The Amgen Tour of California

We are midway through the 2009 Tour of California and I’m hoping things shake up today and tomorrow as they ride into the Sierra mountains. Why? Because Levi Leipheimer is leading. I’ll explain, but first let me give you a few reasons to watch this race (that is, if you have Versus and can stay up until 11 pm – once the NHL and Bull Riding telecasts are over).

1. The Tour of Georgia was cancelled this year because it couldn’t find a title sponsor. The Tour of California is the only major stage race in the US.

2. Have you seen the team rosters? They are loaded with talent, both American and European. Each of these teams, save for one or two I think, will be riding in the Tour de France. So the quality is there.

3. Guess whose back? The Operation Puerto guys!! All the guys, most notably Ivan Basso, have served their two year suspensions and are racing again. Speaking of which…

4. Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton are back after their two year bans. Tyler is racing for US-based Rock Racing, which is a new team that has an interesting vibe. They sport an anarchy symbol on their jerseys and team car, which happens to be a Cadillac. I’m not crazy about either guy, but they are old postal riders who jumped ship early in the game to lead their own teams. Both failed, and whether it was due to injury or testing positive for EPO or testosterone, I’ll let you decide. But it’s interesting to me to have these guys back in the mix.

5. There are some other shakeups in the cycling scene as well this year, which are on full display in this race: Cancellara and the Schleck brothers on the Saxo Bank team (Fabian dropped day two with illness); a stacked Astana team proving to be the premiere stage race team (and that’s with Contador not riding); new faces and upgrades on US-based Columbia and Garmin-Slipstream teams; Tom Boonen and Quickstep; Sastre and Thor Hurshovd on Cervelo; etc. Check out the rosters here.

6. And of course, Lance is back. He’s preaching his message of cancer survival at every stop and is pulling and working for Levi as he promised. He calls himself an old man and seems to have no desire to drive his competitors into the ground. However, he is 30 seconds or so off the lead, and seems to always be in the right place with the right group, and he’s shown flashes of power that prove he’s still got something in the legs. Will he be able to sit back in the mountains and bring water bottles to Levi? Maybe, but I hope not. Regardless, it certainly won’t happen in France.

And here’s the thing with Levi. He’s not a team leader and, in my opinion, has gotten very lucky to be in this position. Yes, he’s talented. He rode for postal and was great – he was an all star domestique. When he went to his own team, his stock dropped and he proved he didn’t have what it takes to win a grand Tour. Maybe he didn’t have a strong team, but maybe his teammates didn’t want to ride for him. What European rider wants to ride for an American with no chance? Levi sucks wheels and lacks any explosiveness. He sits back and follows guys up the mountain. He is a lock for a top 10 Tour de France finish, but cannot win, regardless of team. He hangs on by a thread, then ekes out a good time trial to jump a few spots.

Hey, that’s fine with me, but don’t position yourself as a great rider. He tried to sneak past Contador a few years ago and they were on the same team. He never pulled for him (because he couldn’t), and Contador finally had to take off and do his thing. Thankfully, Levi was so slow in the mountains, he couldn’t sneak past him in the time trial, but he almost did. And while this was happening, he complained to the media that he was supposed to be the team leader. Boo hoo. Again, same team and he offered zero help to a more talented rider. He gave Basso a rather lukewarm reception when he joined Disco a few years ago, and again with Lance this year. Having Lance pull for this guy is a travesty.

And where are the style points? How can anyone be inspired by this dude when it’s like watching paint dry. Boring rider with a seeming disrespect for the great riders and strong sense of entitlement. Listen to the guy’s interviews. Read his quotes. Watch him ride. You tell me if he’s a good leader for a team. Astana will give Levi this race because it’s meaningless on the grand scale, but come Giro and Tour time, he’s going to be told the deal, and I can already hear him pouting to the media and complaining. Mark my words. And the cherry on top – his seat is too low!!!

Looking back on 2008

I raced in 13 events last year. I did the Cooper River Bridge Run (10k) and Lowcountry Splash (2.4 Harbor swim) so I could compete in the “Get Over it, Get Under it” challenge (combined time). I ended up getting second in my age group to John Glover, owner of Charleston Bicycle Company. Congrats John, and please hurry and move up an age group already.

