November 30, 2006

    Clinics

1. Clinton's Silverman 2006
2. Western Rock!! Runs Seattle Marathon
3. There is No Finish Line
4. Upcoming Events - Santa Shuffle, Resolution Run
5. Running Room Update -
6. Track North News - LU/TNOR: Access Road - Sign the Petition Now!
7. Mike Coughlin's Tri Section: Timberman Triathlon Road Trip - Update

Clinton's Silverman 2006

by Clinton Lahnalampi

This was the second year I traveled to Las Vegas/Henderson to compete in Frank Lowery’ s
Silverman. Silverman is Nevada’ s full distance triathlon [ 3.8 km/ 2.4 mile swim, 180 km/112
mile bike, 42 km/26.2 mile marathon ] and is touted as the toughest triathlon in North America with
close to 10 000 ft of climbing on the bike and 2000 ft of climbing for the run. The only flat part of
the course is the swim, and this year the swim was even turbulent.

Last year when I completed the race I finished in a respectable 9th place overall, with a time of 11
hours and 38 minutes. I was satisfied with my performance. However I knew I could better, due to
the grueling course and digestive issues I was reduced to race walking about five kilometres/three
miles of the second half of the run. I was hungry this year not to let the course beat me so to say.

I estimate that I logged 20 % more fall training than I did last year leading up to the Silverman. The
big highlight of my fall training had to have been a trip down to Ottawa with Mike Coughlin to
participate in the Ottawa Iron Tour. Put on by Dev Paul there were many elite age groupers who
participated in the event as part of their training for the Hawaii Ironman. After arriving in Ottawa on
a late September Friday night we were up before dawn in the rain and cold for a 50 minute swim in
the frigid Ottawa River. This was followed by a 6 hour/180 km bike, and 30 minute transition run.
On Sunday was Dev Paul’s Canadian Zofingen which involved: a hour and half hilly trail run in
Gatineau Park, followed by biking four loops/100 km around the Park and ended with another 30
minute transition run. Training beside all those top-notch triathletes really helped elevate the level of
my training.

I flew into Las Vegas and stayed with my Dad and Step Mom for six days before the race. Like last
year my Dad turned in my personal Johan Bruyneel. We scouted out the course, examined the
weather forecast and devised a race plan.

The night before the race I went to bed about 7 or 8pm. I slept well until 3: 30 or so in the morning
when I was awoken by a north wind that moved in overnight. After a quick breakfast and a couple
cups of coffee we were on the road shortly after five for what should have been a half hour drive to
the race with time to spare for a 6: 30 start. Unfortunately two traffic accidents diverted us in a
round about direction and put us behind schedule. Seeing a body bag at one of the accidents was
quiet humbling.

Shortly after six we arrived. Not to long after which the announcer is calling for racers to head to the
start. I got to the swim start with a few minutes to spare. No time to worry about pre-race jitters. I
did not even notice how bad the swim conditions were. The wind was reported as being 20 to 30
mph on race day. I do know how fast the wind was at race start, but I have never swum in such
terrible conditions.

While racing through T1 I remember describing to my Dad that the swim was like swimming
through a washing machine. Even though I was being tossed around in the swim I remember
thinking to myself how lucky I was to be in the race after seeing the dead person on the way to the race.

In spite of the conditions I was able to improve my swim time by a minute in comparison to last
year. I was 27th out of the water with a time of 1hour 12 minutes. I was not able to draft on the swim
like I was planning to do but I am very happy with my split considering the damage the extreme
crosswinds did to the rest of the field. According to race reports swim times were slower by 4 or 5
minutes for the elite swimmers in the relay division and up to 55 minutes slower for one woman who
missed the swim cut-off time of 2 hours 20 minutes by a minute or so.

After a quick T1 I was out on the bike course in my wet race clothing and my gloves on to keep the
feeling in my hands. Though nothing compared to the Northern Ontario weather I had been training
in for the months by triathlon standards. For the bike I would
be battling the strong north wind for the first half of the hilly bike course. My plan was to race
conservatively on the bike and save my legs as much as could for the marathon. Battling extreme
north winds with nearly 10 000 feet of climbing, and despite my taking a conservative approach to
the bike ride, my legs were pretty burnt going into the run.

I had the fifth fastest bike split on the day despite the fact I was nearly quarter of an hour slower than
last year with a split of 6 hours and 20 minutes. That meant I had roughly 4 hours to beat last years
time. While putting on my running shoes a transition volunteer told me I was in 5th place.

This year I am able to say that I ran the entire marathon. The marathon consists of two loops and has
2000 feet of climbing to challenge already taxed legs. My run generally went well. There were the
peaks and valleys like everyone else. When things were slowing down or not going so good I just
told myself to keep moving, focusing on small goals of running one segment of the course at a time.

