saw Aimee standing along the fence were I set up the team tent.  I slapped her hand as I passed and turned left towards the finish line.

I crossed the line with a final run time of 1:45:27 and finish time of 4:58:16.  I managed to achieve my sub 5 hour goal by two minutes. 

I stood for a moment with shaky legs as a volunteer helped take my timing chip off my ankle.  My finishers medal was draped around my neck and I started walking towards the back of the finish chute. 

They were handing out large Gatorade towels that had been dipped in cold water.  It felt good on my heated up body.  I grabbed my finisher shirt and sat in an open chair.  I pulled the towel over my head and allowed myself a moment to release the emotions that were ready to come out after a hard fought battle.  The battle with my body, mind and course often takes an mental toll on me and the post race release is just how I deal with it. 

I collected myself and started to make my way to the Snakebite tent.  Aimee, Laura, Jane and some others were sitting around waiting for more finishers, especially Mandie.  Aimee and Jane didn't have to wait too long to cross the finish line with their teammate.

Mandie was hurting just as bad as I was if not worse.  Her foot was bothering her very bad but she gutted it out for the team.

Overall I was 6th in my age group and 37th overall male.  I was happy with the effort I put forth even if it was not the smartest race I have ever had.  In retrospect I needed more fluids on the bike.  I recall a couple of times where the wind was drying the sweat from my body.  This leads to a false sense of your how much you are sweating.  I also discussed it with Aimee and she mad me realize that I didn't take any salt tablets prior to the race.  And the Saturday before the race was not the best nutritionally.

Oh well.  If you can't learn something from each race then why bother.

After watching some more people cross the finish line and change into regular clothes I made my way to Daly's Pub in downtown Sandusky.  I joined Jen, Mark, Marie,  and a couple others cheering for the runners. 

Then we drove back to the finish line and partied until midnight.  I was tired from racing but still had something for the party. 

Another great end to a fun and exciting season.

Rev3 Half Rev Race Report - Bike

I ran past the other athletes mounting their bikes and had a great running mount onto the bike.  Mark wasn't too far behind me and when he caught up he said he was going to draft behind me for the entire ride.

I know he wasn't going to draft in the illegal sense of the word but just ride behind me.  Which he didn't have to do because he could have crushed the bike course.

My strategy on the bike was to take it easy for the first 28 miles and then increase the effort for the second half.  It was hard to not push the pace too hard with so many people around.

Leaving Cedar Point I was consistently passing people.  At times I had to push the pace so that I wasn't drafting and could make a quick pass.  But it was a little congested the first 15 miles.  We were sometimes 3 wide on the street as passes were made at different speeds. 

The roads were in good condition and the recent chip 'n seal was confined to a short stretch.

My nutriton plan on the bike consisted of two bottles with Perpetuem, one bottle of Nuun, two Clif Z-Bars and one Honey Stinger waffle.  I also had a PowerGel to get me ready just prior to the run.

During the first hour I drank my Perpetuem and also used my PowerGel.  My effort was steady but I wanted an extra boost for some of the hills.  There were PowerGels at the bike aid stations so I knew I could grab one on the go.

During my second hour I switched to my solid foods.  The first Z-Bar went down fine.  It was good to have some solid food.  When I was  reaching for my waffle the second Z-Bar fell to the ground and was a distant memory in a matter of seconds.  According to USAT rules I could have been penalized for abandoning equipment or littering but it just wasn't possible to turn around on Rt. 113...more dangerous than worth it.  So I ate my waffle and switched to my Perpetuem bottle early.

I didn't need anything from the aid stations until around mile 31 when I could feel the pressure of a full bladder.  I would have to empty my bladder soon and wanted to take a "shower" when I was done.

After passing through the town of Berlin Heights I found some nice rollers to relieve myself.  One athlete behind me passed while I was taking care of business and washing off.  When I passed him a short time later I apologized for him having to see that.  He thought it was a good idea and may need to do it himself.

I was picking up the tempo by now and I could see Mark ahead of me.  Along Rt. 113 he had managed to pull away and I didn't realize it.  I meant to keep in contact with him and I wasn't focused enough to follow him.

