INSIDE THIS ISSUE
DECEMBER 2014
Tour de Fronds TCSD Events TCSD Contacts
TRIATHLON CLUB OF SAN DIEGO
TCSD HOLIDAY POTLUCK & BBQ Date: Sunday, December 14th 1-3pm Kellogg Park, La Jolla Shores There will be prizes for the top three holiday desserts, as well as donation bins for Toys-for-Tots and the San Diego Food Bank. There will be an optional pre-event group swim at noon. Check the club’s website, facebook page or yahoo group forum for the latest information.
1 3 3
Board Members Weekly Workout Calendar New Members Youth Tri Series Update
4 5 5 6
TCSD Conversation Race Report: IM AZ Member Profile
7 12 21
TriNews
amie couldn’t imagine ever having a more perfect swim at a California beach. It was early September, and the ocean was warm, calm, and clear. Swimming out beyond the surf, she had continued parallel to shore for a quarter-mile before rounding a rocky point that was the gateway to a protected cove and a mile of kelp beds along a rocky stretch of shoreline. The seaweed forest was home to scores of species of creatures including flittering schools of smelt, roiling bait balls of sardine, bright orange garibaldi, patrolling perch, and crabs and halibut camouflaged on the bottom. She called it her Tour de Fronds. Jamie had parked her sports bag with a towel and sandals on the sand by a lifeguard tower. As she approached it after her swim she noticed a young man sitting on the sand nearby, struggling to stand while he used a cane for support. He couldn’t have been more than twenty years old. His arm bore the tattoo of an eagle with ‘Semper Fi’ written below it. “Can I help you?” she asked, still dripping wet.
She extended her hand. “I’m okay,” he said as he continued to struggle. A blond man with a boogie board was a few steps behind Jamie emerging from the water. “Let me give you a hand, soldier.” The surfer grabbed his hand and pulled him to a standing position where he balanced on one foot. A second boogie boarder with dark hair emerged from the surf and stopped to pick up his towel a few feet away. “Do you need my help?” he asked. “I was going to hop into the water,” the soldier said. Without another word, the two boogie boarders each grabbed an arm and helped the young man hop towards the water. Jamie tagged along, curious about how he would fare in the waves with a bum leg. She was ready to pull him out if the surf dragged him under. Once they were in waist-deep water, the two boogie boarders let go of the soldier. Jamie detected a frown of apprehension on his face. continued on page 20
Sell yo Sell your our bike when th the he he season’s season easonn’s ’ ddone or find your our dream ride fo forr next yye ear! year! Cyclone lone is a new w online marketplace mark where w you can buy andd sel sell ell great g secondhand econdhand triathlon triat tr hlon bikes among triathletes triaathletes like yourself. you W Wee makee it easy and are aar focused focused sed ed purely on triathlon. triathl tr triat
Thank nk you TC TCSD for being eing our ve very first group haven't of users! If you have en't n't checke checked us out yet, have please ease com come and ha ave ve a lookk - you can even putt your bbi bike up forr sale! We invite all We all TCSD members m s to get started at www.cyclonetri.com/tcsd! www.cyclonetri.com/ w ww.cyclonetri.com/ /tcsd!
Cyclone is the Official Bike Marketplace of the 2014 IRONMAN W orld Championship presented by GoPro. World Cyclone is made with lots of sweat and the occasional muscle strain. W ly Wee have just started up and real really value your input and feedback - and we look forward to serving you!
DECEMBER 2014 2
Triathlon Club of San Diego P.O. Box 504366 San Diego, CA 92150-4366 www.triclubsandiego.org Send correspondence to the address above or contact President, Stephen Banister. Membership & Renewal $75/year, $60 active military (w/active ID). Additional years available at discount.
NEWSLETTER STAFF AND INFORMATION Publisher & Design/Production Sprague Design, Dean Sprague dsprague@triclubsandiego.org (858) 270-1605 Editor Alexis Barnes asdbarnes@yahoo.com (718) 216-8555 Newsletter Articles and Ideas Please send to Dean Sprague at dsprague@triclubsandiego.org and/or Alexis Barnes at asdbarnes@yahoo.com Contributing Writers: Barbara Javor, Melissa Meklinger and
Craig Zelent
SHOW OFF YOUR TCSD
TCSD e-lists Subscribe to the TCSD e-mailing list by sending a blank email with your name in the body to: TCSD-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Spirit!
TCSD membership (online) at http://tiny.cc/v3xypw
2014/2015 RACE SCHEDULE
Saturday December 6th, 8:30am
to be considered for the club’s website and/or newsletter.
CONTACTS
REAL BEGINNERS’ BIKE RIDE
Send your “TCSD Spirit”image(s) to dsprague@triclubsandiego.org
What is TCSD Spirit? Any TCSD branded item shown in a unique location, setting or way.
DECEMBER TCSD MEETINGS, CLINICS, RACES & RIDES*
The TCSD Real Beginners’ Bike Ride takes on the 56 bike path and is a club ride where nobody gets left behind. If you can ride comfortably for at least 60 minutes without stopping (total ride time 90-minutes) then this ride is for you. Be ready for a few moderate climbs on the first half of the ride; beginners need hills too! Total distance for the ride is 18 miles. Hybrids and Mt. Bikes will go half the distance. James will be your leader and is promising a fun-filled morning. Non-members are ALWAYS welcome. Helmets are MANDATORY.
Run Events
Option: 5K run after the ride. Bring your run gear if you plan to join.
South Bay Triathlons
Schedule of Events: 8:30am Bike Q&A 9:00am Wheels Roll
Beginner Triathlons
Dec 13, 2014 - Tentative. 10k, 2 loops starting at Hospitality Point. Jan 11 8k, loop course in Carlsbad. The old Dannon Duathlon course. Feb 7 or 14 Off-road course in Del Mar. More details forthcoming.
Fiesta Island Triathlons Mar 15 April 11 May 17 Oct 31 Nov 21 - Tentative
August - date TBD September - date TBD
June, July, & August Dates TBD
NEW Meet up Location: PARK & RIDE Location 12791 Sorrento Valley Road Del Mar, CA 92121 map: http://tiny.cc/f0j8cx Contact: Please contact James Ismailoglu at james@triclubsandiego.org with any questions/comments.
ALWAYS REFER TO THE TRI CLUB’S WEBSITE AND CALENDAR FOR THE LATEST EVENTS, UPDATES AND DETAILS. DATES, LOCATIONS, EVENTS, GUESTS. ALL EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
All dates and events subject to change. * Refer to the Club’s website/calendar for additional workouts and latest information.
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 3
TCSD BOARD MEMBERS
WELCOME NEW TCSD MEMBERS Felipe Acevedo Jacob Adams
President
Mike Plumb
president@triclubsandiego.org
Vice President
Deborah Jones
vicepresident@triclubsandiego.org
Treasurer
Bonnie Hammer
treasurer@triclubsandiego.org
Secretary
Paula Munoz
secretary@triclubsandiego.org
Program and Events Officer
Jay Lewis
Marketing Office
Tassia Bezdeka
TCSD Board of Directors
marketing@triclubsandiego.org bod@triclubsandiego.org
Richard Bailey John Barbosa Michael Beckler
TCSD VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Randy Bernhagen Rafael Bettoni Craig Blackwood
Apparel: Zoca Gear
Hank Montrose
hamontrose@gmail.com
Aquathlon Director
Jay Lewis
jay.lewis@mac.com
Beginner Coaches
James Ismailoglu
james@triclubsandiego.org
Genna Boragine
Dean Rosenberg
coaches@triclubsandiego.org
Robert Bradley
Steve Tally
coaches@triclubsandiego.org
Brian Brannigan
Bike Case Rentals
Bob Rosen
brosen@triclubsandiego.org
Ryan Brizzolara
Club Historian
Ian Kelly
ikelly@triclubsandiego.org
Kelsey Christoffels
Creative Team
Arch & Christy Fuston fuston@triclubsandiego.org
Anne Clancy
Expo Director
Joseph Clauson Jeff Clymer Danielle Delliplaine Andrew Descary Liz Dinsmoor
(908) 247-1145
Ironman Coaches
Craig Zelent
tricraigz@yahoo.com
Membership Director
James Ismailoglu
james@triclubsandiego.org
Newsletter Editor
Alexis Barnes
asdbarnes@yahoo.com
(718) 216-8555
Newsletter Publisher
Dean Sprague
dsprague@triclubsandiego.org
(858) 270-1605
Race Director
Jim Johnson
jameslj01@gmail.com
Social Directors
Bryan Diaz
bdiaz@triclubsandiego.org
Amanda Scott
ascott@triclubsandiego.org
Paul Eisan
(760) 214-0055
Teresa Elders
Social Media Manager
Kat Gunsur
kgunsur@ccfa.org
Connor Fitzpatrick
Sponsorship Director
Cory Gasaway
corygasaway@gmail.com
Steve Folio
Swim Director
Chris Costales
tcsdswim@gmail.com
Andrew Forsman
Swim Director, Open Water
Trevor King
trevor@EnergyLabTraining.com
Douglas Gillingham
TCSD Cares
Steve Tally
stally@triclubsandiego.org
Jennifer Gotenstein
Track Coach, UTC (Spring/Summer) Bill Gleason
gleasoncoaching@gmail.com
Kelly Haffey
Track Coach, North County
Mike Plumb
mplumb@triclubsandiego.org
Chad Heath
Volunteer Director
Dawn Copenhaver
dcopenhaver@triclubsandiego.com (619) 867-2784
John Hill
jhill@triclubsandiego.org
Richard Reilly
rereillyii@gmail.com
Lily Hikel Jamie Inn Medena Knespl Christopher Lang
DECEMBER 2014 4
Youth Team Coach Web Administrators
Roger Leszczynski
(858) 717-1114
RUN
BIKE
SWIM
TCSD OFFICIAL WEEKLY WORKOUT WINTER CALENDAR
Herbert Lefler Tracey Locher Joe Longo David Maley Elizabeth Mallof
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF OFFICIAL CLUB WORKOUTS, REVIEW THE WORKOUT SCHEDULE ON THE CLUB’S WEBSITE.