I also did the AB&T Duathlon on John’s Island, placing second overall. Otherwise, it was all triathlon, and mostly sprints. Here are a few things I learned this year:

Race Fueling
When it comes to race nutrition and fueling, the old mantra “less is best” is key. You can get into a lot of trouble if you overdo it. The body starts working too hard trying to process those fuels and things start going in the wrong direction. I over-fueled at the Parris Island triathlon. Without really meaning to, I had always followed the less is best philosophy. For whatever reason, I decided I would go faster if I ate an extra bar; had an extra gel; and upped my mix ratio for fluids. Problem is that this was a sprint, not an ironman. I ran the slowest 5k I’ve ran in over 5 years. I simply didn’t need those fuels. My tank was fine. Lesson learned.

At the Races
The Cooper River Bridge run is a great event, perhaps one of the premiere 10ks in the country, but it’s a pain trying to get back to Mt. Pleasant after the race. I tried running back over the bridge and was stopped by police. Even the walking lane is closed until noon. That’s ridiculous. Waiting in lines for buses is a pain. I was also trying to get a good time to compete in the “Get Over it, Get Under it” challenge, but there are just too many people. This race is more about having a good time with friends than posting PRs. And actually, I learned this lesson years ago, so let’s just say it was again verified in 2008.

I love duathlons. Perhaps more than triathlon. My swim times are fine, so it’s not that hate swimming. I don’t know why, but run bike run really appeals to me. I think if I could do one race, it would be a 5 mile road race, 25 mile road bike, 5 mile trail run. Alas, I will settle for one or two duathlons I can find each year, regardless of distance.

Getting up at 3:30 to travel to a race affects your performance. You always have to wake up early for races, but anything before 4:30 and you will notice a performance drop. I traveled to several of the SCTS events (Florence, Columbia 2x, and Parris Island). Waking up that early just cuts into those extra hours of sleep. I had decent races, but my body wasn’t as rested as it should be.

The Harbor swim is easy. It’s a 2.4 mile swim (ironman distance) with the current. That means you go an extra mile per hour, or more, faster than you would in a pool. I finished in around 50 minutes. If you can swim a mile and a half, you can do this event. Not really challenging. But it is a fun event, for a great cause, and I do recommend it.

The sprint series at James Island is fun, competitive and humbling. Even though I ended up with a second and third place finish in my age group, I placed 5th in the final race. And that’s with a top 30 time of 1.05. Everybody peaked and came ready to race that final event. After the race, some friends from my age group (who placed 1-4, we all know each other now) ran a cool down mile and talked about how the race unfolded. We’ve all been racing this event 10 or more years and we each got a course PR in that race, so it was fun breaking down tactics. I don’t know why that memory sticks in my head, but it’s definitely one of the things I enjoy about racing. And I like that one of my favorite memories of the season isn’t based on a time or what place I got.

The Kiawah triathlon is still the best end of season race out there. An Olympic distance with everyone in great form. Always competitive and always fun.

I think mostly I learned that I need a little change of scenery. The sprint scene isn’t exciting me as much these days, and race expenses are creeping upwards. This year I picked only a couple long distance races and skipped planning the normal 15-race season. I’m doing a half ironman in May, then a full in November. My focus will be on long distance training, with little cost, and no stress. I picked up a road bike last fall and I’m looking forward to long rides without worrying about MPH and intensity levels.

Even though I'm sure to log more hours training this year, I feel like I’m taking a year off, so to speak. The race fast mentality is gone, and I hope it clears my head.

New Sprint Triathlon Series in Savannah

After holding three successful sprint tris at L. Scott Stell Community Park in Savannah, Radek Parnika has decided to make it a four-race series for 2009. This is the same model as the Charleston Sprint Series at James Island, and actually, the race is very similar in distance. For more information about this race and course, read the race profile I wrote earlier this year.

The distances are:
500 Yards Swim (lake/pond)
16 Mile Bike (flat and fast; open to traffic, but very little; wind could be a factor)
3 Mile Run (2 loops around the lake/pond within the park; 200 yds or so of XC)

2009 Race Dates:
#1 MARCH 29
#2 APRIL 19
#3 MAY 10
#4 MAY 24

All events take place at 7:30 on Sundays, L. Scott Stell Community Park, Savannah, Ga.

Click here to for more information.