Now I could see him down the road and he was a target for me to catch and pass.  Unfortunately I was also catching up to a lot of other people which caused us to start bunching up again.  It seemed like a constant rotation of the same group.  One person would pass on an uphill, I would pass on a downhill, everyone took turns passing on the flats.  With 16 miles to go the traffic was getting bad again.


I hated being in a group like this and tried to stay off the draft created by the person in front of me.  I must have been getting some benefit because eventually I would start creeping up and have to pass several people and take the lead.  I would stay out there until someone else had recovered enough to make another pass. 

When we turned back onto Cedar Point Road I decided to back off the effort for the final 6 miles and give the legs a chance to recover and be ready to run.

Despite my reduced effort I was still close to a lot of people.  I tried to be staggered and stay out of a draft but it was difficult.  Of course a motorcycle pulled up behind me and I knew it was one of the USAT referees.  I immediately backed off my tempo and faded away from the person ahead of me.  I think the referee understood what I was doing and continued down the road. 

I started making some additional passes and the second USAT referee passed me while I was making a pass.  It was legit and she moved ahead to watch how others were riding.

I came into the Cedar Point parking lot with Mark and a couple others.  We made our way towards the transition area.  I slipped my feet from my shoes and was ready to dismount. 

Despite the crowds lining the road I spotted Aimee cheering for me.  I swung my right leg over the bike and prepared to dismount. I found the hole shot I wanted at the dismount line and hopped off the pedal right at the line and ran to my transition spot. 

I took off my helmet and started to slip on my shoes.  These were new running shoes and I never replaced the regular laces with Yankz.  So I tied my shoes, grabbed my race belt and hat, then started heading towards the transition exit.  Despite needing to tie my shoes I don't think my transition time was much slower.  My T2 time was 1:34.

I pressed the split button on my watch and started my 13.1 mile run to the finish line.

My 56 mile ride took me 2:37:46 with an average speed of 21.3 MPH.  I had been passed by some guys in my age group so I was leaving transition in 6th place.

Rev3 Half Rev Race Report - Pre-race and swim

This race report should be about the Rev3 Revolution which consisted of a sprint tri on Saturday and the HalfRev on Sunday.  But due to circumstances beyond anyone's possible control the sprint race was cancelled.

Aimee and I got up at our "normal" 4:45AM time Saturday morning and headed to Cedar Point for the 7AM start time.  There were only five of us registered for the Revolution and then all the other sprint racers including two SBR teammates, Martha and Beth.

The rain was coming down in buckets but I readied myself for a cold wet race none the less.  Driving on Cedar Point Road, part of the course, the water was almost covering the road at points.  Some sections only had 2 feet of pavement showing.

In the parking lot people were saying that the race was cancelled.  A 5k run would take place instead.  I walked to the expo while Aimee waited in the car.  I found Martha and Beth in the registration tent and managed to get a team picture.

I checked in the club tent area and dismantled my tent and the CTC tent before the expected winds ripped them to shreds.  Aimee and I drove back home and we climbed back into bed until 9:30AM.

We met out friends later on Saturday to pick up the race packets and check the bikes into transition.  Aimee was the swimmer for her HalfRev relay team, 1 Puma, 2 Cougars, with our friends Mandie and Jane.  We didn't spend too much time at Cedar Point and wanted to get home.  I think we were both feeling a little off because of already being at the park earlier that day.  We tried to get to bed as early as possible.

Cougar 1 (Aimee - swim), Cougar 2 (Jane - bike), Puma (Mandie - run)

We woke up on Sunday morning at 4:45AM...again....and made our way to Cedar Point.  The transition area would be open for us until 7:30 but I wanted to get there before the FullRev started.  Adam O'Meara was racing and I wanted to wish him good luck.  Adam had been our homestay in 2010 when he raced the Full.

We got there with plenty of time to see Adam, set up my transition area, pump up bike tires (mine, Jane's and Laura's), get the team tent put together, and mingle with friends and competitors. 