Nicolas Margarot Andy Martin
Monday 6:00 AM Ocean Swim, advanced/expert swimmers 6:00 PM
Ocean Swim in Carlsbad
7:30 PM
JCC Swim Workout
•
•
•
Location: La Jolla Cove.
Diego Martinez
Location: Tamarack Beach.
Location: Jewish Community Center (JCC) in University City
•
Fee based.
Kristine Mcgraw Nathen Murawski
Tuesday 6:00 AM Pannikin Bike Ride
•
Lance Myers
Location: Pannikin - 7467 Girard Ave., La Jolla.
6:00 AM Ocean Swim in Carlsbad
•
Location: Tamarack Beach.
6:30 AM Bike Workout in Point Loma, Group ride 6:30 PM
NEW TCSD MEMBERS, cont.
•
Robert Nash
Location: Moment Cycle Sport, Liberty Station.
Run Workout in Carlsbad/North County, Coached session
•
Location: Starts at the Bike Trail
that runs between Carlsbad Village and Tamarack Ave. parallel to the Coaster tracks.
Wednesday
Susan Oswalt Oliver Partridge Christopher Pearson
6:00 AM Ocean Swim, advanced/expert swimmers 6:00 PM
Ocean Swim in Carlsbad
7:30 PM
JCC Swim Workout
•
•
•
Location: La Jolla Cove.
Angel Pena
Location: Tamarack Beach.
Location: Jewish Community Center (JCC) in University City
•
Fee based.
Tam Pham
Thursday 6:00 AM Ocean Swim in Carlsbad 6:15 AM Pannikin Bike Ride
Pranav Perimbeti
•
•
Location: Tamarack Beach.
Jack Quinn
Location: Pannikin - 7467 Girard Ave., La Jolla.
6:30 AM Bike Workout in Point Loma, Group ride
•
Location: Moment Cycle Sport, Liberty Station.
Sarah Richards
Friday 6:30 AM First light ocean Swim
Kal Restom
•
Megan Riise
Location: La Jolla Cove.
Danielle Rose
Saturday 8:00 AM Bike Workout, Group Ride
•
Location: Meet at Starbucks in Del Mar, Hwy. 101 & 15th St
Kelly Ryan
8:00 AM Bike Workout, Group Ride
•
Location: Nytro Multisport, Encinitas.
Jeff Seckendorf
Sunday
Joel Shedroff
Club Triathlons, Race Discounts, Store Discounts, New Friends, Beginner
Nicola Sundeen Colleen Takahashi
Races, New Training Partners, Food, Group Rides, La Jolla Cove, Fiesta
Join the Club - Join the Fun!
Island, Classified Ads, Club Aquathlons, Beginner Friendly, Youth
http://tiny.cc/k07o2w Program, Family Membership, Club Duathlons, Monthly Meetings,
Bob Uslander Heather Weiner Nick Wenger Vincent Willyard Tim Young
Masters Swim Program, MTB Rides, PCH Group Ride, Facebook Page * Refer to the Club’s website/calendar for additional workouts and latest information.
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG
5
UPDATED 2014-2015 FREE & FUN FAMILY EVENT SCHEDULE SPONSORS OF TCSD MULTISPORT
Meet special guest experts at our events! Plus receive special Roadrunner Sports discounts for your whole family and chance to win gift cards from Ralphs! Events will be held at Road Runner Sports 5553 Copley Dr San Diego, CA 92111
BikeBling.com 333 East Grand Avenue Escondido, Ca 92025 1 (800) BikePro www.bikebling.com Discount: 10% off parts and accessories.
All events be held on Sundays from 10a-11a (see below for Feb., May & June) Check in the Dog House at 9:45a Dec. 14, 2014 Funshop: Get Strong! Bring a mat. Time to Tri Shop! Triathlete Checklist Scavenger Hunt Jan. 4, 2015 Funshop: Shoe Dog Running Skills Happy New Year Fun Run
Endurance House-Oceanside 401 N. Coast Highway Oceanside, CA 92054 (760) 978-6422 http://endurancehouseoceanside.com Discount: 10% off to TCSD members.
Feb. 8, check in 11:45am Funshop: Biking Efficiently Bring your bikes and helmets. Mar. 15 Funshop: Safe Bike Handling Skills Bring your bikes and helmets.
April 12 Funshop: Triathlon Transitions Bring your bikes and helmets. Wear run shoes. Friday, May 1, 4-6:30p Spring Sprint Packet Pickup & Course Talks. Saturday, June 6, 3-5p San Diego Kids Splash & Dash Packet Pickup and Course Talks. July 12 Summer Family Tri Fun in the Sun-What’s happening. Summer Tri-on Fashion Show August 16 Try Triathlon Endurance Food and Drinks-Fuel your Body for Energy. Tri Transitions Fun-Run Course October 11 Share your Family Race Stories and Photos. Meet the SoCal Youth Triathlon Series Winners! Questions? Contact Coach Judi (jcarbary@gmail.com), Coach Paula, and Coach Jim.USAT Certified Coaching. Triuscoaching. http://www.triuscoaching.com See YOU there!
2015 SOCAL YOUTH TRIATHLON SERIES IS OPENING SOON! able to earn great series awards! Here are our series events finalized so far:
HERevolution 235 S Highway 101 Solana Beach CA 92075 www.hertrishop.com (760) 560-7077 Discount: 10% off.
Hi-Tech Bikes Contact: Jamie Henning 7638 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. San Diego, CA 92111 (858) 715-1517 Discount: 10% bikes and wheels, 15% off accessories. continued on page 7
DECEMBER 2014 6
This is the fourth year of the Youth Tri Series. This year, RoadRunner Sports will be sponsoring the series with lots of great series awards and special discounts for your whole family! All kids ages 6 to 15 years old can Tri out these high quality, safe, mostly USA sanctioned MultiSport events, with distances specifically made just for kids their age! Our USA Triathlon Certified Coaching Team will be offering kids triathlon open water, transition, and prerace clinics to help each child be well prepared for their races. For participating in the races and clínics throughout the triathlon series, kids will be
Event #1: Sun., March 8, L.A. Tri Event #1 Kids Triathlon. Event #2: Sun., May 3, Sprint Sprint Kids Triathlon. Event #3: Sun., June 7, San Diego Retro Tri & Kids Splash & Dash. Event #4: Sun., Augst TBD, Kids Triathlon at Chula Vista Challenge. Event #5: Sat. Oct 3, SoCal Youth Triathlon Championship at Scott Tinley's Triathlons.
See TRIUSCOACHING.com/upcoming-events for all the latest series events, Kids Tri Training Clinics, and info!
