Rise of the Mamils (middle-aged men in lycra)

By Dominic Casciani

BBC News

(Thanks to Shelley Christian for sending this hilarious piece and to the local men and thong boy whose photos are shown here because they are mamils who also possess a sense of humor)

Flashy sports cars are out, now no mid-life crisis is complete without a souped-up road bike. Why?

Every weekend, across the nation's rolling countryside, watch out for the Mamils: middle-aged men in lycra.

And ladies, if you have a man at home taking an unusual interest in how you shave your legs, you may have a Mamil in the making too.

Research conducted by the retail analyst Mintel suggests there has been a surge in the number of middle-aged men choosing to get on two wheels.

Given the number of men aged 35-44 who are buying fancy-pants road racing machines, is this a 21st Century mid-life crisis? Has the silence of skinny tyres and carbon fibre framesets replaced the thunderous noise of motorbikes?

Back in the day, when some men with a bit of disposable income reached a certain age, they did some strange things. The grind of the office and home life convinced some that the answer to an expanding midriff lay in a pair of designer jeans and a flashy but cheap Japanese sports car. Teenage daughters ran away screaming. Sons were deprived of the role models seen in adverts for shaving products.

Gents, our womenfolk were right all along. It wasn't a good look. And did it do anything for the beer belly?

But then came a confluence of coincidences that gave a man an option other than looking like a gigolo cruising Italy's glitzy Lake Como.

The past three years have seen the rise of the uber-techno, super-flashy, full-carbon fibre, bobby-dazzler road bike. The market for these bikes has expanded faster than a 45-year-old's waistline, partly thanks to the success of the British cycling stars at the Beijing Olympics. Marketing departments have produced smart advertising messages that encourage a bit of freedom, elite performance and memories of teenage derring-do.

And the result can be seen on Saturday and Sunday mornings as middle-aged blokes polish the rear derailleur, lower the mirrored shades and pedal into the hills. Every couple of weeks, you'll see a girth of Mamils gathering to race a "Sportive", a form of amateur competing that has taken the British cycling world by storm.

While the serious, younger riders are busy getting into the zone of elite competition, we're comparing the latest GPS route-finding cycle computer and pretending that we know how to stretch.

We hit the first hill and suddenly we're a puffing, panting, heaving mass of sweaty humanity that is well past its sell-by-date. Sounds humiliating? I've never had so much fun in my life - and there are also some unintended benefits of being the older rider.

First, there's the no-questions-asked fan club. My kids, on the promise of an ice cream, will cheer me over the top of any climb. They're still young enough to think I'm Superman - and you don't get that kind of pick-me-up on the golf course.

Even better is the Mamil's solution to saddle sores. A teenage shop assistant in a too-posh-to-pedal London shop tried to sell me some balm for £30. What's the point of that, I asked. I've got loads of unused nappy rash cream at home. He thought I was terminally uncool. I know better son, learn from your elders.

Terrified

But no Mamil's life is complete without the spiritual journey to the mountains.

Robbie McIntosh is 45 and has spent much of the past year clad in lycra after being talked into cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats with a group of fellow Mamils.

Ten days of pain, rain and groin strain later, he decided he was ready for Mont Ventoux. This mountain, the Giant of Provence, is one of the toughest climbs in the world - 23km straight up. British cycling legend Tom Simpson died on its slopes in 1967. Last month, with terror in his belly, Robbie began turning the wheels.

"I wanted so much to say I'd climbed the Ventoux. It's an amazing mountain and a serious challenge.

"I was surprised at my nerves but I had a sense that if I could do this on a bike I could do anything and that was a feeling I wanted so much."

And make it he did. He wasn't as balletic as the local, young French riders - but he stood alongside them at the 1,910m summit and surveyed the world.

"Cycling has given me an opportunity to feel sporting achievement of the very highest level," says Robbie. "It doesn't matter that the pros ride up Mont Ventoux at twice the speed or more. I can scale the same sporting heights as the best cyclists on the planet. I can walk with giants."