Aimee and I were in the same start wave going off at 8:45.  The FullRev started at 7AM but they wanted the full racers to at least complete their first lap before we entered the water.

During the time before the start I was able to talk and share some moments with everyone.  I was also able to get into the water and loosen up the arms.  All of this keeps the atmosphere loose until we enter the swim corral.

When our swim wave was announced I gave Aimee and quick kiss and made my way into the water.  We stood about thigh deep in the water as we waited to be sent off.  I lined up front row middle since my swim had been pretty solid all summer.

With 5 seconds to go I started my watch and got ready to start swimming.  I immediately started swimming since it was deep enough.  With each breath I could see the people walking around me but I felt it was easier to swim than walk through the water.  We were all going the same speed whether walking or swimming.

Eventually everyone was swimming and we set our sights on the course markers.  My left goggle was getting some water in it so I stopped for a moment to take care of it.  The water still wasn't too deep and I was able to stand with no problems while I took care of my goggles.

Back in action I pushed forward through the water.  About half way to the first turn buoy the chop became a little more noticeable.  My sighting seemed to be paying off as I felt I was swimming fairly straight.

Rounding the first turn buoy the chop started coming at us from the left side.  I caught a couple of waves during my breathing but you can't let something like that affect your swimming.  I just exhaled as much water as possible and went for another breath.

On this second section I felt my sighting was not as good.  I'm not sure if I was trying to counter the wave action too much but I always felt like I was drifting left.  I had to keep adjusting right so I wasn't too far away from the buoys.

I began passing some people from the previous waves but also noticed a yellow swim cap from my start wave.  We were swimming the same pace I always had sight of my swim "partner".  Maybe I should have drafted off that person but I'm not very good at it.  So I just kept chugging along. 

About half way through the swim I was able to settle into breathing every third stroke.  I kept myself long and made the most of my catch and pull.  I felt fast and powerful which is a great mental boost.

Rounding the final turn buoy we began heading toward the beach.  The wind was coming from the west, the direction we were headed, and the chop was the worst here.  It was still manageable, but it was also noticeable when trying to sight the buoys. 

My yellow capped swim mate and I were continuing to pass people.  I tried swimming as far as possible, but when I started digging into the sand I was still a ways from the beach.  There is a lot of shallow water leading up the beach so I walked with those around me until I could get my feet above the water line and run.

I spotted my friend Laura ahead of me who was doing the Aquabike.  I ran by her, patted her on the butt and said, "let's get going girl."

I glanced at my watch when I hit the beach and it said 32 minutes.  My chip time was 32:18 and I was 3rd of 59 in the age group.  So I was happy with my swim.  I felt it was solid and put me in good position for the rest of the day.

As I ran up the beach I could hear some people cheering for me on both sides.  I could see the group from Spin/Second Sole Multisport off to the left and pointed at them in recognition.  I charged up the beach through the sand to the parking lot.

As I rounded the corner and headed towards the transition area I saw CTC super cheerleader Krystal bouncing up and down cheering for me.  It put a smile on my face and I hope she saw it.

I ran towards my bike getting my wetsuit down as far as I could.  I was finding the shortest route possible to my bike.  Below are the bike racks Rev3 uses.  I jumped over an empty transition rack to get to my bike.  It was just quicker that way.

I immediately put my sunglasses and helmet on before taking my wetsuit off the rest of the way.  Mandie, the Puma runner of Aimee's relay team ran over to cheer me on but I was very focused on getting onto the bike I didn't say anything to her.  I heard her screaming at me but my concentration once inside transition is so intense I shut things out. 

Having a friend right there at my transition spot gave me some extra energy to move even faster out of transition.  So my socks and shoes were next and I grabbed my bike from the rack.

I ran towards the bike exit and saw that it was jammed with people getting on their bikes.  Just hanging out and the mount line taking their time straddling their bikes.  I found an opening in the crowd and ran through the hole running right past my friend Mark.  I ran about 5 more yards and finally mounted my bike on the fly.

Time for a 56 mile ride.

HalfRev Race Report

So much to write about from this race I have to get it done quickly.