TCSD CONVERSATION WITH: By Craig Zelent
Kyle Hummel
“
”
I got to talk triathlon with TCSD’s most recent World Champion Kyle Hummel. It will blow your mind to hear what Kyle has gone through just to be able to walk around like a normal guy. He has come so far to become the Ironman 70.3 World Champion for the men’s 30-34 age group. He is an awesome athlete who really appreciates the gifts he has been blessed with. I know you will enjoy getting to know Kyle. Craig: What was your athletic background before you started racing triathlons?
Kyle: I grew up competing in every sport my parents would let me be in. The one sport I never had enough time for was swim team, which would have paid off big time now, but that is all good. Basketball has always been a love of mine, I never have enough time to get on the court anymore but hoops is definitely a sport that I love. I always kinda knew growing up that running was going to be my best sport. My family moved into Yakima, Kyle hanging w ith his pa rents afte WA, when I entered high school, r a 70.3. and was blessed by being able to run cross country and track for one of the best coaches in the and I was all loopy country. I was able to earn a scholarship as an coming out of the water. I thought running 800 meter runner for Eastern Washington shorts and especially spandex were very un-cool, so as I entered T1 I stripped my board shorts off University. (now completely naked), threw on underwear, What was your first triathlon experience like bike shorts, and then basketball shorts over the for you…and the spectators? bike shorts. I tossed on a cut off sleeve shirt, Kyle: My first tri was a sprint tri during my jun- bike gloves, helmet, my sister’s sunglasses, ior year of high school. For some reason I socks, running shoes and hopped on my dad’s thought some good cross training (swim, bike, old school yellow 10-speed bike where you had and run) would be good for my cross country to shift down on the frame; it was awesome. I summer training. I never swam before the race. came into T2 for another complete change of I rode a couple of times, but was running every clothes and then ran my guts out for the 5K. No day for cross. I swam in board shorts and no continued on page 8 goggles. My contact came off my eye mid swim,
SPONSORS OF TCSD
Moment Cycle Sport Contact: JT Lyons 2816 Historic Decatur Rd., Ste. 135 San Diego, CA 92106 (619) 523-BIKE www.momentcyclesport.com Discount: 10% off product, labor excluded.
Nytro Multisport 940 S. Coast Highway 101 Encinitas, CA 92024 (800) 697-8007 www.Nytro.com Discount: 10% everything but service.
Revolution Bike Shop 235 S Highway 101 Solana Beach CA 92075 revolutionbikeshop.com (858) 222-2453 Discount: 10% off parts and accessories
The Triathlete Store 14037 Midland Rd. Poway, CA 92064 www.TheTriathleteStore.com (858) 842-4664 Discount: 10% off CODE: Available on TCSD Member Discount web page. continued on page 8
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 7
CONVERSATION, continued SPONSORS OF TCSD APPAREL & EQUIPMENT
Aqua Sphere www.AquaSphereSwim.com Discount: Products sold through local retailers with TCSD discount.
Garmin www.garmin.com
Hypoxico - Altitude Training Sysems http://www.hypoxico.com
NormaTec - Recovery Systems www.normatecrecovery.com Support@NormaTecRecovery.com (866) 658-5896 Discount: 10% discount
one ever said anything about me getting all naked in transition; looking back I don’t know how. Gotta love tri people, they know what’s up.
mess of road rash anywhere on my body that was bony. My ankles, knees, hips, elbows, shoulders, everything was torn up. My first attempt at a 70.3 was a DNF.
Congratulations on recently becoming the Ironman 70.3 World Champion for the men age 30-34. I heard your IM 70.3 career started a few years ago with a bang. How did your first 70.3 go?
You have had some major health issues for a young guy. One of these started on August 6, 2009. What happened on that day? Kyle: August 6, 2009 was the day that tested my attitude about life and family more than I ever could have imagined. The reason I got into triathlons was to complete an Ironman. Three weeks before trying to complete my first ironman I was hit head on by an SUV while on my bike.
Kyle: My first year of tris was 2006. In 2007 I gave my first shot at the 70.3 distance. I was still rocking my road bike with clip on aero bars. I was racing Lake Stevens 70.3 and at this time, the bike was a two loop course. The end of the first loop went right by the swim area so all of the spectators were located there. As I came into this area I decided I wanted some water at the bottom I had never rld Championship. Wo of the hill right in the mid.3 70 IM at ion really been Finish line celebrat dle of what happened to be injured before, let alone breaken a bone. where my parents were located. I tried to grab But I knew that day, lying face down in a ditch a water bottle from a volunteer but he was in the Montana summer heat, looking up at my holding on much too tight to the bottle, and leg with the tibia bone sticking out that there when I tried to grab it I was thrown backwards. was no doubt I had not only broken my leg, but I tried to correct but it was too late, I was it was shattered. The very first thought that going down. I bounced across the pavement went through my head was that all of my hard like a ragdoll. Luckily my dad was taking photos work is down the drain, I will never compete and got some in action wreck shots. I was a again.
TCSD BIKE & WHEEL CASE RENTAL PROGRAM TCSD has traveling bike and wheel cases for rent! We have hard-shell single and double bike cases, and wheel cases that will hold three wheels. Oasis One-Twelve www.OasisOne-Twelve.com Discount: 10% discount continued on page 12
The single cases are shippable by UPS and FedEx. Rates per week: Single case $25 Double case $40 Wheel case $25 Deduct $10 if renting both a bike case and a wheel case. To reserve a case or if you have any questions, contact Bob Rosen at brosen@triclubsandiego.org
DECEMBER 2014 8
14037 Midland Rd, Poway, CA 92064
858-842-4664 :HU +PLNVÂťZ 7YLMLYYLK :[VYL Â&#x2039; )\` 5\[YP[PVU 7YVK\J[Z .L[ 6-- ,=,9@+(@ :(5 +0,.6 ;90 *3<) 4,4),9: 9,*,0=, 6-- 65 (33 *36;/05. (5+ .,(9
3P]L /LHS[O` 3P]L -S\PK
7KH7ULDWKOHWH6WRUH FRP
%LNH 5LGHV 5XQV IURP WKH VWRUH &DOO IRU GHWDLOV 0LGODQG 5RDG 3RZD\ &$ But I did, and I was even faster, more committed and determined.
in the pool but no flip turning in fear of hitting my left ankle on top of the pool. The break to both tibia and fibula were so bad that the bone growth needed was a very slow process. I ended up having five surgeries to the leg over a 13 month period with two bone grafts to help enable bone growth.
What was your comeback like after that terrible accident? Kyle: Very slowly, and painful. My family is incredible and my parents took me in because I needed 24/7 care. I had so much support from extended family and friends that would stay with me once I got out of the hospital while my parents were at work. I had some really dark days over the first six months. I went from full on ironman training to stuck in a bed all day. Just to do something/anything I would go in the back yard and my dad would bring weights out to do some upper body weights. After I was able to get around OK on my own I moved back into my townhouse in Missoula. I could not work so I would do as much as I could at the gym. I would lift upper body, a lot of one legged squats and toe raisers, swim
Lesley Paterson has had a big influence on your success. What have you learned from Lesley that sets her apart from other coaches you have worked with? Kyle: I originally met Lesley in the pool, and we swam in the same lane in Masters swimming, and she was all intense and encouraging all at the same time. I was like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;who is this little Scottish girl all amped up all the time?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Then overy. On the way to rec
continued on page 10
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 9
CONVERSATION, continued I realized she was one of the strongest riders in the group rides I would do and I knew that she was someone special. We became friends and started doing workouts together and we both realized that we both have the same attitude and killer drive in ourselves that make for great training partners. I looked at many coaches in the San Diego area but I did not connect the same way with anyone that I did with Lesley. Her amazing training philosophy of strength work before speed makes so much since and my racing has had amazing improvements because of her training style. I could not maximize my racing abilities just in the race season doing all speed work. It starts from weeks and weeks of hard core strength work and gradually building in the speed to peak at just the right time.