With about 2 miles left on the run I was being overtaken on the by two individuals, one solo competitor
and one relay member. I asked the solo runner, Benjamin Ewers who would set the fastest marathon
on the day at 3 hours 39 minutes, what lap he was on. He could have said his first lap and I probably
would have let him go. But in great display of sportsmanship he said second and I knew the race was
on. I immediately darted behind the relay runner and got about 40 or 50 yards on Ben before I fell
off relay runner’s pace. I continued to sprint as hard as I could. I was pushing my body to my limits
and I felt great doing it. I was able to hold the gap until the finish where came across in fourth place
in a time of 11 hours 34 minutes and a Silverman personal best by four minutes.

The overall title same as last year went to a racer from Colorado, Jason Bortz. His second fastest
bike split of the day at 5 hours 45 minutes provided with lots of room for the run. His winning time
was 11 hours 1 minute. Interestingly the days fastest biker and first to arrive at T2 did not even try
and attempt the marathon. Female race winner Beatrix Blattmann had winning time of 11 hours 42
minutes with an impressive marathon time of 3 hours 49 minutes. The 2005 fifth place finisher at
Ironman France stated that she was going to be returning to race next year instead of going to the
World Championships in Hawaii.

Frank Lowery also put on a $ 100 000 challenge for the first team to come in before the 8 hour
barrier. This relay seemed to garner quiet a bit of media attention and was broadcast live over the
Internet. Cyclist/relay member Tyler Hamilton had an amazing ride and submitted a well-written
article to xtri.com detailing the drama that unfolded in the relay.

More Photos

Results

Western Rock!! Runs Seattle Marathon

by Becky Olacke

I just want to let everyone know that I am no longer a newbie in the marathon circuit. I completed my second marathon on Sunday Nov. 26 in Seattle. I believe that this puts me into the amateur marathon group.

First, I just want to say that Seattle is a fantastic city and if you ever have a chance to visit it, definitely do. Race morning started off with wind and pouring rain. The first 10 miles of the race was very interesting as it was on the Interstate-5, very exciting. However, being a freeway it was canted which caused some joint agony. Keeping a smile I picked up my pace around 6 miles in as I felt I was going too slow at the beginning. The middle 6 miles of the course was in a beautiful forested area of Seattle-that part went great! The last 10 miles were very unexpected. Those 10 miles were literally all hills. It started off with 5 nasty long hills, 1 was 24% grade. Then, after those hills it turned into a 1% uphill right to the finish line which was at the top of a hill. Despite, the hills I still enjoyed the race and was able to push right to the end. The biggest difference I found in this race compared to others I have done is my increase in mental strength. The hills are no longer impossible but an exciting challenge. I just want to thank Steve Tremblay once again for helping me prepare.

PS: The Vancouver Marathon is May 6th this year.

Becky

Results

There is No Finish Line

by Minna Mettinen (Edited by Vince Perdue)

Last week, Nov 14th, I did my first 1000m test for Rowing Canada and yesterday I received the results of the test.

Results for the women in my disability class:

1 - Minna Mettinen - 4 min 51.7 seconds. ( Ontario)

2 - Cailtin Renneson - 4 min. 54.8 seconds ( Ontario)

 3 - Chelsea Lariviere - 5 min. 40.1 seconds ( Ontario)

It is just finally sinking in that I am the 'front runner' going into the Nationals but that second place woman is only 3.1 seconds behind me. Now my plan is to work hard, hoping the second place woman won't be able to beat me.

I feel confident that I can now approach each row with the seriousness and passion that I would for a trial onto death. Yet I do not prepare to die but to battle for life at each moment, with every faculty and power available to me, and I believe this is the way to not only approach a race, but rather each erg. session and each training moment.

It is near impossible for someone at my age, to get into any type of World Championship/Olympic events, so that is simply unimaginable, but perhaps some seniors/masters marathon at some point in the future.

I never felt like I was accomplishing anything 'decent', or useful, or eventful or, purposeful or, even selfless when I did all those things this past year. But for the first time in my life, it feels more of an 'accomplishment' to row until I cannot move, or so hard that I cannot feel my limbs, yet still feel the desire to sprint past that finish line...

Perhaps I am certifiable since I love to row so much. I have only been in a shell once. It was 'tippy enough' and I wasn't drunk. yet, I believe that I can do it (on water that is)... if only I can develop some decent combination of powerful steady, well balanced strokes...

I need to believe I can do it, if I am to have a chance to 'do it'. 'There is no finish line' ... a poster on my wall says. It seems to be true.

Some Inspirational Thoughts:
Jascha Heifetz, the concert violinist, said, "There is no such thing as perfection, there are only standards. And after you have set a standard you learn that it was not high enough. You want to surpass it." --

"It's one thing to survive. It's another to live" -Lance Armstrong

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