So a man becomes fitter and happier. Where's the midlife crisis in that? Ah. The costs.

Ladies, look away now. Men who seriously cycle typically spend about £3,000 to live that dream. For a time, at least. That sum will cover the set-up and the first year, then about £1,000 a year, at least, on top of that.

The must-have bike of the summer is the Pinarello Dogma, the bike used by the British Team Sky in the Tour de France. Yours for about £7,000. Grown men stop and stare at this machine, like seven-year-old lads pressed against the toy shop window.

Thankfully, most Mamils don't have that kind of money to burn. But it hasn't stopped the rapid growth of a suburban money-laundering operation. It goes something like this. Man dribbles while looking at £100 bib shorts on cycling website - they're the kind that make you look like a wrestler. Partner says no, think about the starving children. Man continues to look at bib shorts and decides they will help conceal his 36-inch waist.

He calculates that three weeks of hard pedalling will help on the belly front - which is coincidentally the same time it takes to receive a secret new credit card to pay for the shorts. Job done. Platinum status achieved with the online cycling retailer. Discounts on more kit, all of which is sent directly to the office rather than home.

When you run the slide rule over all of this, flash road bikes definitely look like a midlife crisis.

There's a look to strive for, expensive kit and excuses for weekends away.

I and my band of hill-climbing brothers disagree. It's about becoming a happier and healthier person rather than sliding towards mediocre oblivion at the bottom of a pint glass.

But I conclude with a message from my own Mrs. Mamil to other cycling widows. She's discovered a precise form of retaliation. If your portly husband buys another stupid fluorescent jersey, buy yourself another pair of shoes.

That way, at least one of you can look good.

PUBLIX: WHERE RACING IS A PLEASURE

Melbourne’s Ed Donner didn’t look back.

He didn’t need to.

As the 33-year-old wealth manager rounded the final turn into the finish chute of today’s Publix Family Fitness Weekend Triathlon in Melbourne Beach, there was nobody in sight behind him.

After taking the victory, left, in fifty-two minutes and 45 seconds, Donner had time to recover his wind and down some water before congratulating runner up Chad Wilkinson, a 36-year-old amateur elite triathlete from West Palm Beach, who dallied in Donner’s dust by 1:42, taking second place in 54:27.

“I felt good out there today,” said Donner, who got into the sport only four summers ago and has already inked more than a half-dozen Ironmans (PR: 10:13:35) and multiple Half IMs including the 70.3 World championship for which he has again qualified for the Nov. race with his age group win and PR time of 4:28:39 at IM FL 70.3 in May. “I’ve been doing more speedwork - sometimes four sessions a week.”

While third-place winner Kenton Harris out-swam him on the smooth quarter-mile ocean course at Spessard Holland Park, Donner laid down the fastest bike split of the day, averaging 25.4 miles per hour on the 10-mile out-and-back stretch along south A1A. He then also laid to rest the myth that larger guys can’t run. At 181 pounds but no perceptible body fat, Donner zipped through the three-mile run course in 18:36, averaging 6:12 per mile on a morning fraught with heat and humidity.

“He (Harris) always beats me on the swim,” Donner said after congratulating his 24-year-old Melbourne training partner and then paying him a compliment. “Watch out for this guy. He is getting faster all the time. We play a game to see where I will catch him on the bike. I didn’t get him until the last mile and transition today.”

Donner shared that he received some additional motivation for today’s race from another training partner and girlfriend, Satellite Beaches Kaitlin Shiver, left.

“She won the Colorado race yesterday and told me I better take the win today,” he said.

The Colorado race turned out to be USA Triathlon’s Elite Development Race in Colorado Springs and Shiver's first shot at a draft-legal race. Her four-second victory - over elites already on an Olympic path - opens the door for her to compete in ITU Continental Cup events and the road to the 2012 London Olympic Games.