The team at Rehab United and Tyler Forbes have also played a significant role in your success. How have they helped you? Kyle: I was introduced to Bryan Hill with Rehab United through Lesley because our first year of working together I could not stay healthy. After I broke my leg, I did zero hours of physical therapy. I honestly thought it was a waste of time. My mind set was that my body will just fix itself. But with one injury after anoth-
DECEMBER 2014 10
er, I knew I needed outside help. Bryan and I got really close because I will do whatever it takes to be my best so I was in PT three times a week. Bryan really worked out some issues and built some needed strength in my broken leg. But even with all of Bryanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incredible work I was still getting injured. Two years ago I could barely walk because my psoas was so inflamed. I was a mess and needed some serious deep tissue work. That is when I was introduced to Tyler Forbes, a chiropractor with Back in Motion. This guy is quite honestly amazing. He tore into my body in a way that would make me scream for bloody murder. I would leave an hour long session drenched in sweat from Tyler breaking apart my muscles. These sessions hurt more than anything, but I knew that it had to be done. If it was not for Tyler I would still be injured and I truly believe that. My body was such a mess and so tight all over that it took two months of working with him before I was able to run pain free. I have now gone two seasons of racing with no injuries by keeping constant visits with Tyler.
What other fringe benefits have you enjoyed from your workouts at Rehab United?
Kyle: Bryan puts on great strength and injury prevention classes bounce back so quickly from being so sick to World Champion a couple times a week at his Rehab United clinics. I originally met in a few short months? Randi at these strength classes. I would briefly say hi to Randi Kyle: Last year, I was able to put up good results and I really after I originally met her, but since I was there to work out that wanted to get a great base of training going into this year. I was was what my focus was on. She may be hot, but I have other doing seven hour training days the first week of December and things to worry about, like how bad can I people were telling me I was nuts, ‘what the hell are you training make myself hurt today. But after one class this hard for when your first half ironman is not I found Randi and I in a great conversation for over two months?’. The thing is out in the parking lot for 10 or 15 minutes that you never hear of anyone doing and was about to approach her about getsomething great by being normal or ting dinner together when she abruptly by doing what everyone else does. I ended the conversation because she was was going to take my racing to anothgetting too cold, and before I knew it er level and that meant taking my she was gone, leaving me standing training to another level. I really did there. I thought ‘that sucks’, but I will not care what anyone else thought. My see her again. Rehab held a team goals and ambitions are higher than the building event at a Padres game next person; therefore I am going to do around ten months after our original twice the work as them. We must have first (what I thought) great converdreams to make us strive for greatness… sation outside of RU. As a triathlete ‘Nothing can happen if not first a dream.’ there really is no time for a social After my six day hospital stay from lung life, especially the more serious you surgery I spent two weeks recovering. I take the sport. Your training partended up with eight weeks until World ners become your training best Championships 70.3. I spent that first three friends. That night I was able to weeks absolutely murdering myself with attend the baseball game strength training. I maxed my body out every because I was injured and Randi day because that is what needed to be done to Mid-five s from K had just finished an ironman so yle’s no compete at a high level. Regularly waking up w wife, we were both out of training and Randi, at 2013 before 4AM, running hill repeats in the pitch CA 70.3 actually had time get to know someone. We both con. dark or on my bike trainer pounding away. I nected at that game and now have become more than best moved into speed four weeks before Worlds getfriends; we're each other’s better half until death does us part. ting more quality or quantity and that paid off big time. If I did Bryan claims to have set us up. All I know is that I owe that guy not have those monster months of training in December and big time because without Rehab I would have never met the love January my body would not have been able to handle the load I of my life. put in the two months before Worlds.
You had lung surgery earlier this year. What brought that on? Kyle: The lung issues were the result of a bacterial infection to my lung and diaphragm. The exact cause of it all will always be a mystery. But it all started the week of Oceanside this year when I went into that race already feeling sick. I got in a fist fight with some guy in the swim and ended up with a black lip and swallowed a lot of that nasty water. 15 miles on the bike I puked all over the place. A week after the race I was feeling worse and worse and could barely run. In the middle of a six hour bike ride I was on the side of the road, not able to breathe and honestly pretty scared. Not being able to breathe is no joke and nothing that I had encountered before. I ended up in the ER and was diagnosed with pneumonia and pleurisy. That was the start to the crazy summer of mine.
You had a major physical set back this year. How did you
How did the IM 70.3 Worlds go down for you in Mont Tremblant? Kyle: I came out of the water in 27 minutes which I was happy with considering how physical the first seven or eight minutes were from a run in start. The body felt good and headed out on the bike (what ended up being in 39th place). I got on the bike and started passing guys with ease, groups of five to ten guys like it was nothing. I moved into the top five by the half way mark and knew I was having a special day. By the end of the bike I came into T2 tied for second and felt great. I ran down the leader at mile five and never looked back. It was one of those days where the mind never breaks, the body feels no pain, the day every triathlete hopes they have when they race. Randi was there at the finish line and hugged her so hard with continued on page 22
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 11
SPONSORS OF TCSD
Road Runner Sports 5553 Copley Dr. San Diego, CA 92111 (858) 974-4455
Articles NEEDED!
W
e are always looking for race reports. Share your latest experience, your first or 500th event. No two races are the same. Stories need not be just about triathlon, they can include running, cycling, tri travels… etc., whatever you think other club members may
find interesting. Without content, this
Share your race report or adventure. Just a test to see who is reading... This will be the last
newsletter will end up being just ads, and that is no fun.
issue of TriNews if member’s don’t want or care about the content to fill these pages... we’re giving members one more month. Rudy Project www.e-rudy.com Discount: 40% off helmets and sunglasses. CODE: Available on TCSD Member Discount web page.
Submission date is the 17th of each month for the following month’s publication and should include photos whenever possible. Any questions on the submission process, please contact the publisher or editor for complete details. See page 3 for contact info.
RACE REPORT: 2014 IMAZ Speedplay (800) 468-6694 www.speedplay.com/
Xterra Wetsuits 610 Gateway Center Way, Suite J San Diego, CA 92102 (858) 565-9500 www.xterrawetsuits.com Discount: 60% off select wetsuits. CODE: Available on TCSD Member Discount web page.
Zoca Custom Endurance Gear San Diego, CA www.zocagear.com Contact: Hank Montrose hamontrose@gmail.com
continued on page 13
DECEMBER 2014 12
MARC SOSNOWSKI & MELISSA MERKLINGER Age Group: M/F 45-49 Date: November 16, 2014 Location:Tempe Town, AZ A race/love story from a first timer and the better half of a training couple. “I’m a volume guy, you know.” Gulp. I began feeling slightly nauseous. I was sitting next to my boyfriend, Marc, and our running/tri coach was describing his Ironman training philosophy to us. “What, exactly, is ‘volume?’” I thought. In my opinion, ALL triathlon training was voluminous, but I had never trained for a full 140.6. What did I know? Let’s backtrack a bit. Marc and I had volunteered for Ironman Arizona in 2012. We were relative newbies having just started in Ready to race, IM AZ! the sport earlier that year. We decided to skip the Monday sign-ups and drive home due to volunteering. and work obligations. But on the ride home, still here we are now basking in the IMAZ finish line adrenaline, we in a hip, casual convinced ourselves that maybe we COULD do restaurant in Encinitas, sitit. Well, it never happened; the race sold out in ting across from our experienced coach, Jim 15 seconds or so and we were done. At least for O’Hara, who is trying to explain that we’re in that year. All during 2013, we planned to vol- for something “voluminous.” This made me a unteer again at IMAZ to secure a 2014 slot. We little (ok, a LOT) nervous. I’m a single mom, I made our way back to Arizona in 2013 and whined to myself; I have three young kids, a signed up the morning after full time job and I’m LAZY in the mornings. In
reality, if nothing else motivated me it was the fact that I had spent a small fortune to sign up for the race. I needed a coach because I was determined that when people asked me what my time goal was, I was NOT going to reply “oh, just to finish.” Bring it on, Mr. Volume. It wasn’t long before we were on a rigorous training schedule that included the obvious SBR, along with strength training and stretching exercises. To say that I did EVERY workout would be a lie, but I was diligent with what I could do. Our coach Jim began the training by telling us that if my and Marc’s relationship survived the training, we should consider the plan a success. Marc and I trained together as much as we could and had endless tri-related discussions—nutrition, rest, running form, bike cadence, you name it, we chatted about our shared experience. He’s much faster than I am, so I pretty much had to check my ego at the door and get used to coming in last. He slowed his long bikes down to accommodate, me and I put up with his grouchiness. He was my biggest motivator during training, and I missed him when I was finding a workout difficult and he wasn’t there. Lots happens during training… he got hurt, I broke down crying during a particular sucky day… we learned when to cheer each other on and when to back off. In hindsight, it bonded us together even more. Fast forward to IMAZ race weekend. We drove to Arizona with Marc’s 16-year-old son Austin. We arrived on Thursday and were staying about 1.2 miles from Ironman Village. We checked into the hotel then made our way to the Village. This was our third time at IMAZ, but it’s different when you’re an athlete. There’s a quiet energy that
SPONSORS OF TCSD
Zoggs Goggles Zoggsusa.com
Zoot Sports www.zootsports.com
COACHING & FITNESS
Energy Lab Training Contact: Trevor King email: ftrevorwking@yahoo.com www.energylabtraining.com
The Fit Stop Human Performance Lab Contact: Ken Nicodemus (760) 634-5169 kjnico@roadrunner.com www.fitstop-lab.com Discount: 25% off select testing services.