Race day started very early. Aimee and I were the home stay for a pro triathlete from Canada. Adam O'Meara is a second year pro and the FullRev was his A race. Adam was up early to get his food in and I woke up a little bit after him. I had a good nights rest but had a long way to go before my race started.

We left the house by 4:45AM so we could be on site by 5:30. The Full race started with the pro men at 6:50, pro women 6:53 and age groupers at 7:05. The HalfRev race wouldn't start until 8:30. I had plenty of time to prepare and talk with the bazillion of friends who were racing. I finally met Steve in a Speedo wearing his "bowl full of tutti-frutti" shorts.

I was able to watch Adam come out of the water and start the bike. I told him how far back he was from the leader and he was not happy, but it was information he asked me to tell him.



Aimee made it back from Dances with Dirt in Michigan in time for us to walk to the beach and get ready. Natalie got a picture of me before we went to the beach.



I jumped in the water real quick to spin the arms around and get used to the water temperature.....I also had to pee. I was surprised how cold the water was but that was fine. I said to some more friends in my swim wave and watched the first wave start. We were in the second wave of 18-24 and 40-44. There were 80 people in my age group (40-44) alone. Big field.





I lined up on the left side of the start line in the second row. The gun went off and we ran into the water. It was quite shallow for a while and once the water was up to my knees I dove in and started swimming. Being on the left side I didn't have any congestion and could see people to my right. A small chop in the water prevented me from breathing to the left. I just kept breathing right. I felt my sighting was doing well. We started catching the back of the previous wave and I had to pay attention during sighting to avoid these people.

At the first buoy we make a right turn and swim parallel to the beach. I was squeezing in between two guys from the first wave when the guy on my left hit my goggles with his hand. My left lense shifted but didn't come off. I swam another 20 yards and rolled over to drain the water and reposition my goggles. In no time I was back at it.

As we swam to the next turn buoy that was send us back to the beach the chop was behind me. I was able to get into a good bi-lateral race stroke. My sighting still seemed to be working well.

At the next turn buoy we headed towards the beach. I had to sight a couple of times to get a good line for the beach exit. All of the spectators were lined up the right with the exit arch on the left. It provided a good frame of reference.

The water temperature fluctuated as I swam towards the beach. The water was colder closer to shore and warmer further out. It was an interesting contrast during the swim and very noticeable.

I got closer to the beach and felt my left hand touch the sand. It was still deep enough to swim so I continued to do so. I could see people standing up too early and I pretty much swam away from them. With about a foot of water left I finally stood up and headed up the beach. I could hear Aimee and a couple of others cheering for me. I ran along the carpet into transition.



Swim time was 33:02 and I was 5th out of the water in my age group.

In transition I stripped off my wetsuit and started getting my gear on. Helmet first..as always. Socks and shoes next. I had arm warmers laid out to take with me but I was feeling good and didn't grab them. I grabbed my bike and headed towards the bike mount line. I had a good jump onto the bike and started my ride.

I was out of transition in 1:33.

I was feeling good and wanted to have a good bike ride. Being my A race I was being rather aggressive. But that didn't keep me ahead of two people from my age group who passed me in the first 6 miles. I still stayed within myself and rode my race.

The wind was from the WNW and a little stiff. Stiff enough to make a noticeable difference in my speed. I was consistently passing people who started the FullRev prior to me. If I recognized someone I would cheer them on.

Around mile 20 I was passed by two police motorcycles. A couple minutes later Bjorn Anderson passed me as he was into his second loop of the bike course at mile 58. After he passed me I never saw him again.

Heading into the town of Milan, short out and back, I saw my former coach Angela and Diane. They cheered loudly as I went by. As I went through the town square I saw my mom and dad waiting for me. Of course they had a hard time recognizing me so I made sure to point to them. Around another corner were several tri club friends cheering wildly as I went by. It was great to see so many people at this point.

Out of Milan there is a nice 6.5 mile stretch heading east. I was hoping for a nice push from the wind but the direction was not very beneficial. The wind was hitting us more from the side. I was still keeping a good pace through the rollers and taking my nutrition every 10 minutes.

