Activate America
Barber to Boise is the official event for America on the Move in Idaho and YMCA Activate America, celebrating activity and healthy living choices for all ages. America on the Move in Idaho can be used to promote your own fitness activity on an ongoing basis. It is fun, free and easy! Register online at www.americaonthemove.org and begin to track your activity level and receive free heath and nutrition tips daily. The program goal is to encourage people to be more active by reaching the recommended 10,000 steps daily. You will get between 6,500 – 12,500 steps just by participating in Barber to Boise! For more information on Activate America, check out the YMCA Website information

2007 Barber to Boise Results 10k

This race promised to be a perfect tune-up to hone my 10k running skills for the fast approaching season finale on Nov. 10th in San Francisco’s Treasure Island Triathlon.  It was a brisk morning in the low 40’s with lots of sunshine and little to no wind.  Awesome running weather!  I tend to go out too fast in run races so I did my best to stay under control this time.  My first two miles were about 10 minutes and I was feeling good.  However, I had a lull in speed the next couple miles.  I lost ground to the guy I was running comfortably with and ran the rest of the race alone.  I need more focus and tough mindedness to stick to guys running close to my pace.  This guy ended up going on to run my goal time of sub 33:30.  It is so easy for the mind to lose focus, just for a moment, when under the kind of duress a 10k can cause.  Even though I felt the pace was OK he managed to get 10 to 15 feet on me, I lost focus.  I chose to run alone at a comfortable pace.  Don’t get me wrong, I still ran hard and it still hurt, but I could have with-stood more.  I should have stuck like glue to this guy. 

Focus…being in the zone, runners high, he/ she is on fire, unconscious, feeling no pain.  This is a state of being that refreshes in so many ways…giving you that little pinch that says you are alive.  Calm overcomes the entire mind/ body and energy feels endless.  How often can one attain this state?  What attributes best trigger it?  These are spectacular moments that we all seek out in our different ways.  I love exploring the habits of attaining this energy from the seemingly calm serene state that triggers it.                       

Happy Training,

Kevin Everett   

2007 Triathlete Magazine Hawaii Ironman Bike Count

A collection of industry officials assembled Friday to count bikes, wheels, aerobars and the like during pre-race bike check-in for Saturday’s Ford Hawaii Ironman Triathlon. The count helps weighs trend swings in bike and bike parts purchasing.

by Jay Prasuhn

Oct. 12, 2007 — This year, Cervelo rules the roost with 344 bike on the pier, ready for action Saturday. Kuota made a big leap to tie Trek with 128 bikes. SCOTT is also upwardly mobile with 89 bikes.

Among the wheels, Zipp made like Cervelo, fairly dominating the aero carbon wheel category, while Hed Cycling took up second. Selle Italia is the top saddle in the race with Fi’zi:k taking second. In a new category being checked-groupsets-Shimano was dominant with 1,521 groupsets, with Campagnolo second and road groupset newcomer SRAM making its first entry into the market with 20 gruppos on the pier. Among aerobars, Profile Design maintained its top position with 706, with Vision by FSA second.

Bikes

1. Cervelo 344
T2. Kuota 128
T2. Trek 128
4. SCOTT 89
5. Cannondale 75
6. Orbea 71
T7. Felt 66
T7. Kestrel 66
T9. Specialized 61
T9. Litespeed 61
11. Quintana Roo 60
12. Giant 59
13. Look 51
14. Guru 36
T15. BMC 15
T15. Principia 15
17. Softride 14
T18 Argon 18 12
T18 Elite 12
T18 Griffin 12
21. Calfee 11
22. Stevens 8
T23. Pinarello
T23. Time
T23 Javelin 7
26. Bianchi 5
T27. Teschner 3
T27. Fuji 3
T27. Ridley 3

By Lance Watson

Oct. 15, 2007 — At Triathlete’s “Legends of the Lava” seminar last week, a question was posed to Mark Allen, Dave Scott and Paula Newby Fraser: “Why did you guys race so fast back then, compared to now?” As a coach fascinated by models of long term athlete development (LTAD), my ears perked up to hear their answers.

Paula talked about having no barriers and chasing the guys in training, rather than a structured regime that might present limits. Mark and Dave eluded the fear factor of racing each other and training for a 7:45 Ironman and 2:30ish marathon, to be fit enough to lay that down if necessary. There were less group tactics and more going solo and going hard.