Gleason Endurance Coaching Contact: Bill Gleason www.Gleasoncoaching.com Gleasoncoaching@gmail.com
continued on page 14
continued on page 14
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 13
TCSD Members get 50% OFF First Drop In Class 10% OFF* All Non-Discounted Class Packages & Retail Items "IKRAM 9OGA is a challenging series of 26 yoga poses with two breathing exercises designed for all ages and levels of ability.This 90 minute class targets every muscle, joint, ligament, tendon and organ in the body. With a regular practice you will see the effects of this in your strength and flexibility. "IKRAM 9OGA is done in a heated room
PedPowerPerform Lab Bike fitting featuring Retül and pedal stroke analysis/coaching. (858) 270-1605 www.PedPowerPerformLab.com Discount: yes, contact for details.
to warm your muscles, prevent injury, allow a deeper workout, and cleanse the body by flushing toxins. A perfect compliment to your work-out, a great way to reduce stress, or to alleviate symptoms of long term or new injuries.
")+2!- 9/'! New students, please arrive at leaset 15 minutes early for registration and orientation.
www.BikramYogaRB.com
Sergio Borges X Training (858) 558-1337 sergio@sbxtraining.com www.sdxtraining.com Discount: 15 to 20% depending on training program.
SwimLabs Encinitas 519 Encinitas Boulevard, Ste 100 http://encinitas.swimlabspro.com encinitasinfo@swimlabs.com (760) 230-2500
Training Bible Coaching Contact: Jim Vance www.trainingbible.com (619) 886-3227 jvance@trainingbible.com Discount: $50 off all start-up fees and clinic/camp discounts announced as happening. continued on page 15
DECEMBER 2014 14
2ANCHO "ERNARDO
16473 Bernardo Center Drive, 2nd Floor San Diego, CA 92128 Entrance is located between Music for Kids First Citizen’s Bank (858) 673–YOGA Email: info@BikramYogaRB.com
*No discounts on 7 Day Intro Pass, Beverages, Single Pack Electrolytes, mat/towel rentals MUST present valid TCSD Membership card for discount. NO EXCEPTIONS
SPONSORS OF TCSD
RACE REPORT, continued surrounds the crowd, and we were now a part of it. Check-in went smoothly but was rather slow. You’d think they’d get this down pat by now. We got our swim cap, timing chip, race bibs/stickers and five race bags (five race bags… seems a bit excessive, but more on that later). They put on your bracelet and from that point on, you’re doing your best to make sure everyone you pass by during the next three days sees it. Yes, I’m an athlete… oh, you don’t have a bracelet?... too bad for you. Aren’t I special?! We shopped at the severely over-priced Ironman merchandise store, of course, and then decided to see a movie to get our minds off of the race. Turns out the movie theater near the Village has those comfy, reclining la-z-boy type chairs; at $7 a ticket, I felt like I had won the lottery. Sleep didn’t come easy that night, but I was sort of expecting restlessness. We were up early Friday morning to do a short bike ride and met Marc’s parents, sister and Austin back at the hotel. We wanted to be sure to attend one of the many athlete briefings and so we did at about 2pm. We ended up walking around a lot more than anticipated so we decided to see another movie on Friday night. Not such a great night as the movie was terrible and we were exhausted. Another restless sleep. We planned to do a short bike and run on Saturday, but were on the fence about the practice swim. We heard that the water was unusu-
ally warm but people were talking about the possibility of getting sick from drinking the nasty water. If you’re not familiar with the swim at IMAZ, it’s in Temple Town “Lake,” which isn’t a lake. It’s a canal and the water is… er, cloudy. After hearing that the low water level made the swim exit difficult, we decided to go ahead and do the swim. We meandered down to the water’s edge. There was a two-hour window to swim but our plan was to take only a short dip. Various wetsuitted athletes were walking around, chatting about water temperature and how DARK the water was. It’s something you don’t think about during training, but the camaraderie during an Ironman is GREAT. Striking up conversations with strangers is routine—we have so much in common and talking about our shared experience seemed to calm everyone’s nerves, including mine. The swim was uneventful… a little chilly but nowhere near the announced 70 degrees. And it was super-dark… I could see from my shoulder to my elbow… no hands! Gladly, the swim exit wasn’t as difficult as I had thought; the first step out was even with the water surface, so we’d have to rely on volunteers to pull us up. The swim is my weakest event by far, so the practice helped ease my mind. After the swim, we marched back to my notso-cool, yet extremely useful minivan to retrieve the bikes. We did a short 25 minute ride
noting the lack of wind. Although IMAZ is flat, looked at me like I was insane and just shook his the wind conditions can be sketchy. At this head with a smile (or was that a smirk?). When point, we had been there for three days and we got to Arizona, I noted that Marc had bagged barely a breeze had blown. However, by Saturday his small stuff too. Maybe I wasn’t so crazy after afternoon the buzz in the Village (and online) all. OK, back to Arizona… as I was racking my was that the weather forecast was taking a turn for the windy. Estimated wind had grown from 8- bike, I saw my mom and two sisters who had 12 mph, to 12-18mph with 20mph gusts. arrived earlier that day from San Diego and Luckily, we had done many 100+ mile rides on Austin Texas. I was so glad they were there, Fiesta Island which were oh so much fun. Well, waving, smiling and taking pictures. After rackactually, Marc had done many; I had done ONE ing our bikes, dropping our run and bike bags off but decided to ignore the nervous nellies…it and posing for pictures, Marc and I headed to does me no good to worry about things I can’t our room for some much needed R&R with a control. After the bike, a quick run got our promise to meet both families for a carb-loaded hearts pumping and we were ready to drop our Italian dinner. Because of the evident time warp bikes off in transition along with our bike and at the race site (are they ALL like this?), everything took waaaaay longer than anticipated. Our run bags. I would be remiss for not mentioning the “bag Saturday afternoon that was supposed to be situation.” We can file this under the “I didn’t spent off of our feet turned into a two-hour restthink about that” category of Ironman racing. less TV fest squeezed between racking our bikes There are endless things to put in a transition and dinnertime. On the way to dinner Marc dropped me off at bag at any race, but usually T1 and T2 are TOGETHER. To separate out when I might need Ironman Village to pick up my wetsuit. I had chapstick and butt cream was mentally taxing at ripped a giant hole in the front during the praca time when I had very few brain cells working tice swim and we found a vendor to fix it. Nicest at maximum capacity. In what seems like guy ever… he was Canadian, so I think that extreme Type A behavior, before going to obligated him to be gracious. He even said he’d Arizona, I laid out five of my endless supply of wait around for me to show up after the expo string bags on my bedroom floor to represent closed. Because of the lack of parking, I was to each IMAZ bag. During the week before the race, walk to the restaurant after picking up the suit, I would throw miscellaneous items in each bag an easy three blocks. As a testament to my lack in the event I might need it during the race… I of brainpower, I jumped out of the car and realended up with five piles of the exact same ized, as Marc sped off into the distance, that I stuff… chapstick, body glide, sunscreen, gu’s, left my purse on the floor of the front seat of bandaids (?), hair ties (can’t get tangles!), etc. the car. I showed up, money-less, to pick up my wetsuit. Again, in true Canadian-ness, he handI knew I wouldn’t need them all, ed me the but “just in case” seemed liked Carbo load dinn er with family, do n’t m in d a good pre-race strategy. In the wine glasses . another apparent OCD moment, I gathered all the small stuff in each bag and put them into a smaller sandwich bags and labeled them. The only explanation I have for this crazy behavior is that Ironman training to a woman feels eerily similar to pregnancy… the hormonal crying, internment unexplained bloating and now THIS, the “nesting” of my bags. Upon hearing of my pre-bagging ritual, Marc
SPONSORS OF TCSD
TriPower Multisport Contact: Mike Plumb tripower2000@msn.com (760) 420-8032 www.tripower.org Discount: Start up fee waived, refer to TCSD Member Discount web page.