More on that to come… In the meantime we’ve copied the USA Triathlon press release  about Kaitlin and the race below this story. Or, you can read it here: http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/2010/07/31/dye-shiver-grab-usat-elite-development-titles/37601?ngb_id=12

Angela Bronco, the first woman to cross the finish line, had a few tense moments as she waited to find out if she had, indeed, taken the ladies’ victory. The 34-year-old, Deerfield Beach elite amateur had started in the first wave and didn’t know if anyone in the waves that started behind her could break her 1:00:20 finish.

“I recently got married and had cut back on my training for a while,” she beamed after learning that Viera’s Jessica Crate, 25, had finished 10 seconds behind for second place. “This is my second win in two weeks now.”

Crate, who is one of Brevard’s best runners - male or female - made no bones about the fact that she is hooked on a new sport.

“This course was perfect today,” said Crate, who marched into multisport just this past spring and vaulted to a second place, in-the-money finish in the Surfcoast Trifecta series. “I really have fun doing triathlons and am going to stick with them.”

Melbourne Beaches Tricia Rydson, 37, left, took third in 1:02:21.

Congrats to all the athletes who raced today’s inaugural Publix Family Fitness Weekend Series stop in Brevard. It was amazing to see so many locals giving it their all and having such a great time doing so. It takes a lot - emotional, mentally and physically - to even get to the starting line and it was really cool to watch those who finished - especially for the first time - realize that the percieved limits of possibility had just been stretched a bit further.

Thanks to ESM and Multirace for bringing another fun and high-quality event to our county and a special high-five to all the volunteers.

We snapped off some shots of quite a few locals. The photos and their captions are available at

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2074360&id=1438221447&l=e845865474

Complete results are available at http://www.multirace.com and below is a list of Brevard locals who scored hardware:

Publix Family Fitness Tri local award winners (out of 364 total finishers):

Male: Art Anderson, 51, Melbourne, 2^nd 50-54, 1:06:04; Brad Daszynki, 28, Melbourne, 1^st 25-29, 56:36; Ed Donner, 34, Melbourne, 1^st OA, 52:45; Rob Downey, 60, Melbourne Village, 1^st 60-64, 1:06:30;  Ashley Fleeman, 43, Melbourne, 1^st Clydesdale, 185+, 40+, 1:05:11; Kenton Harris, 24, Melbourne, 55:48; Hywel Jones, 55, Cocoa Beach, 3^rd 55-59, 1:03:20; Jason Jones, 17, Cocoa Beach, 1^st 15-19, 59:10; Jacob Kahn, 24, Melbourne, 2^nd Clydesdale, 200+, 39 and under, 1:11:24; Joseph Kattwinkel, 13, Palm Bay, 2^nd 10-14, 1:22:40; William Kelly, 60, Melbourne Beach, 2^nd 60-64, 1:13:08; Matt Mahoney, 55, LEFT, Melbourne, 3^rd Fat Tire, 1:11:10; Bruce Milburn, 24, Merritt Island, 1^st 20-24, 1:02:57; Chris Miller, 61, Satellite Beach, 3^rd 60-64, 1:13:15; Patrick Murphy, 46, Melbourne Beach, 3^rd 45-49, 1:03:36; Ben Park, 47, Melbourne, 2^nd Clydesdale, 200+, 40+, 1:10:47;  Luke Redito, 15, Melbourne, 3^rd 15-19, 1:04:10; Ken Rodgers, 38, Rockledge, 1^st 35-39, 56:35; Eric Rothery, 37, West Melbourne, 3^rd Clydesdale, 185, 39 & under, 1:13:53; Jim Schaeffer, 40, Melbourne, 2^nd Clydesdale, 185+, 40+, 1:05:49;  Chris Seinkner, 42, Indian Harbour Beach, 1^st Masters (40+), 55:57; Al Steiginga, 43, Indialantic, 2^nd 40-44, 1:02:53; Richard Tankersley, 48, Melbourne, 3^rd Clydesdale, 200+, 40+, 1:12:53; Jamie Twigg, 35, Indialantic, 2^nd Fat Tire, 1:09:02; Adam Ullein, 28, Palm Bay, 2^nd 25-29, 57:06.

