Augusta Half Ironman

I was fortunate enough to train enough over the summer to be capable of completing a half ironman triathlon in Georgia last month.  This race is a favorite for first timers because the swim is downstream in the Savannah river and the mild current provides a nice bit of assistance.

I won't bore you with a full race overview, but basically, I completed all three events at a slow pace, but faster thank I planned.  I was also lucky enough to have the company of two good friends and we had a blast.  The people in Georgia were truly hospitable and the countryside was beautiful.

Top 5 Lessons Learned form the Trip

1. Augusta is the Home of James Brown (who still tells a great joke), Ty Cobb and multiple signers of the Declaration of Independence 
2. Once you have completed a swim of 1.2 miles and bike ride of 56 miles, it is ok to sit down and rub your feet every couple of miles during the run 
3. A Waffle House is visible in some direction from every interstate exit in GA
4. NEVER attempt to take TV remote from Zrain Olivencia... especially when he is asleep 
5. When reserving room for three grown men to share for three days, confirm that restroom ceiling fan is operating

What a Difference a Year Makes

Sorry for taking so long to update you on the Wildman Sprint Triathlon and the 100 Mile ADA Ride. I have broken the events down below, but right up front, thanks to everyone who made a contribution to the American Diabetes Association ride. Our Orlando team surpassed our goal of $8,000 and increased donations by more than $6000 over last year. We are extremely proud to make a dent in such a worthy cause.

ADA 100 Mile Ride

Going into this, I felt like I was physically capable and ready for the event, but I have also ridden enough to know that sitting on a bike seat for over 6 hours is not something I had trained for and there would be some discomfort… the question was how much discomfort.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere of “The Event” itself overrode any physical side effects that occurred: Just knowing that I was going to be spending the entire day riding made any thought about my immediate condition seem silly. Discomfort and fatigue came and went throughout the day in small doses, but the comradery among the riders and beautiful scenery found on the route made all of that seem insignificant.

I rode with my good friend John and another local rider. We took about 6 and ½ hours to complete the ride. We stopped at 5 of the seven pit stops and the support from the ADA was great. While riding, we averaged just under 17 mph and other than one flat about a mile from the finish, we experience no major mishaps.

Thanks again to all that contributed. If you meant to make a contribution, but missed it before the ride, it is still possible to make a donation and be entered into the TV drawing in the next couple of days. It turns out that a $10 donation gets you about a 1 in 820 chance of winning the television.

2012 Wildman Triathlon

Let me start out with some number comparisons. Last year, I went into this event with some training and a curiosity about triathlons. I could barely swim and although I had dropped some weight since arriving in Florida, I was still about 20 pounds heavier than this time last year. I entered the event enthusiastically, quickly discovered that I had no idea how to swim in open water, let alone a lake with zero visibility. I crossed the finish line near the back of the pack in 2 hours and some change.

After a year of experience under my belt, more time in the pool, in the lake, on the bike and on the road running, I was able to improve my time by 38 minutes, finishing the same event in 1 hour 22 minutes. There was an added “Thrill” to the race in that just minutes before the start, the skies opened up and it rained heavily during the swim and first half of the bike course. The run course loops through the dirt roads of the Moss Park Campground and although the rain was light and sporadic by the time I started the run, the need to navigate large mud puddles, often six inches deep, added some complexity and distance to this stage.

I finished with a respectable time in each event, and based on my swim performance last year, I have to admit that the most pleasant part of the race was passing the same two guys in the swim more than once. This happened because, although they were swimming faster than me, I was swimming in a straight line as they zigzagged through the course like I did last year.

I would like to enter at least two more official Triathlons this summer. At this point, I want to continue my training for another 4 to 6 weeks and then select an appropriate course for the next event. If things line up, I have a goal of entering and finishing a ½ Ironman event at the end of the summer. There is an event in Augusta Georgia in late September that may be appropriate for me at this stage in my training development.

Thank you for the support and I will keep you posted as things unfold.

TV Raffles and Lake Swims

Make a Donation and Receive a Chance to Win a 40" TV
If you were waiting for a good reason to make a donation to the cause that I am supporting, it may have arrived. For every $10 that you donate to my effort to ride my bike 100 miles for the American Diabetes Association, you will automatically receive an entry to win a Phillips 40 Inch HDTV. If you have already donated, you have been entered into the raffle.

The raffle is among Orlando team donors only, so your chances are not bad. The event is in two weeks, so time is running out. It is a great cause and no amount is too small. Please visit my ADA web page to make a donation.

The Art of Florida Lake Swimming
On another note, I will be participating in my 2nd Wildman Sprint Triathlon this weekend… I hope to improve time over last year’s effort.


One big difference this year in my training has been the ability to practice open water swimming in a local lake here. “Lucky’s Lake Swim” as it is known, is hosted 6 days a week by a local eccentric dermatologist…. Dr. Lucky. Dr Lucky is a genuine guy who is also very generous with a sizable local following here in Orlando among swimmers and triathletes.



Some interesting facts about Dr Lucky include:

• He often greets swimmers wearing a Speedo, and Safari Cowboy Hat while carrying a large walking stick.
• Before you participate in the swim, he makes it perfectly clear that you are ”Entering the Food Chain” and may die while swimming in the lake, so you should not participate unless you are positive that you can make the 1,000 yard crossing.
• Dr Lucky holds world records for
  
  1. Owning more YoYo’s than anyone else in the world
  2. Swimming farther than anyone else with his foot in his mouth
     
  
  

I will provide an update with regard to how I did in the Wildman this year next week.