TriUsCoaching Contact: Judi Carbary www.triuscoaching.com Jcarbary@triclubsandiego.org Discount: 10% discount for a 4 coaching session package.
NUTRITION
APX Sport Drink info@apxsportdrink.com www.apxsportdrink.com
EAS Sprots Nutrition www.eas.com
Fuel Factor Nutrition Contact: Kim Mueller (858) 337-3612 kim@Fuel-Factor.com www.Fuel-Factor.com continued on page 17
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 15
RACE REPORT, continued wetsuit and said not to worry, just send him a check. Marc had also gotten a pair of goggles that he hadn’t paid for; I felt so terrible but really had no choice. Go Canucks! Dinner was great… both of our families were there. I sat near my mom and sisters and they provided the much needed comic relief that evening. We laughed and chatted. Our good friend Marc (yes, spelled the same) drove up from San Diego to cheer us on and joined us for dinner. What could have been a stressful “night before” turned into a relaxed, fun dinner. Two nights of restless sleep and the excitement of the race had sapped my energy. We returned to our hotel early, laid out our flat selves (scary that you know exactly what that means), finalized some odds and ends then both slept surprisingly soundly. BRRRRRIIIIINNGGGGG… hotel wake-up call… it’s 3:45am, RACE DAY! We got dressed, ate at the hotel (nice 4am breakfast), went back to our room for the remaining three (whew!) bags, waited for the hotel shuttle and off we went. Transition was full of people and there was an excitement in the air, but nobody wanted to waste nervous energy, so it was quiet in a somber kind of way. Marc and I separated in transition with the promise to drop our stuff off then meet up for body marking, etc. We needed to find my family because we brought a bike pump and couldn’t leave it in the transition bags. If you have trouble making friends, my advice is to bring a bike pump into transition at an Ironman event; you’ll have people begging to be your best friend all morning. After fending off the throngs of our new bike pump friends, I tossed it over the fence to my sister who had somehow talked her way into the restricted T1 area. She said she just looked “purposeful” and told a volunteer she had to pick up a “Sherpa bag;” they let her right in. After chatting with her and then getting yelled at for being one of the last people left in transition, Marc and I made our way to the swim. Oddly enough, I wasn’t nervous even though the best description for my swim speed is “not drowning.” Marc actually seemed more
16
nervous than me. I almost lost him in the crowd and got a little panic-y. Another piece of advice… as much as you would like to think you can pick your loved one out of a crowd, when the crowd is dressed in wetsuits and swim caps, everyone looks exactly the same... like penguins. Darn, I at least wanted to bid Marc a farewell and good luck. Luckily, I found him. Whew. The swim entrance was moved because the water level was so low. We’d have to swim 3/10ths of a mile to get to the start. Geesh, that isn’t good news to the challenged swimmer; turned out it allowed me to stay warm while waiting for the start. Marc stayed with me the whole time; I could tell he was still nervous. Because he’s a better swimmer, he continued to move up while I stopped about two thirds back. The cannon went off even before he got to his spot. OMG, I’M IN AN IRONMAN!!! I was about to wax sentimental in my mind when HOLY MOLY, I’m getting kicked, punched, elbowed and otherwise thrashed! That is one helluva swim! It spread out slightly at about 200 meters but not after a powerful kick to the chest almost knocked the wind out of me. As dirty as the water had been rumored to be, there’s something to be said for non-salty water. Good thing, because I drank plenty of it. Because I’m with the slow swimmers, I think I get thrashed a little more… they’re violent and they’re coming from every direction. I poke my head up, look at the flailing arms and legs and think “I don’t look like THAT when I swim, do I?” At times I was swimming free and clear, and then suddenly a gang of hoodlums would show up and rough me up. I got kicked in the eye by a particularly violent breast-stroker. He actually apologized after hearing me scream an obscenity. Yes, my swim is slow enough to be conversational. After the turn-around, the water got choppy… like white-cap choppy. It was weird and I was afraid I was going to get vertigo and/or nauseous, which is a recurring problem for me and why I rarely do open water swims.
I made it through okay and the end of the swim came quickly. Exiting was no big deal as the fabulous volunteers pulled me up and out of the water and hung on to me all the way up the steps. Can I just say that wetsuit strippers are the best invention EVER? FWAP! Wetsuit off. Nobody but me is running to transition. We’re in a RACE people, I feel like yelling, STEP IT UP!! At that time I didn’t know that I was approximately 121st out of 125 eventual finishers in the swim. I just knew I was DONE with my least favorite part of the race. And my family was right there… YAY!!! My bike bag was at the front of a row, so it was easy for me to pick it up myself and go. Got to the tent, dumped everything out, tried to go fast but my brain was definitely on low battery. My T1 time ended up being about nine minutes… it really felt like five. I wondered where Marc was; easily well into his bike by now, I was hoping he had done well on the swim. He worked super-hard to get faster with swim being the most difficult part of his race too. Another entry for the “I didn’t think of that” file: the sunscreen people. Imagine that your only job as a volunteer is to rub people down with sunscreen. As I exited the tent, they’re screaming “SUNSCREEN!!” with their gloved hands in the air like they’re about to prep for surgery. How cool. Now I don’t have to get my hands all greasy. Dang, I feel special and pampered in an athlete-like way. I run out of transition (NEVER walk into or out of transition, it looks so hopeless) and I hop on my bike (ok, more like: stop after the mount line, tilt my bike, lift my leg, adjust my tri shorts, adjust my pedals, push up my sunglasses, turn on my Garmin, snot rocket), then GO! At this point, because of the sudden swim choppiness I had experienced, I knew the wind had kicked up, just not sure how much and in which direction; turns out, VERY MUCH and directly at me. The bike is a
three-loop course, so roughly 18.7 miles out (slight uphill) and back. On the advice of my coach, I broke the course up into those segments and only concentrated on finishing my next 18.7 miles. Because the wind increased with every loop, I knew I could easily burn out my legs in 112 miles. I finished the first loop at 17mph in roughly just over two hours, which was exactly my goal; however my “out” was only 14mph and the “back” was 20mph (or something mathematical to average 17). I settled in knowing that I would only get slower each successive loop… the wind gusts were getting harder and comprising a larger portion of each loop. I heard Marc yell my name at some point on my s e c o n d loop… he was on his third. That did wonders for my spirits. I also saw my family at the turn-around back in Tempe. You really can’t underestimated the power of having supporters in the crowd… it’s instant energy. My goal was to finish in under seven hours. It ended up that I got as slow as 8.5mph for a sustained period. Very frustrating but, again on the advice of my all-knowing coach, I didn’t fight the wind, just rode on feel. It turned out I completed the bike I 6:52, which I knew because of my Garmin and was happy with under those circumstances. Entering transition, you just roll your bike to a volunteer. So cool! He reminded me to remove my Garmin from the bike and knew how to save and turn it off. Doubly cool! Got handed my bike bag… or did I get it myself? Anyway, I ended up with another GREAT volunteer helper in the T2 tent who knew how to turn on and start my old model Garmin watch, she happened to have the same one. Got refreshed… I had put a face wipe in my run bag, best thing all day. Got everything continued on page 18
SPONSORS OF TCSD
www.nuun.com Chris at chrisw@nuun.com Twitter: @NuunSoCal and @nuunhydration
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Management Accounting Group Contact: David McMahon, CMA, EA Certified Management Accountant Office: (619) 333-0719
Richard Duquette, Bicycle Injury Lawyer Contact: Richard L. Duquette rduquette@911law.com (760) 730-0500 or (800) 464-4123 www.911law.com Discount: Refer to TCSD Member Discount web page.
MHS Works Contact: Matt Sparks matt@mhs-works.com (619) 756-3756 www.mhs-works.com
Oak Hill Software Contact: John Hill www.oakhillsoftware.com johnh@oakhillsoftware.com continued on page 18
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 17
RACE REPORT, continued SPONSORS OF TCSD
Robert’s Auto Service 4630 Mission Bay Drive (619) 275-1132 Contact: Keith Benline keith@robertautoservice.com www.robertsautoservice.com Discount: 10% to $100
WELLNESS
Bikram Yoga Rancho Bernardo www.bikramyogarb.com Discount: Refer to TCSD Member Discount web page.