At mile 30 the HalfRev course turns left and the FullRev course continues straight. After my turn I looked around and I was alone except for a rider ahead of me. I dug down and pedaled into the wind. Since I was alone on this road I decided to empty my bladder. As I stood to pee I looked behind me and saw a group of people about 1/4 mile behind me. I decided to wait for a pee break and continued on to the next turn.

As I was beginning to start the climb into the town of Berlin Heights I was finally caught by the group. I looked over and the first person I saw was Jody, followed by Frank, followed by about 10 other people. I noticed 3 people from my age group, one female, and guys from the younger age groups that started with my swim wave.

I know Jody and Frank. They race clean. Jody was the one pulling up front. I was pissed by what I saw, especially when I saw some guys from my age group. I soft pedaled for a little bit and even coasted down a hill to get some distance from these guys. This is when I took the time to empty my bladder since I wasn't pedaling anyways.

I pushed the anger of seeing some of my competitors in the pack and tried to stay focused on my own race. I also had to pay special attention to my legs as they were starting to cramp.

After we left Berlin Hts the course turns left into the wind. This was the longest stretch of chip 'n seal on the course. I was watching the group ahead of me when a motorcycle passed me. I looked up and realized it was a USAT official. I said to myself, "Bust their asses!!" I watched as she had the driver pull up behind the group and just sit there watching them. They were climbing a hill and the motorcycle just sat back to see what would happen after the hill.

The official watched the group for a couple minutes before pulling up next to the group. I'm pretty sure numbers were being taken. Unfortunately I have no way of knowing what penalties were assessed. I still felt good watching this unfold and knowing I was not a part of it. I knew I would have a clean race and not resort to drafting.

I'm still plugging away trying to save my legs from severe cramps. I saw my mom and dad again on the course and was surprised. They do know the roads though and knew where to go.

On the rollers I had to spin in the saddle because standing was causing my legs to spasm. They were rebelling from the hard effort I put them through during the first 35 miles. The course changes direction several times. Sometimes we had a favorable wind...sometimes not.

The final 10 miles were pretty much into the wind. At one point a guy came up next to me and commented on how he thinks he missed a turn. He was doing the full and asked if he was supposed to be returning to Cedar Point to start the second loop. I told him he missed it way back. Looking at a map now he rode approximately 10 miles before realizing his mistake. Overall he probably added 20 miles onto his ride.

Mentally I was still in good shape. I was over the drafting I saw. I was keeping myself under control to save my legs. I told myself to wait and see what the run was going to give me. I was ready to get off the bike, but not at the point where I needed to get off the f'in bike....if you know what I mean.

I finally entered the parking lot and headed towards transition. I reached down to pull the velcro straps. Each time my hamstrings yelled at me, "What are you doing?" I just hoped I could have a good dismount and not cramp up completely in front of the everyone watching.

I did swing my leg over and made a perfect dismount and ran into transition.



Bike time was 2:38:24 averaging 21.21 MPH. I was 12th back to T2 in my age group so I was passed by 7 guys, some who were in the drafting pack.

I racked my bike and took my helmet off. I grabbed my shoes and luckily had not problems putting them on despite needing to bend over. I knew I needed some salt, so I reached into my transition bag and grabbed the bottle of Thermotabs. I grabbed my hat which had my number belt inside it. As I ran out of transition people were yelling at me about needing my number. I kept going because I knew I was fine.

I put my hat on as I exited transition in 53 seconds.



I wrapped my belt around my waist and clipped it in place. Time to run...as best I could. My legs were killing me. Both quads and abductors were screaming at me. I had to keep telling myself to slow down and get used to the run. I couldn't completely stop because then the legs would win and stop me dead in my tracks. I guess I pulled a Jens Voigt and said, "Shut Up Legs. You will do what I tell you." I was starting to think that I would be reduced to a walking mess before this race was over.

I made it to the first aid station just past the first mile marker. I grabbed some water from a volunteer and kept walking in circles. I still couldn't stop. I dumped three salt tablets into my hand and shoved them in my mouth. I kept walking and talking with the ladies handing out water. I put down three more salt tablets and start to run again. I thanked them for being there.

