E-zine 09/08/02

Editors comments

It has been a while since the last update and tons has happened over the summer. 

The BlaznFast group will be putting a couple teams into the Banff Ekiden Relay for mid October. Anyone interested in running should contact me via email at blaznfast@aol.com 

Take care out there and remember to think Blazn Fast!

Feature Article

None this issue

None.

Race Reports

This edition we have two reports for you: The Vineman Ironman Distance Race and Ironman Canada

Vineman Ironman Distance Race - Aug, 2002 (as reported by Alex)

Strater Crowfoot (Okotoks Clydesdale) and Alex Wenzel (Balzac 40-44 age grouper – that’s me) took part in the Vineman ironman-distance triathlon in Sonoma County, California on August 24.   The full Vineman is a much lower key event than the half Vineman which this year was held Aug 4.  The half-distance official Ironman sanctioned event attracts almost 2000 athletes as it boasts qualifying slots to the world championships in Kona.    Although the full Vineman is not a Kona qualifier, this year Ironman put their name behind the event and offered a number of free entries to those, like Strater and me, who had taken part in the weather-shortened inaugural Ironman Utah in June.   Despite the offer, only 345 people took part in what is certainly one of the better Ironman races anywhere.

The full Vineman offers a beautiful, challenging course and first-rate organization.  As well, the atmosphere around the event is very, like California, dude – with less of the hype and tension that sometimes surrounds the bigger events.  It’s the longest running Ironman distance race in the continental U.S. and given just how much fun this race is, probably the only reason it doesn’t attract more entrants is that it’s shadowed by higher visibility Ironman-sanctioned events.

The swim is in a shallow (max. 6-7 ft. deep) dammed-up river, in a lush valley.  There’s no current to speak of on the swim, and best of all, there were no 5 foot Utah lake whitecaps.  Race morning was calm and the water temperature was a perfect 74 F.  The swim started in waves of around 50 athletes at a time, so traffic in the water was light.  Both Strater and I completed the swim in around 1:09, well behind the lead swimmer who came in at 44 minutes, but PR’s for both of us and not bad for a couple of prairie guys.

The bike course undulates and curves through Sonoma county, mainly down lightly traveled narrow country roads, passing vineyard after vineyard.  Strater took a good tumble about 6 miles in and was forced to do the rest of the race with a leg that looked a lot like ground pork.   I had a couple of flats at about 10 miles, but despite the misfortune, we both finished the bike with Ironman PR’s.  The roads on the course weren’t closed down to traffic for the race which made for potentially close calls on some of the narrower roads (a woman just behind me on the bike almost got wiped out by some jerk speeding along in a pickup), but all the key intersections were well marshaled.  The difficulty of the course is reflected in the times –  everyone went over 5 hours except for one local  guy who went hard at 4:44 but then blew up and had to walk the run course.

The run course was 2 loop out-and back, and was a bit hilly and pretty challenging on a 80 degree plus day.  The toughness of the bike course seemed to have taken it’s toll on a lot of runners as the run times were relatively slow, with the fastest time at 3:08 by the winner of the race, Peter Kotland, and a median time of over 5 hours.   Again, Strater and Alex were able to do Ironman run PR’s and came in with overall finishing times for the day of 14:42:35 (as a “training day” for the Great Floridian) and 11:56:23, respectively.

This race is highly recommended for those who want the Ironman experience in great surroundings and a relaxed environment. There were times on the bike where I could look ahead and look behind and see no one within half a mile in either direction.   For those who want a more intense experience, the half-Vineman is a single loop of almost the same course (one loop of everything instead of two) and attracts a big crowd and a pretty good lineup of Pros.

Ironman Canada Race Report - Aug, 2002 (as reported by Bernie)

Once again I find my self overwhelmed with the Ironman experience, I just finished my second full Ironman in Penticton, BC. The support that, that town gives is awesome. (That town rocks!) As for my Ironman, the swim was very congested, it was the largest mass start for an Ironman. I was able to get out of the water in 1 hour, 8 minutes, a full 2 minutes faster than my first Ironman swim. I had a really good T1, had under 3 minutes and headed onto the bike route. At about mile 20, my chain started skipping. Every time I would go into my low gear my chain would come off. I thought I would wait to get to Osoyoos for bike support, but they weren't around. (helping other people) Regardless, I headed up Richter Pass anyway. My chain came off 5 times before I reached the top. I kept going, and then at about the 55 mile mark, my chain finally broke. I was 2 hours, 45 minutes into my bike route. When my chain broke, it also bent my derailler. Thus, by the time the bike support came by, 1 hour, 15 minutes had gone by. It took another 15 minutes to fix it which during this time APPROX: 600 bikes had passed me by. (I was choked) Estimated times lost on the bike route: 1 hour, 40 minutes. Got to T2 and exited at about 9 hours into the race, and I thought that I still might have a chance to beat my first Ironman time of 13 hours. Reached the halfway point of the run route at 10 hours, 58 minutes into the race. I ran all the way to mile 21 and walked miles 22 and 23, then ran in the rest. With about 100 yards to finish, my daughters ran in with me. (13 hours, 28 minutes) I walked back out from the finish line looking for my girlfriend in the crowd, found her, and I dropped down on one knee and purposed to her. She did not see it coming, it was very emotional. 

SHE SAID YES! 

Next step Ironman Malaysia: Febuary 23rd 2003

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