Function Smart Physical Therapy Contact: Gino Cinco 10803 Vista Sorrento Parkway San Diego, CA 92121 (858) 452-0282 gino@functionsmart.com www.functionsmart.com
Paul Gamache, L.Ac. 7855 Fay Ave, Ste. 290 La Jolla, CA 92037 paul@LetPaulHelp.com (858) 459-5900 www.LetPaulHelp.com Discount: 20% off comprehensive services. continued on page 19
DECEMBER 2014 18
stuffed into my pockets, basically salt tabs and gels. Had a hat and kept my sunglasses on too. I had followed my nutrition plan on the bike and had eaten two PB&J’s and drank an Ensure along with gallons of water and electrolytes and salt tabs so I didn’t feel depleted in any way. I visited the Sunscreen People and was so happy to start the run, which is my FAVORITE part of the race. I was almost done… I mean, I had already gone 114.4 miles… only 26.2 to go, right??? As I began the run, I thought about Marc and where he was. Nobody had given me updates as I flew by them, but my guess was that he was well into his run at this point. We had predicted that he would finish 2-3 hours before me. I TOLD you he was fast. I was hoping to pass him on the run course at some point during the 2 loops, but never did. I saw a slew of TCSD folks and other friends who were either athletes or volunteers. The crowd support is great on at least half of the run. There are some lonely and dark stretches but that’s when the mental toughness kicks in. To finish an Ironman is really a mental game. Nobody gets to the run without some ache or pain or general tiredness. It’s amazing what you can accomplish with training, inspiration and motivation. A little Godly intervention also helps. My coach had warned us about the dangers of starting out too fast on the run and I had experienced the detrimental results at a 70.3 race earlier in the year. I knew at the start of the run that if I could do a 4:30 marathon, I would finish in sub-13:30. My goal had been 14 hours so I was motivated to not blow up. I mentally broke the race down into two half marathons. The first half went well and I had to concentrate to slow myself down. I saw our friend Marc and my family at the end of loop 1 and felt super-energized. They commented on how well I looked (yeh, right), but I ate it up. I didn’t come to a complete stop EVER in the whole race but would slow to get food/drink. Just keep moving, I thought. My coach’s voice kept creeping into my head and I distracted myself thinking of running form issues… kick my feet up a little more in the back, knees a little higher up front, relax my arms and shoulders. I thought of Marc often, where he was in the race, how great our training had been. He was the per-
fect training partner for me… I had a tendency to get that reel of negative thoughts in my mind and it would affect my races. He taught me how to be confident and competitive; it made a huge difference in how I approached and completed races. He is done by now, I thought after my firsts loop, glad that he’d get a chance to recover before making his way back to the finish line to wait for me. Around mile 19 or so I began to tire significantly. I knew this “wall” was coming and figured I’d just ride it out and that the excitement of the last few miles would pull me through. I think I slowed to an 11-min mile at one point. However, true to my prediction, around mile 2223, I picked it up. I used the last few miles to plan what my finish would look like. I didn’t want to be a crying mess, so I began to smile. Yep, I was a smiling fool beginning at about mile 23. Smiled at volunteers, athletes, whomever I came across. Lots of people were walking at this point and I would encourage folks every chance I got. The thankfulness was overwhelming. People commented on my smiling, energizing me even more. I could hear Mike Reilly’s voice, naming the Ironmen crossing the finish line. Approaching the chute was a feeling like none other. All the blood, sweat, and tears of training for this moment! The crowd was loud. My arms were in the air, my smile even brighter. I think I gave some high-fives but I wanted to savor the moment… please let this chute go on for another mile!!! I was drinking it in. Melissa Merklinger YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!! My time was 13:22, well faster than my goal, and I had passed 93 people in my age group since that snail-like swim to move up to 33rd place. So happy!!! Most would say that this is the end of their story. But mine was just beginning. Four steps after the finish line, a Mylar blanket was wrapped around me. I turned, and there was Marc, standing at the finish line. I instinctively hugged him not thinking that the finish line area is secured, meaning NOBODY is allowed back in there, even athletes. I stepped back and looked at him. He was not wearing his racing kit. He had a tuxedo shirt on, red bow tie, red cummerbund, black tri shorts, his signature red calf
sleeves and matching red running shoes. How cute, I thought, he dressed up to celebrate my finish. Or so I thought. To explain the significance of the next events, you have to understand that our relationship began only a few months before we joined the sport. Triathlon was and still is an integral part of “us.” We’ve had trials and tribulations just like any couple, but we’ve always had the shared interest and experience of a triathlon journey. It’s mentally and physically exhausting; we’ve seen each other at our mental and physical worst and have been able to celebrate victories together. We understand. “Why are you dressed like that?” I asked when I came to my senses. He didn’t say a word. He got down on one knee and asked “Will you marry me?” “YES, of course!” Lots of crying and celebration ensued. Mike Reilly announced that he must have caught me at a weak moment, because I
said yes. Turns out Marc had planned this for many months; all family members knew, but I was caught totally by surprise. I called my kids that night and they were thrilled; they love him as much as I do. Thinking back now as I write this, I am so grateful to have this man in my life for many reasons. On top of the stress of our first Ironman, he had the extra stress of planning the proposal and purposefully slowed his race down to guarantee that he’d finish in one piece and be in top shape for MY finish. As a triathlete, I know what a sacrifice that is. I couldn’t really ask for anything more. So this really wasn’t a race report. It’s a tribute to the man I love and our crazy, triathloninspired life together. I can’t wait for the next chapter! XOXO, Me.
SPONSORS OF TCSD
Gordon Weiss Schanzlin Vision Institute Alison Gordon (858) 455-6800 AGordon@gordonweissvision.com SLarson@gordonweissvision.com
Rehab United Three locations to serve you http://www.rehabunited.com
Zealios Skin Care www.zealiosskincare.com 1-855-ZEALIOS
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 19
Tour de Fronds, continued
Gordon-Weiss-Schanzlin Vision Institute... Pro u
20% d Sp on s AL DISC or of L M OU TC EM NT SD BE TO RS
Helping You Keep
VICTORY IN SIGHT. Eyeglasses and contact lenses can get in the way when focus is critical. That’s why Gordon-Weiss-Schanzlin Vision Institute offers the most advanced laser, implant and nonimplant procedures in San Diego.
Alison Gordon, M.D.
20% Discount to Triathlon Triathlon r Club of San Diego members on LASIK, cosmetic tr eatments, eye exams, treatments, glasses and contact lenses.