Relative to Paula’s comments, in my own experience I have seen what high level training partners can do for an athlete’s preparation. I think back to Greg Bennett helping Simon Whitfield get ready to win Olympic Gold in 2000. Good work ethic and a great training program coupled with training mates who push you that extra little bit. And, as Mark and Dave alluded to, if you are constantly exposed to the highest level of training and competition, it becomes the norm that you strive for. Building the National Triathlon Centre in Canada, I always welcomed international athletes into the program, because I knew the impact of that on our young Canadian athletes. Many of those young athletes are now amazing international competitors. Maybe you have heard of Kirsten Sweetland, a 19 year old winning World Cups internationally?

Reflecting on their winning times, PNF’s 8:55 and 8:58 are unbelievable. That woman is an exceptional athlete.  Looking at Mark’s 8:07, and Luc Van Lierde’s 8:04, it seems that a sub-8 in Kona is well overdue.

Most proponents of LTAD would agree that an athlete in their teen years needs to work on motor skill acquisition (i.e. learn how to swim and run efficiently), speed and threshold, with less focus on endurance. I am regularly asked by parents on how to prepare their 8, 9 or 10 year old for a 10k run. That is hard on their growth plates and also too long to go for that age, even if they tell you they love it! It’s better for their health and long term potential to run school cross country at 1 to 3 miles and go as fast as they possibly can.

Consider that many of the finest Ironman athletes have also won short course worlds:  Michellie Jones, Erin Baker, Greg Welch, Mark Allen, Karen Smyers and now Chris McCormack. Normann Stadler and Natasha Badmann also won World titles in duathlon at the 10k run-40k bike-5k run distance. It means that these guys and gals needed to be really, really fast in their early to mid-20’s. As I watched Macca and Crowie tear up the run course yesterday, I was immediately reminded of witnessing their run prowess at the shorter distances, and the speed and finesse with which they tackled 10k’s off the bike.

With the proliferation of Ironman and the excitement that surrounds it, it concerns me that many late teen and early 20’s athletes will solely turn their attention to long distance training, and miss those critical threshold-development years that will ultimately impact their Ironman potential. Like Haile Gebrselassie or Paula Radcliffe in the marathon, they first honed their 5000m and 10000m speed before moving up to longer distances.

Kudos to the World Triathlon Corporation for building a bridge to Ironman with the 70.3 series. I believe this pathway will greatly build depth and ultimately for performance at the Ironman World Championships. With Craig Alexander and Samantha McGlone’s performances this year, the proof is already in the pudding!

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LifeSport coach Lance Watson is in Kona as the Official Coach of Ironman. He has coached 16 Ironman wins.  To learn more about LifeSport or to start on a great coaching journey, contact Coach@LifeSport.ca, or visit www.LifeSport.ca

IT Interactive

Australian Greg Bennett captured the win at the Toyota US Open in Dallas, Texas Sunday, as well as the accompanying bonus checks for winning each of the races in the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon Series, subsequently trumping the BG Des Moines World Cup as the now richest payday in triathlon history.   A simple addition calculating the total amount of the three gigantic checks cradled tightly under Bennett’s arm as he strode around the finishing chute equaled $420,000.

Bennett completed the richest winning streak in triathlon history, winning the final stop of the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon Series, the championship race in Dallas.   The win topped an improbable run that included victories at the previous four races in the series including Minneapolis (July 15^th), New York City (July 22^nd), Chicago (August 26^th) and Los Angeles (September 9^th).  

After failing to qualify for the United States Olympic team at America’s first qualifying event at the BG Beijing World Cup, Colorado Springs resident Sarah Haskins defeated a fatigued Emma Snowsill and a powerful Julie Dibens for the biggest win of her young career.

Men’s Race

In order to cash in on his large payday, Bennett had to topple one of the strongest non-drafting fields compiled so far in 2007.   Perhaps the most formidable challenger was fellow Aussie Craig Walton, who finished a mere six-seconds behind Bennett at the Los Angeles Triathlon last month.   Other eager contenders with near-impeccable resumes were Kiwis Bevan Docherty and Kris Gemmell, both fresh off securing their home country Olympic bids for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Czech short-course speedster Filip Ospaly, and a hungry and healthy Hunter Kemper.   Each of these men, and more, were motivated by the $60,000 top prize for the men’s race winner.  

France’s Ben Samson led the swim out-of-the-gates and immediately opened a 10-15 meter gap on a main pack including Walton, Bennett, Docherty and Stephen Hackett.   Walton caught up with the quick swimming Frenchman at the halfway point in Joe Pool Lake and remained on his feet over the final 800 meters.   By the end of the one loop swim, the swim studs only managed a slight gap on the main chase group, and after the quarter-mile run to T1, the group exited onto the point-to-point bike course together.