Female: Kristin Apotsos, 37, Melbourne Beach 1^st 35-39, 1:07:36; Stephanie Bird, 20, LEFT, Rockledge, 1st 20-24, 1:16:10;  Denise Canina, 50, Indian Harbour Beach, 3^rd 50-54, 11:15:46;  Megan Campbell, 34, Satellite Beach, 2^nd 30-34, 1:07:56; Tasha Camps, 40, Melbourne Beach, 1^st Masters (40+), 1:05:34; Chris Crotty, 54, Satellite Beach, 2^nd Athena, 1:22:38;  Jessica Crate, 25, Viera, 2^nd OA, 1:00:30; Suzie Enlow, 47, Merritt Island, 3^rd Masters (40+), 1:07:07; Laura Farina, 26, Melbourne, 2^nd 25-29, 1:08:11; Cathy Friedel, 47, Satellite Beach, 2^nd Masters (40+), 1:06:27; Casey Gilbert, Melbourne Beach, 2^nd Fat Tire, 1:20:03; Karen Hughes, 45, Indialantic, 3^rd 45-49, 1:14:18; Kelly Hunter, 45, Cocoa, 3^rd Fat Tire, 1:21:09; Kate Junco, 29, Indian Harbour Beach, 3rd 25-29, 1:19:04; Lori Kruger, 48, Indialantic, 1^st 45-49, 1:09:57; Kathleen Lawler, 56, Merritt Island, 3^rd 55-59, 1:35:06; Becky Moody, 40, Melbourne Beach, 3^rd 40-44, 1:11:30; Robin Moran, 53, Indialantic, 1:10:37;  Honor Murphy, 46, Melbourne Beach, 2^nd 45-49, 1:11:55; Angie Preston, 44, Merritt Island, 1^st 40-44, 1:08:51; Tricia Rydson, 37, Melbourne Beach, 3^rd OA, 1:02:21; Lisa Saturday, 50, Palm Bay, 1^st 50-54, 1:38:33; Nicole Therrien, 41, Melbourne, 2^nd 40-44, 1:10:01; Teresa Williams, 49, Merritt Island, 1^st Athena, 1:18:14.

Publix Family Fitness Duathlon local award winners (out of 110 total finishers):

Male: Danny Barrett, 45, Cocoa,  2^nd 45-49, 1:04:53; Sean Black, 42, Melbourne, 2^nd Masters (40+), 57:08; Steve Chin, 42, LEFT, Satellite Beach, 3^rd OA, 56:05; Mike Coffell, 37, Mims, 3^rd 35-39, 1:19:24; James Fain, 36, West Melbourne, 1^st 35-39, 1:01:45; Dave Farrall, 62, Melbourne Beach, 3^rd 60-64; Chris George, 38, Melbourne, 1^st Clydesdale 200+, 1:24:34; Herb Jordan, 55, Satellite Beach, 2^nd 55-59, 1:11:07; Paul Kellner, 16, Malabar, 1^st 15-19, 1:09:24; Lawrence Pacelli, 59, Melbourne Beach, 1^st 55-59, 1:05:04; Michael Rich, 31, Melbourne, 3^rd 30-34, 1:09:34; Bryan Steele, 34, 2^nd 30-34, 1:09:29; Michael Zeitfuss, 66, 1^st 65-69, Satellite Beach, 1:20:18.

Female: Maria Casino, Melbourne, 1^st 30-34, 1:20:25; Taneal Coffell, 34, Mims, 3^rd 30-34, 1:26:29; Katie Collins, 35, Melbourne Beach, 1^st Fat Tire, 1:22:53; Sharon Chambliss, 51, 1^st 50-54, 1:27:43; Lyndsey Colman, Melbourne, 2^nd 15-19, 1:27:39; Wendy Heatley, 40, Melbourne, 2^nd 40-44; 1:27:57; Willy Moolenaar, 69, Indialantic, 1^st 65-69, 1:28:11; Tina Murphy, 38, Melbourne Beach, 3^rd 35-39, 1:15:41; Jennifer Nelson, 25, Melbourne, 3^rd 25-29, 1:25:00; Pat Renish, 51, Indialantic, 3rrd OA, 1:09:53; Barbrette Roth, 47, Rockledge, 3^rd Fat Tire, 1:26:27; Andrea Shaffer, 37, Viera, 2^nd 35-39, 1:13:51; Carla Shofner, 55, Melbourne, 1^st 55-59, 1:24:13; Candy Thomas, 51, Melbourne, 3^rd 45-49, 1:37:21; Dorothy Wells, 51, Cocoa, 2^nd Female Masters (40+), 1:17:25.