Call for a Free Consultation 800 NEW VISION www.gwsvision.com
DECEMBER 2014 20
“Are you all right?” she asked. He gazed at the surf. “This is my first time in the ocean. I’m from Kentucky.” “Are you stationed here?” He shook his head, still staring at the incoming swells. “I was on duty overseas until I broke my leg and the Marines gave me a medical discharge. I’ve got some buddies stationed here. I came to visit them.” “A combat injury?” the blond boogie boarder asked. “No, a stupid accident six months ago. I don’t know if I’ll ever walk right again.” “Wanna catch some waves with my board?” the dark-haired surfer asked. “You don’t need two good legs to ride a boogie board. Come on, I’ll show you how.” The two boogie boarders helped get him in position before the oncoming waves broke, and then pushed him off. The soldier whooped during his first ride, a big grin stretching across his face. “That was so cool!” He sounded like a ten-year-old kid. When the ride ended in knee-deep water, Jamie and the two surfers helped him stand and return to deeper water. After several more rides, his enthusiasm hadn’t waned but he grew reluctant to ask for help when the board stopped in shallow water. “I really appreciate you lending me the board to ride the waves, but I can’t keep asking for your help to stand up.” The dark-haired surfer shrugged. “It’s not a problem. You don’t have to ride the surf. Sometimes I like to paddle around past the waves because it’s kind of peaceful just bobbing with the swells. Wanna try that?” “Say, I’ve got a second pair of goggles in my bag,” Jamie said. “Maybe we can swim around the point to the kelp beds to look for fish. They gave a good show a half hour ago.” The soldier shook his head as he stared at the point. “I’d like to but I don’t think I can swim that far.” “You can paddle my board,” the dark-haired surfer said. “I’ll swim next to you.” “And I’ll come with my board,” the blond man said. “You should be okay.” “I’ll be back in a jiffy,” Jamie said. She darted out of the water to retrieve the goggles. They were in no hurry swimming around the point as the foursome chatted. The Marine mostly talked about his tour overseas. Jamie sensed he had a lot to get off his chest, but he was reluctant to share too much with strangers. Once they entered the kelp beds, Jamie played the role of tour guide. Within ten minutes they saw at least a dozen different kinds of fish including sting rays and a leopard shark. The Marine reacted like a boy on his first trip to the zoo, punctuating each of many comments with an exclamation point. “Wow!” “Look at that!” “Super awesome!” Some of his questions made the others laugh. “How do the fish close their eyes at night?” “Barracuda? I thought that was a kind of muscle
car.” “How can a fish be made of jelly?” They were about to end their Tour de Fronds when a pair of harbor seals approached the kelp beds close to where they hovered. Jamie and the soldier watched underwater and caught a glimpse of one of the seals capturing a smelt before disappearing from their view. “Wow!” the Marine said. “I used to think I wanted to be a Navy Seal. Now I want to be a real seal, just cruising underwater for lunch.” They laughed. “Come on, soldier, we should start heading back,” the blond surfer said. The Marine grew chattier on their return trip, still exclaiming about all the fish he saw. “Ha! Wait til I tell my buddies I swam with a shark.” After they rounded the point and were nearly in front of the lifeguard tower where they had left their towels, the Marine stopped paddling. “It’s really cool that friends like you three just up and helped a stranger like me on the beach. I truly appreciate it.” “What do you mean ‘friends’?” the blond man said. “I never met them before. We’re all strangers. I guess we saw you could use a hand so we stepped in.” The Marine raised his eyebrows, his mouth
open. “You’re strangers? But you act like you know each other.” “We do know each other in a way because we share a love of the beach and the water,” Jamie said. “We wanted to pass some of that along to you.” The Marine bobbed on the swells, gazing at the horizon with a thousand yard stare. “Do you know why I’m here? I joined the Marines after high school so I could become somebody who counted, but it turned out it wasn’t like that. I was a nobody in a place I didn’t like. Then my girlfriend wrote me a Dear John letter. Then I became reckless, taking chances, and ended up falling down an embankment and breaking my leg. It was like I wanted to get hurt. “Do you know that movie called ‘Coming Home’ that came out after the Vietnam War? A soldier returns home paralyzed from the waist down and falls in love with a woman who helps him in the hospital. She’s the wife of a Marine sergeant who went to Vietnam and thought he would be a war hero. Only he wasn’t, so he shot himself in the leg so he could be a wounded vet and come home for some sympathy. Only he continued on page 22
A FitForPower Session is one of the most cost effective ways to
improve performance, comfort and prevent injury!
MEMBER PROFILE TOMAS MAJEK Nickname: Magic Member since: 2008 Website: http://tiny.cc/s8swpx
Age Group: M 45-49 Status: Married. Occupation: Landscape maintenance / owner TM Landscaping. Favorite local restaurant: The Pitchers at Rancho Penasquitos. When not training, I enjoy: Hiking with my wife or playing guitar with friends. Before I became a triathlete I was: Swimmer, Lifeguard, Miner, Firefighter, Computer Technician, Sales Director, Landscaper and Recreational runner.
San Diego’s only Retül bike fitting facility utilizing 3D Motion Capture, Retül Zin (hand held digitizer), gebioMized pressure mapping along with CompuTrainer’s SpinScan pedal stroke analysis software.
FitForPower: The most comprehensive bike fit available! PedalPower: A comprehensive pedal stroke analysis & coaching session.
Who or what inspired you to start triathlons? In 2005 I started to running a little and did my first half marathon. I never imagined that I'll be able to fit more workouts into my schedule until I 2007 CA 70.3. I was dreaming, that one day, I'd like to try it myself. Luckily for me I got injured and doctor forbid me from running for six months, so I learned to ride a road bike and started to swim more often. When I got back to running again, I was ready for my first “triathlon” (2009 SD Indoor Triathlon in Carmel Mountain Ranch). continued on page 22
858.270.1605 dean@PedPowerPerformLab.com
Visit www.PedPowerPerformLab.com Call or email today to set up your Session.
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 21
CONVERSATION, continued MEMBER PROFILE, continued My first real triathlon: 2009 Superfrog 70.3. Awesome race, but running in deep sand was really tough. Pre and/or Post event ritual: Pack my stuff the night before, wake up and have an early morning coffee and oatmeal and put on my "racing" pink earrings :) . After each race I celebrate with one ice cold beer. Favorite event/tri: It used to be Silverman, a 140.6, at Henderson Nevada, but it ended in 2010. Since than it's been VINEMAN 140.6. Great people, volunteers and the whole scenery aspect takes my breath away. Favorite segment (swim, bike or run): It use to be swim, but then I got too lazy, after that it has been run, but I'm always excited for the bike, so probably the bike :). PR/Best race (or any split time): I won AG M40-44 at Vineman 140.6 in 2011. My PR 10:38:48. This year 1st place AG M45-49 Vineman 140.6. This year’s athletic goal: I'll be trying to beat my PR at Vineman again! Can’t race without: My lucky pink earrings :). Most embarrassing or disastrous moment: None - So far, so good. My equipment: Wetsuit: TYR Hurricane full wetsuit, Xterra sleeveless Bike: Felt B-16 Shoe: Skechers Go-Run Speed 2 for racing, Asics Kayano 20 for long runs Equipment wish list: Carbon wheels for the bike. Best advice: Have fun and enjoy yourself! Favorite Thing(s) About TCSD: Great source of training plans, friends and free club races for one small annual membership fee.
DECEMBER 2014 22
tears running down my face. I would not have accomplished what I just did without her.
What are your favorite benefits of membership in the TCSD?
demons that tell you life is too hard, that you cannot do this, because you can. My doctors said my race season was over, and then I went on to become a World Champion.
Kyle: The largest benefit from being involved with TCSD is all of the friendships you make just by involving yourself in a couple races a year. The club has so many great opportunities that can make everyone feel welcome and a part of. Triathlons really are about the relationships that we create and build upon.
Who are your sponsors? Kyle: Scott Bikes, ENVE composites, Oakley sunglasses, XTERRA wetsuits, PowerBar, Betty Design, On Running, Powertap, CycleOps, Tommie Copper.
What are your future triathlon goals?
eart coaching. Lesley Paterson - Braveh Hanging with Simon and
Kyle: My individual goals as a racer I like to keep between my wife and coach. I will always set goals for myself as a racer but this year has shown your plans can be interrupted by just about anything. My knowledge that I have gained from Lesley and her husband Simon have made me become much more involved in the coaching side of tri’s with Braveheart Coaching. My knowledge as a racer and understanding of going through injuries and ups and downs that life throws at you enables me to work with any athlete, no matter what level of athlete they are. Everyone deserves to feel great about themselves. Braveheart Coaching creates opportunities for everyone who wants to fight those
How can someone reach you if they would like to benefit from Braveheart Coaching? Kyle: My personal website is www.kylehummel.com and the Braveheart website is http://www.braveheartcoach.com/
Kyle, congratulations on your World Championship! You have made the TCSD and your loved ones very proud. Thank you for sharing your story. I know you will crush your future goals. Good luck in that journey! Craig Zelent is a USA Triathlon Level 1 Certified Coach. Craig can be reached at (760) 214-0055 or tricraigz@yahoo.com.
Tour de Fronds, continued finds his wife has fallen in love with the disabled soldier. At the end of the movie you see the sergeant take off all his clothes at the beach and walk into the water. You don’t if he’s ever coming back.” He paused. “That could have been me earlier today, if I had the nerve. That was before I met three strangers who let me surf with them and took me swimming in the biggest fish tank I’ve ever seen. You saved me from
myself. I want to ride those waves and swim with the fish and seals again. I don’t need two perfect legs for that.” No one spoke for a long moment. “I thought my first Tour de Fronds today had been the perfect swim, but I was wrong,” Jamie said. “This is what I would call the most perfect swim. By the way, I’m Jamie.”
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 23
Triathlon Club of San Diego P.O. Box 504366 San Diego, CA 92150 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED