Camp Pendleton, California – On a beautiful Sunday morning I woke to head out for my first real cycling event. I was competing against foreign nationals and my Brothers in Arms. The race started at 0900 and the starting temperature was 45 degrees with a head wind to start. Within the first 1500 meters a Colombian with a single leg …
SFHW & Jack Kane Athlete Race Report : Corrolla Triathlon
Team SFHW and Jack Kane athlete, Lance Corporal Michael Politowicz competed in his first race this past weekend since coming home from Afghanistan. The race Whale Head Club Corolla Pedal-Foot-Paddle Triathlon Mike’s Race Report [hr] The competitors were from all over NC. The race was to benefit the Whalehead Club Museum. It started at 8 a.m. with heats of five …
Back in the Criterium Racing Saddle
Hopping back into racing, especially criterium racing is always a wake up call. The severe leg burning, erratic breathing, and super fast cornering are aspects I have desperately missed. After a two and a half year hiatus thanks to my triathlon obsession, I saddled back up lusting for anaerobic bliss. The 2012 Greenville Criterium in Greenville, North Carolina hosted by …
Part III: Racing, Famous People, and a Sandwich
The conclusive post of the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championship three-part series is upon us. It aims to stimulate your senses, mentally, visually, and if you’re hungry, physically. 4:00 am came way too soon on Saturday. At least this morning we did not have to take a ferry ride. We stayed only eight minutes away from the race site. …
Cutting Bike Race Predictability: Nature Valley Grand Prix
There is a standard formula for bike racing now-a-days. The U.S. Postal Train perfected it, displayed its dominance, and teams try to replicate it whenever possible. It’s proven, it works. The formula? Everyone waits until the last climb, one team drives the pace, or a sprint train wraps up the race. However, as a result, the guessing and anticipation in …
Race Report: 2011 ESI Augusta 70.3 Ironman
A lot can happen in a year. In 2010, I embarked upon tackling my first half Ironman / 70.3 event. The christening event was the ESI Augusta Georgia 70.3 Half-Ironman on the last Sunday in September. I’ll be the first to tell you, I track loads of training data, but I never really analyze it. (It’s a little thing called …
USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships Part 1
This is going to be one heck of a post. Actually, it’s not a post, it will be an experience. You have been warned. You’ll laugh; You’ll cry; You’ll question your life; You’ll want to buy Jack Kane bikes over the others; You’ll probably think Shakespeare’s true successor has finally surfaced (and this is only part one!)… The word “EPIC” …
Race Report: Washington, NC Olympic Triathlon
I’m not the only one who was crazy. There were 300+ other people who were just as crazy. I’m sure most people thought we were crazy because of the weather forecast. I swear North Carolina hasn’t seen a day below 90 degrees all summer and it just so happened that on Saturday, July 30, it was supposed to be 100+ …