At the second mile marker I hit the button and saw my mile split was 9:25. Not bad for taking the amount of time I did at the aid station. I didn't want to see a split like that again. My legs were feeling better by now. Still sore and crampy but not that bad.

Whenever the run course headed west we had the wind smack in the face. A couple of spots were between 5 story buildings that funneled the wind down the street. I felt like I was running in a wind tunnel.

As I try to write down my thoughts about the run I can't seem to put the words down in a way that conveys my feelings appropriately. Reliving the run is proving to be as hard as when I first took the steps.

Miles 3 and 4 are on long straight streets. I tucked behind a guy in my age group for a chance for him to shield me from the wind. I also saw my mom and dad for the 4th time along this stretch. Since I was moving slower, much slower than the bike, they could get some pictures of me. At the end of mile 3 I had a 8:09 split. Much better now with some water and Powergel in me.

I missed mile marker 4 but at mile marker 5 I averaged 7:38 for two miles, 15:16. Maybe my speed was coming back. I just kept going forward and listening to the directions offered by the volunteers. Follow the signs....follow the arrows...I just kept moving my feet in the directions the arrows pointed.

At the aid stations I grabbed the first water I found then grabbed a second water as I left the aid station. I was coherent about what I was doing. Suck down a gel and grab as much water as I could. I was also running alone a majority of the time. Many of my other races there were people all around. Not so much with this race. I had a few people to reel in but there really weren't too many targets to pull me along.

During mile 6 the course goes directly into the wind. This is when I felt the full force of the wind. But somehow my watch is telling me I had my best split with a 7:32 during that stretch.

Mile 7 was another long portion that was horrible to look at. I hadn't driven the course prior to I didn't know landmarks. I just buried my head and pushed on. As I made my way around a right hand turn I saw Rural Girl from the Evotri Team. She looked very focused (or was it drained) and I really couldn't muster the energy to cheer her on. Mile 7 resulted in a 7:52 split.

Now that I was halfway through the run I figured I would have no problem finishing. Keep on keepin' on...right? Well the body had other ideas. Another long straight to start mile 7. I made a left turn towards mile marker 8 and I could start to feel the length of the day catching up to me.

The wall was looming in front of me and my body just wanted to stop for a little bit. But I just couldn't let myself stop. Once I felt the relief of stopping I knew it would be hard to start again. And if I could stop once I would probably stop again. Or start walking. Or cramp up.

NO. I would not stop. I have never dug deeper than I did at that point. I just...wouldn't...let...myself...stop. And my body relented and continued to run for me.

Mile 8 somehow ended with a 8:12 split.

During mile 9 I saw my parents for the last time. They said I was starting to look tired at that point. I don't remember if I said anything but I was less than 4 miles from the finish. I saw Pharmie during a two way section and managed to cheer for her. Mile 9....7:52.....boy it sure did feel slower than that.

I caught up to and passed Cory from the BAFF team. He had started the run quite well and I was surprised to be with him again. As I passed him I encouraged him to stay with me. Unfortunately I didn't see him again until the finish line.

Heading back to the Cedar Point Causeway, 1st Street is about 1.25 miles. I could see the traffic lights down the road where we would turn left towards the finish. but it sure took me a long time to get down there. The intersection just never seemed to get closer. I was definitely focused inward and concentrating on moving forward. Mile 10 was along this part but I never saw the marker.

I made the turn towards Cedar Point and made it to mile 11. My two mile split was 16:31, average of 8:15 per mile. Wow, I was still holding my own. I saw Michelle from my team and cheered for her since it was her first Half IM. I also saw our homestay pro Adam heading out for his second loop.



I cheered for him and we slapped hands as we passed. Mile 12 brought me a 8:29 and I knew I was finally going to be okay.

I kept digging in for more energy to carry me to the finish. During the last mile I wasn't worried about finishing. I started to worry about what would happen once I stopped. Would my legs give out. Cramp up. Drop me to the ground. Oh well. I would just deal with it when I got there.