Frustrated with himself for not establishing a larger lead during the swim, Walton charged to the front of the bike but the chasers kept him in-check and allowed him to hover 50-meters off the front in the early miles.   Bennett was the first to challenge Walton’s cycling prowess and used a series of up-tempo efforts to force a stronger pace from the main group of chasers including Kemper, Ospaly, Docherty, Gemmell, Hackett, and Matt Reed.  

While Bennett’s early efforts were made to force quicker runners like Docherty, Osplay, and Gemmell to work hard during the bike, Reed leaped from the group ten miles into the 25-mile bike course, to gauge the cycling strength of his fellow racers.   His solo effort formed an early gap of one-minute through the rolling Dallas suburbs.   However, by the time Reed reached T2 at Reunion Arena in downtown Dallas, the chasers led by Kemper, were within 15-seconds of the Colorado-resident Reed.  

Reed continued to lead through the empty streets of downtown Dallas for the first two-miles but behind him Bennett made his move and broke free from a hungry group of pursuers.   Running his first mile at four-minute, 30-second pace and firing off a second mile in four-minute, 40-second pace, Bennett caught and passed Reed before the two-mile mark of the 10k-run course.   The flying Aussie, who spent last week studying Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie’s record-breaking marathon running form, sped through the opening lap in 16-minutes and formed a gap of 200-meters over Ospaly and Docherty.   Bennett continued to pull away from his pursuers during the second 5k-lap and broke the tape with time enough to slap high-fives and acknowledge the Dallas crowd.

Said Bennett after his win, “Going in, I was concerned how far back I would be after the bike portion, but once I began the run in second place, I knew I was in great shape.”  

“I just sprinted the first two miles, all or nothing for me, to try and not give anyone else hope,” continued the affable Aussie.

Ospaly out kicked Docherty inside the final kilometer and finished runner-up and beneficiary of the $25,000 second-place prize.   Athens silver medalist Docherty held off a hard-charging Kemper for third-place and $15,000.

For his sweep of each of the five Lifetime Fitness Triathlon races, Bennett won a total of $508,000 in 2007.  It has been a dream summer for the Bennett family as Greg’s wife, Laura, won the BG Des Moines Hy Vee Triathlon and the $200,000 top prize and Hummer.  Laura also captured the first US Olympic berth after she finished first American at the September 16th BG Beijing World Cup and qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Women’s Race

Snowsill entered the race as the top-seeded woman in the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon Series standings having won in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and finishing runner-up to ITU world champion Vanessa Fernandes in Minneapolis.   However, it quickly became apparent during the opening 1.5k-swim around Joe Pool Lake that the American Haskins was on the top of her game and would be a difficult rabbit to chase down.   

Haskins assumed the role usually assigned to her American teammate Sara McLarty and pushed a fast pace in the opening swim leg.   Haskins broke free from the main group of swimmers including Dibens and Snowsill and completed her tour from Cedar Hill State Park to downtown Dallas alone.
 

“The bike was the toughest part because I didn’t know where anyone was or how far ahead I was,” said Haskins.

With over a one-minute lead on Dibens after the 25-mile bike, Haskins set out on a torrid pace worried faster runners like Snowsill and Wassner were close behind.   In reality, she was running away from her competition and had a bigger lead than she could ever imagine.   Haskins kept the pace high over the final 5k-loop and took the biggest win of her career in 1:55:45 and the $60,000 winners check.   Dibens finished nearly two-minutes behind Haskins as runner-up and took home $25,000 and Australian Mirinda Carfrae held off the off-form Snowsill to round out the podium for $15,000.

Despite her fourth place finish Snowsill captured the women’s top place in the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon Series standings and the $60,000 bonus.

PRO WOMEN OVERALL RESULTS
1. Sarah Haskins  1:55:45
2. Julie Dibens  1:57:57
3. Mirinda Carfrae  1:59:11
4. Emma Snowsill  1:59:41
5. Rebeccah Wassner  2:00:15
6. Anja Dittmer  2:01:46
7. Mary Beth Ellis  2:03:18
8. Kelly Handel  2:04:21
9. Jillian Petersen  2:04:55
10. Michelle Leblanc  2:04:56

PRO MEN OVERALL RESULTS
1. Greg Bennett  1:44:41
2. Filip Ospaly  1:45:02
3. Bevan Docherty  1:45:13
4. Hunter Kemper  1:45:29
5. Matthew Reed  1:46:49
6. Stephen Hackett  1:46:58
7. Craig Walton  1:47:17
8. Kris Gemmell  1:49:03
9. David Thompson  1:49:25
10. Michael Simpson  1:50:37

San Louis Obispo, Hortense and I were affably taken aback by the tranquil serenity of our weekend get-away in central California.  The scenic small town had wonderful shops and restaurants scattered along its lively downtown streets.  The air was clean and crisp with scents from ocean breezes off the Pacific.  People were outside walking and biking.  Part of its allure was a European feeling, being founded in 1772; San Louis Obispo was one of California’s oldest communities.  One thing that was missing in this California town was the scores of vehicles and the ridiculous traffic that comes with them.  
 
We enjoyed walking in the pedestrian friendly downtown area, had a fantastic dinner at Novo, and capped our day off with an enchanting movie at the Palm Theater, watching Paris Je t’aime.  Before this, we took in the sights, sounds, and smells of Pismo Beach and enjoyed body surfing some 4-6 ft waves in the cool but comfortable sea water.  The beach was expansive, luring us in for a long walk; however, we decided to toss the Frisbee around instead.    Hortense honed her skills and is now ready for Ultimate Frisbee someday. 
 
This would have been a fulfilling day worthy of reminiscing and it was only the second half.   
 
The day started early with a 5:30 am wake-up-call in preparation for the 8:00 am Pro start of Scott Tinley’s Triathlon.  I hydrated with water and an FRS drink, while eating a banana and some oatmeal.  Then, we loaded up the car and drove the 20+ minutes to Lopez Lake.  It was breezy and humid outside making the early morning hours chilly.  With the sun’s ray starting to illuminate the horizon behind the mountains and the stars fading in the light, the temperature became more and more comfortable.  I was excited to discover this course for the first time and enjoyed what I had seen from the drive (part of the bike course) and the little bit you could see from the transition area.  It promised to be scenic with challenging hills on the bike and run. 
The race started quickly, we lined up, the count down began and one had little time to prepare.  Steve Hackett was caught off guard, within the 10 second count down he was trying to get to the start line as quick as possible.  He didn’t quite make it as the group attacked him while he was still a meter a way.  The first lap went smoothly and I stayed in striking distance at the front.  Then, I made a big mistake.  I knew we had to do two laps, I did not realize we needed to swim to shore.  So nearing the end of the 1st lap I turned left, everyone else went right.  “What the heck are they doing!?” I thought.  It is not a 1 lap swim.  I heard some whistles and commotion that I mistook for the organizers trying to correct their mistake.  Surely, they would tell them to head back out for the second lap.  That’s when I had waited and observed long enough to realize they were merely running around the start line before starting the second lap.  “UGH!” what was I thinking?  I lost a lot of time with that gaffe.  It cost me a large amount of energy as I sprinted to try and catch back up.  I spent the rest of the race chasing.

I did seem to make up some time in the second lap and managed to come out of the water in 6th position.   

The bike was rarely, if at all, flat.  I wasn’t too happy with my start.  I lost sight of McKenzie and Charbot during the first climb, while I struggled to get my shoes on.  I never caught them.  I was alone for a while until Greg Remaly slowly and methodically passed by.  I stayed with him for a few miles.  I realized I wasn’t drinking enough and gulping down some water caused me to lose time on Greg.  He was gone, blazing his way to the fastest bike split on the day; 56:49.  I made it to the bike turn around in 6th position but Rakita and Lieto soon caught me and I stayed with them until the last 2 miles where I faded a bit on a long climb. 

I was alone in T2 and it stayed that way for the first couple miles.  Then, Dahlz and Messenheimer caught me.  I stayed with them for the next 2 miles and felt comfortable.  We came to an aid station and I grabbed water while they ran by without getting any.  I slowed ever so slightly to get a good drink.  It created a gap I never bridged.  On the last downhill, which was very steep, Stehula passed me like he was on wheels. 

Hortense was watching near the finish and warned me, “Come on Kevin, he is coming, C’mon, you’re almost there, hold him off”.  I had no idea I was being ran down.  But I felt pretty good and was poised to sprint to the finish.  If Horite had not warned me, Victor Plata, surely would have cruised by me.  Thanks to Hortense’s encouragement and warning I held the former Olympian off by a mere second for 11th place. 

Diary of Greg Remaly: Scott Tinley’s Triathlon

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