Upstate Y Sprint Triathlon Series
I heard about this series of sprint tris last year. I’ve never raced any of them, so I’m not sure about cost, number of participants, etc. I considered going to Rock Hill last year because the Rock Hill race also offered a duathlon event at the same time. But it’s a hike. In fact, except for Irmo, I don’t think any of these are ‘drivable’ from Charleston on race morning.

Here are the tentative dates for 2009:
April 5: Anderson
April 19: Greenwood
May 9: Rock Hill
May 30: Middle Tyger
June 13: Irmo (new to the Series)
July 19: Union
August 19: Laurens
September 12 or 19: Pickens

Click here for more information.

Cancelled Events for 2009

The 2009 Tybee Marathon, Half-Marathon and 5K events have been cancelled. Not much more information on their website, but it does say “Look for our return in 2010.” I hope that’s the case. I hate to see races die, and I don’t want to add this race to my RIP list.

Here's a blurb from Savannah's daily paper: "Volunteer shortage, sponsorship issues force one-year hiatus. The Tybee Marathon is taking a breather. Organizers recently cancelled the 2009 edition of the area's longest running road race. A representative of the Savannah Striders Track Club, which has put on the race since it moved from Savannah to Tybee in 1996, blamed a shortage of volunteers as well as Memorial Health's decision to withdraw its sponsorship. The Striders plan is to renew the race in 2010."

I don’t know too much about this event, but it’s one of the three marathons in the area – Myrtle Beach (Feb), Tybee (Feb), and Kiawah (Dec). It’s less expensive than the others, and the field is really small (just over 300 for the marathon). It’s a flat course, so times can be fast, but you never know how cold it will be.

My brother did this race a few years ago and said he was pretty miserable. It was really cold and windy, and with so few other runners, he ran long stretches of highway seemingly alone. Of course, this was his first marathon, and part of that misery was because first-time marathons aren’t typically pleasant, particularly miles 20-25.

But I can see his point. For a first time marathon, you probably want to run in a larger field, and even better, with a friend or family member. It helps keep you motivated. Other runners can pull you along; remind you that you are indeed in a race and not running alone; block wind; keep you company, etc.
















My first marathon was in Las Vegas with about 10,000 other runners. By mile 15, I had run down the entire Las Vegas strip and through Fremont St., seen a live band at each mile marker, saw several couples get married at mile 5 (only in Vegas), saw at least 50 runners dressed as Elvis, and one naked runner (he had on only a nude-color bikini). And that’s with people all around me and crowds lining the streets for much of the race. The miles flew by and it was a great experience for a first marathon.

Now, with a marathon under my belt (3:57 by the way), if I wanted to go for a lower time and stay closer to home, Tybee would work perfectly. So, come on Tybee. We do indeed “look for your return in 2010.”

Tour de Georgia Cancelled
This announcement was made a few weeks ago. Bummer. Apparently they couldn’t secure a title sponsor but do hope to regroup for 2010. This race has turned out to be a pretty popular event, attracting many big time professional teams, including the old Disco team and Lance himself.













A buddy of mine went down the past few years and said it was a blast. And unless
you go to California or France, this is probably the only professional stage racing you’re likely to see. Let’s hope this event bounces back in 2010.

If you want more information, check out this article from Pro Cycling News.

Resolution 5k Cancelled
Not to end on a bad note, but I don't see any listing for the Resolution 5k. This is an early morning New Year's Day 5k. I think this would be the 7th year they've done this race. I ran it several years ago and it's a fun way to start the year. Maybe it's there and I just can't find it. We shall see....

Bald spot grows exponentially in 2008

Mt. Pleasant, SC – While viewing a photograph from a recent race, area resident Justin Ward expressed surprise at the diameter of his ever-increasing bald spot. “I really don’t ever see the top of my head,” said Ward in a recent interview. “I mean, I knew it was there, but from the looks of things, I’d say it’s really on the move now.”

Ward, long-known for his Eddie Munster-like receding hairline, welcomed the ensuing battle royale on his head for balding dominance. “It’s really turning out to be good a race. My receding hairline has been the dominant feature of my male pattern baldness for over 10 years. Now, with my bald spot making this powerful move, I’d say it’s going to be a real battle.”

Experts agree that it could go either way at this point. “I got the receding hairline as a slight favorite at the moment,” says one Vegas odds maker who wishes to remain anonymous. “But really, with this kind of thing, you really can’t tell. We’ll know more next year for sure.”