Back into the parking lot of Cedar Point, the volunteers and park staff were great controlling traffic and cheering for the athletes. I heard many people clapping and cheering me on to the finish. Near transition I heard Angela yelling for me and seeing a couple more people. Once I actually made it into the park I was alone for my finish.

As I hit the finish carpet I could see Aimee to the right and went to her. I wanted to give her a big hug and kiss but I was still afraid of my legs giving out before I made it to the finish line. I grabbed her hand and continued to the finish line. I heard the announcer call out my name as I waved my hands in the air to pump up the crowd.

I crossed the finish line 5:01:41 after starting with my swim.

A volunteer slipped a finishers medal around my neck. I was handed a shirt and water. I tried to keep moving in the finish area by walking in circles so my legs could slowly get used to no longer running.

I finished. I pushed it. I paid for it. I dug deep. Deeper than ever before. I survived.

Triathlon is a crazy ass sport. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. The people I have met, the places I have been, the things I have done are all priceless to me.

I thank Aimee for coming along for the ride with me. She has always been my #1 fan and supporter.

Thanks mom and dad for being on the course so much. Seeing familiar faces are always a treat.

Thanks to my teammates of Snakebite Racing for helping push me along through their own training and journey to the distances at Rev3.

Thanks to sponsors Bike Authority and Great Race Nutrition for supporting me and the team all summer with great service and products.

Congratulations to all who completed their Half and Full Rev races.

Game On.

It's a Flat Feeling

And I have felt it twice this week. But that is what taper time is supposed to feel like. With the Rev3 races at Cedar Point 9 days away I know many people who are tapering....resting....going crazy.

I was traveling for work earlier this week. Out of town away from home it is hard to get in those workouts. I ran one night and swam the next morning at a local YMCA. Tuesday night I was a slug after work. I plopped down on my hotel bed and watch some TV before finally getting out for some dinner.

Wednesday morning I had to force myself out of bed and to the Y for a light spin on an spin bike and a short run. Knowing I wouldn't get home until late that evening I had to get something done.

Taper time is for resting but you can't simply shut it all down.

Back home I was finally able to get out for a real bike ride. I suited up during lunch and headed out into the wind. It was blowing pretty good and I remembered a post I had about Madam Pelee I had written in 2007.

I was riding well despite the wind when all of a sudden I felt that flat feeling again. What the hell. I looked down and saw that it was my rear tire that was flat. I pulled over and changed the tube. I didn't find any obvious damage or punctures in the tube or tire so I'm not sure why I flatted.

I always make it a point to put new rubber on my bike before an A race. I had bought new tires last week but just haven't put them on my wheels. I took the flat as an opportunity to practice my tire changing skills. I took my time but didn't lolly gag while changing the tube. It was a good change.

I finished my ride with the heat and wind with no other problems and felt great the entire time. I think the Rev3 course has some people to be worried about. There will be some very fit and fast triathletes on course come Sept. 12.

Game On.

Rev3 Training Day/Course Preview

Yesterday the Cleveland Tri Club hosted a course preview day for the Rev3 bike course. The day wasn't just the bike ride though. We swam in Lake Erie and received some open water tips from area swim coach Leah Nyikes of Liquid Lifestyles.

We regrouped for the bike ride and divided the 100+ people into four groups, A (fast), two B's (moderate) and C (easy). I took the lead for one of the B groups. We had a good time, I pointed out important parts of the course and I got a good workout riding back and forth checking on the group.

Overall we rode 56 miles. Unfortunately I couldn't stick around for the 3 mile run or informational sessions that were scheduled for the rest of the day.

I did take some pics during the group ride. I had a great group and I think we had fun.

We headed out through the town of Huron. We stayed together and took it easy until we moved through town and got onto the open roads.

Yes you could say the course is fairly flat.


But here is one of the bigger climbs. Nothing much but still elevation gain.


More flat

Eric Opdyke, the Rev3 race director, rode the course also. He will be back for a Rev3 course preview day in August.


Game On

The Revolution is Here

Revolution3 Triathlon that is. The crew bringing a full distance triathlon to Northern Ohio was in town for an informational meeting. One year from this weekend the Cedar Point FullRev and HalfRev will take place. One full year in advance, Heather Gollnick and her staff came out to look at the park, swim the waters of Lake Erie, and ride the roads.

Last night there was an informational session at the host resort. Since I am the USAT contact for SBR, I had received information about a club challenge that was going to be offered. I drove out to see what the race would be like. Oh yeah, meeting Heather would be a nice bonus.

A small group of people attended the event. The RD of the Greater Cleveland Triathlon, Mickey, was there. Sherman from Bike Authority showed up. There was Brandon, Ken, Tim and George representing the Cleveland Tri Club. Jim and Andy from the Spin/Second Sole team showed up also. Kyle Amsdell was asking some good questions as well. It was a great representation of Cleveland triathlon.

Heather, Eric and LJ represented Rev3 very well. They each provided great insight into the concept or Rev3, the race, how they want the race to be run, etc. After the general questions were answered Heather fielded some triathlon specific questions about nutrition, tapering, spousal support...anything we wanted to ask.

I was taking notes so that people could get a feel for the race. Here are some of my notes.

Currently there is no limit for entry. Being the first race at Cedar Point they anticipate good but not huge numbers. If they were to cap the entries it would be around 1500. Can't remember if that was for both races of not, FullRev and HalfRev.

The course is 90-95% done. Small changes are still in the works. The bike and run course are pretty much set. The swim course may move from one side of CP to the other. Last night the wind was from the north and Heather personally saw what type of waves the lake can produce. The white caps made her nervous. But she did say the "bay" side of the park was great to swim in.

Swim will be 1 or 2 loops, hoping to keep it one.
Bike and run will be 2 loops.

FullRev starts first with possibly a mass start followed by wave starts for the HalfRev. The HalfRev wouldn't start for about an hour after the FullRev. This should help with any congestion issues.

Due to the large pro purse being awarded there will be a large number of USAT officials on the course. Drafting will be the biggest concern but I'm sure the officials will be watching all aspects of the race.

Aid stations will be typical for a full distance event. 10-15 miles on bike and every mile on the run.

Similar to what Mickey does with training days at GCT, Rev3 will sponsor preview rides, swims, runs with pro triathletes leading the way.

Rev3 uses a front wheel bike rack system. No hanging the bikes by their seats. This would make everything nice and tidy. The racks will even have a name tag that you get to keep.

Club discounts will be available. Those that have already signed up don't worry. When the discount is available you will just need to contact Rev3 to get the discount applied....get a refund.

Even the volunteers can get discounts. If someone does volunteer for the race they can get a discount for the next year.

Rev3 is introducing a Club Challenge for the featured race at each of their events. At Cedar Point the featured event is the FullRev. A club can have teams of 3 men and 3 women compete for prizes. The lowest cumulative time of all six club members determines the winning team. Each person must be competing in the FullRev. Interesting concept.

There are still some logistical items to be worked out. Spectator entrance to Cedar Point is being figured out, especially if someone doesn't want to get on the rides. Family and friends just want to watch the finish. It will be worked out over the next year.

There are other things that I may not have written down but it will have the support and feel of an Ironman event, especially for the FullRev.

I came away from the meeting feeling pretty good about the event. They have been working hard with local resources to make the event attractive to local and out of town racers. Heather, Eric and LJ displayed a genuine excitement about the race. Heather and LJ especially had a high level of energy and enthusiasm about the race. The manager of Sawmill Resort was also providing input about training opportunities on his beaches.

The local support is definitely there.

After all the formal hoopla Heather answered some questions, took some pictures with us and signed some pictures. She was a pleasure to talk to and meet.

Here I am with Heather. Is this a blogger meet-up? A pro triathlete sighting?


Here is some more of the guys wanting a picture with Heather. The guy between me and Heather was from the Toledo Tri Club. Do I smell a Club Challenge between Cleveland and Toledo? Could be.

I'm glad I went to the meeting. Now I have to decide my race schedule for next year.

Game On.