Posted August 1, 2010

HOMETOWN ATHLETE SPANKS ELITE FIELD

From USA Triathlon website dated July 31, 2010

http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/2010/07/31/dye-shiver-grab-usat-elite-development-titles/37601?ngb_id=12

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— Cameron Dye and Kaitlin Shiver led the way for more than 70 athletes who turned out to compete in USA Triathlon's Elite Development Race Saturday at Memorial Park.

Dye (Boulder, Colo.), a member of USAT's Project 2016 program, was the first swimmer out of the water and led the men's field throughout the 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike and a 5-kilometer run race to finish in 54 minutes, 47 seconds. He finished second at an Elite Development Race in Clermont, Fla., earlier this season. 

Kaleb VanOrt (Mishawaka, Ind.) was second with a time of 55:39 after clocking a 13:34 in the run, followed by Nicholas VanDam (Minneapolis, Minn.) in third with 56:25.
 
Shiver made her move on the run to take the lead, winning the women's race in 1:01:40, just four seconds ahead of second-place finisher Nicole Kelleher (Charlottesville, Va.). Lauren Goldstein-Kral (Shaker Heights, Ohio), another Project 2016 member, took third in 1:02:07. Gwen Jorgensen (Milwaukee, Wis.) finished fourth but completed the 5k run in a blazing 14:42.
 
Saturday's race featured athletes from the Collegiate Recruitment Program, who along with junior elite athletes, are in the area for a two-week camp at the Olympic Training Center. It was the first draft-legal race for a number of competitors, including Shiver and Kelleher.
 
"I love this kind of event, because we really get to see how the race pans out and see how the athletes do in packs," said Barb Lindquist, a U.S. Olympian who now coordinates the Collegiate Recruitment Program. "It's fun for them just to get to experience it and see what the sport is like."

The first three male and female amateur finishers qualified for their USAT elite licenses, which will open the door to ITU Continental Cup events and the road to the 2012 London Olympic Games.
 
"This is my fourth season, and I wish I'd known about these four years ago when I came out of college as a swimmer," said Dye. "I pretty much just had to jump into the ITU races to get the experience; that's a huge jump. There are a handful of pros out here so that gives the race some credibility as far as what a real race is like. I think it's great. It's huge for the sport and great for the up-and-comers."

Development races are designed by USAT to allow athletes ages 16-23 the chance to race with elite triathletes and top amateurs pursuing the Olympic dream. Saturday's race allowed juniors to earn points towards their draft-legal ranking for 2010.

USA Triathlon Elite Development Race, July 31, 2010
Memorial Park, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Women
1. Kaitlin Shiver (Satellite Beach, Fla.), 1:01:40
2. Nicole Kelleher (Charlottesville, Va.), 1:01:44
3. Lauren Goldstein-Kral (Shaker Heights, Ohio), 1:02:07
4. Gwen Jorgenson (Milwaukee, Wis.), 1:02:13
5. Kate Ross (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 1:02:25

Men
1. Cameron Dye (Boulder, Colo.), 54:47
2. Kaleb VanOrt (Mishawaka, Ind.), 55:39
3. Nicholas VanDam (Minneapolis, Minn.), 56:25
4. Tony Smoragiewicz (Rapid City, S.D.), 56:35
5. William Huffman (Colleyville, Texas), 56:45

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the national governing body for triathlon - the fastest growing sport in the world - as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 3,100 races and connects with nearly 130,000 members each year, making it one of the largest multisport organizations in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games, and the Olympic Games.

posted August 1, 2010

PUBLIX FITNESS SALE 

You might have Rob Downey to thank for the Publix Family Fitness Weekend (FFW) events kicking off this weekend from Spessard Holland Park in Melbourne Beach.

For several years now, the Melbourne Village professional photographer has lobbied hard for the events’ organizer, Exclusive Sports Marketing (ESM), to make Brevard County one of the stops on their annual Series which this year boasts thirteen events, including nine in Florida.

“I believed that they could do well here - especially compared to some of their other venues,” said Downey, a five-time USA Triathlon All-American.  “I had suggested four local areas - Cocoa Village, Kelly Park, the Eau Gallie Library area and Melbourne Beach and have sent different maps and photos.

Downey knows quite a bit about the Family Fitness Weekend Series. After all, the now 60-year-old athlete who came in dead last in the age group at his first triathlon in 2001 went on to become a FFW Series age group champion in both 2005 and 2009. And, because he won every race of the 2005 Series, ESM granted him a lifetime exemption from paying any future entry fees.

“The FFW series has been good,” he said. “Tom (brother) and I used it as the base for our schedule most years and then added in other events. I do 10 to 12 tris a season.” (That's Downey, left, at one of the Ft. DeSoto FFW events)

In December of 2009, ESM -which was founded in 1986 and began producing the FFW in 1989 - teamed up with Multirace to up the quality of both of the organization’s events. Race organization and timing were to be Multirace’s strength leaving ESM free to focus on sponsorship and pre/post-race athlete fun.

With four Florida events left, Satellite Beaches Garry Branch is leading the male 50-54 age group and Merritt Island’s Teresa Williams sits in the top Athena spot. Sue Stidham, of Palm Bay, is currently ranked third place in Athena. (Sue, left, coming to the finish line at 2010 Pineapple Man)

Athletes need a minimum for four races to be eligible for Series awards so it’s not too late to jump in as only the four highest scores will be totaled at the end of the season. Series awards go three-deep in OA and Masters and five-deep in all other categories.

The Melbourne Beach weekend offers a kids’ duathlon and 5K on Saturday evening and an adult triathlon and duathlon on Sunday Morning at 7 a.m. (If you’re racing elite, you might want to check the web, as it is showing your wave going off at 6:58 a.m.) Click here for wave times: http://www.multirace.com/triathlon/Waves.htm

The 400-meter ocean swim will take triathletes out 100 meters, then south 200 meters and then back to shore where they will then ride a fast, flat 10-mile out-and-back course along A1A; heading south first. The three-mile run course through some of the Mel Beach neighborhoods will look familiar to many of Brevard’s athletes. Duathletes will first run a 1.1-mile triangular course before joining the triathletes on the bike and run. Course maps are here: http://www.multirace.com/triathlon/MelbourneMaps.htm

As of yesterday, there were close to 400 triathletes registered including elites Lotte Branigan; Eddie Branigan and Melbourne’s own Ed Donner. About 110 had registered for the duathlon. Registration was still open but Multirace sent out a note saying only 40 spots remained.

Complete race info is available at http://www.familyfitnessweekend.com/  Click on link at the top of this page for complete list of du/tri registrants as of July 28.

The best of luck and fun to all who are racing!

posted July 29, 2010

PROUD PAPA REPORTS FROM TOUR de l'ABITIBI

On Tuesday, Jos Chalmers began the Tour de l’Abitibi, a six-day, seven-stage, 363-mile bicycle race through the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region of Quebec. Below is a note we received from his father, Tony, providing an update on Jos and the Florida Velo Development Junior Team - or what’s now left of it - after stage five. In the photo provided by Tony, left,  Jos climbs out of a mine shaft; part of the Stage 3 individual time trial - read more about that below Tony's note.

Yesterday (Friday, July 23) was not a good day for the Florida Velo team. Rain and slick roads on the longest stage of the tour, 80 miles led to multiple crashes, the medical room looked like a war zone with broken arms, concussion, and severe road rash needing skin grafts in evidence. Two of our riders were casualties of yesterday's conditions, Alex Spook (Exhaustion) and Chris Bishop(Concussion) are eliminated so we are now down to three riders with two stages left, any casualties today and the whole team is out. (Team rider Bradley Gordon also dropped out due to a crash in Stage 1.)

Jos continues to hold his own and was 40th yesterday in the same time as the winner, and moves up to 66th in the General Classifcation. Jos is the leading rider from the state of Florida and is ahead of some of the national team riders from the USA, Canada, and Japan. To the uninitiated, 66th position out of 156 may not sound impressive. However, we have to remember that Jos is the youngest rider in the peloton and he is racing the best 17/18 year olds on the planet, many of whom will be racing the Tour De France in four to five years time. But for a crash in Stage 1 -which cost Jos two minutes - he would be 30 places higher.

For Jos this first major stage race is a learning experience for the future. It’s rough and tough and no quarter given in the peloton. Seven races in six days are physically and emotionally draining, however we are almost over the line. Barring any problems in today's stage - a 50 mile circuit race, with rain again a possible threat, the team will survive for tomorrow's final stage. Australian Lachlan Morton is the current leader of the Tour. 

CHALMERS STATS after five stages

Complete Tour results in English at http://www.tourabitibi.qc.ca/index_en.php and below is a bit of the background on Jos and the Tour de l’Abitibi from FLORIDA TODAY

Indian Harbour Beach junior cyclist tours Quebec

BY PATTI SPONSLER • FOR FLORIDA TODAY •

July 21, 2010

The pace is picking up for Indian Harbor Beaches amateur competitive cyclist Jos Chalmers.

Yesterday, the 16-year-old Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy rising junior toed the starting line of the 42^nd annual Tour de l’Abitibi, a six-day, seven-stage, 363-mile bicycle race through the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region of Quebec.

The race, which is often touted as the “Tour de France” for junior-level riders, is the only North American International Cycling Union-sanctioned event that allows national teams to qualify for points leading toward the Juniors Road World Championships taking place this year on Aug. 5 in Offida, Italy.

“For many of these riders, Abitibi is one of the first events that will help launch their professional careers,” said Marc Andre Landry, a former professional cyclist and Tour director. “We see one or two of our former participants in the Tour de France each year, including Americans Tyler Farrar, who was our 2002 winner and Bobby Julich who won here in 1988 and 89.”

The Abitibi field is generally comprised of 26 six-man teams with 20 of the berths reserved for national junior teams from around the globe. Race organizers fill the remaining six spots by inviting regional and state teams such as the Florida Velo Junior Development Team for which Chalmers rides.

“We understand that these riders are not quite at a national level when they arrive,” said Landry. “But we want to give them the learning experience of riding with a large, competitive field in a long stage event.”

Riding for less than four years, Chalmers has already racked up an impressive resume including the 2009 Florida State Time Trial Championship; the 2009 North Carolina State Road Racing Championship; the Cat 3 Spring 2010 Florida Point Series victory and on July 10, in his first race in the Pro, Cat 1-2 division, Chalmers smoked the field by 55 seconds to take the win at the Georgia State Games Road Race Championship.

In spite of his success, however, the honors student who also works part-time at Revolutions Cyclery in Suntree holds no illusions about his chances at Abitibi.

“It’s a bit nerve-racking to be up against the best of the best in the Americas and the other countries,” said Chalmers, whose ability to speak French may give him a slight advantage over some of his fellow countrymen. “My goal for Canada is top 25. If I do well, I’ll set bigger goals for next year.”

With the exception of stage three - the 9.9-mile individual time trial - the Tour stages include five road races and one urban circuit, the outcome of each highly dependent on the collective strategy and strength of the team.

“The courses are mostly flat so it will be hard to get a good breakaway,” Chalmers said. “It will come down to a pack sprint and we don’t have a really, really strong sprinter. There are three of us, though, who could do well in the individual time trial.”

While coaches can prepare their charges for most of the course, there is little that can be done to get them ready for the start of the time trial.

Before the race begins, the riders and their bikes will be driven down to the bottom of a deep, dark mine shaft with temperatures in the mid-fifties. Once the horn sounds, each will face a climb of 600 meters at a 17 percent grade before they will again see light and feel the warmth of the road above the mine.

Mine shaft aside, Chalmers knows that what he learns on this Tour will help him and his coach continue to map the course toward a professional career on a continental team.

“I’ll find out where I stack up on a national level and how much I need to change and improve,” he said.

Photo above: Jos raises his fist in victory as he takes the win in the Pro, Cat 1-2 division of the Georgia State Games Road Race on July 10. Photo courtesy of Jan Chalmers.

posted July 24, 2010

THAT OTHER TOUR

Infinity Bike Shop co-owner, Gary Stern, is living his dream as he rides, drinks, eats, drinks, blogs, drinks, takes photos and drinks his way along the Tour de France Check out his fun blog and awesome photos from the last week or so at http://infinitybikeshop.com/about/garys-tdf-blog-pg140.htm  We’re wondering if the trip will be a business write-off? 

Also check out the crazy guy at the far right of this photo hollering at Lance. When we saw him on TV we wondered who let the oddly-attired Captian America nutjob out of the asylum?  Turns out it was our energetic American pal and Florida time-trial champ (Masters 35+), Mr. Stern himself.  Rock on, Gary!

posted July 24, 2010

CLERMONT COMEBACK?

Seems all is right with the Central Florida Sprint Triathlon Series in Clermont again. CFT’s owner, Fred Sommer, has returned some sadistic hills to the 10-mile bike and 5K run course; the Piccianos are racing; and the ‘elite’ waves got trounced by regular Joes. Cept in this case, the ‘Joes’ were named Bill and Dave, two of the three 44-year-old Picciano triplets who ruled the races - as well as many others in south and central FL - when the Clermont events were pulling in 1,000 or more participants.

Although Dave P, of Winter Garden, had the fastest run split in the field (18:09 or 5:49/mile), brother Bill, from Jupiter, was able to out-swim one of his former womb-mates by 10 seconds and then gain an additional 48 seconds on the bike, pulling in for the win in 53:25. Dave P had to settle for second with his 53:50 while Dave’s wife, 37-year-old Jennifer, took home third in the women’s with her 1:03:23 finish, or 1:26 behind female champ, Nikki Bell, 36, of Orlando.

Congrats to 353 finishers of Series race number two including Brevard locals Danny Barrett, 1:12:06; Beth Bell, 5^th 50-54, 1:29:56; Craig Bell, 1:20:49; Cyndi Bergs, 1:31:49; Bill Czagas, 1:25:43; Kelly Hunter, 3^rd 45-49, 1:19:22; Molly Kirk, 1:25:49; Mike Melton, 1:08:51; Bryan Moore, 1:23:03; Keith Potter, 4^th 20-24, 1:06:07; Carol Scott, 1:26:32; Matt Stallbaum, 1:26:21; Al Steiginga, 3^rd 40-44, 1:07:01.

Above left, Cyndi Bergs, Molly Kirk and Kelly Hunter grin as they set up in the pre-race transition area. Photo courtesy Kelly Hunter.

Complete info and results for all of Sommer sports events at http://triflorida.com/

HEAT TOSSED AT MOSS

On the weekend of July 17-18, where Florida’s heat could have given Hell a good run for the money, shady Moss Park on the east side of Orlando seemed like the best place for the seventh annual Moss Park Triathlon Festival.

The race is unique in two ways.  First, athletes get two separate T (transition) times before flying off on the bike. T0 is how Buttar lists the time it takes to run from the lake to the transition area - anywhere from .25-mile to .3-mile depending on rainfall and size of the lake. T1 is the time it actually takes the athlete to don shoes, helmet and bike.

The other oddity is the run distances of the events. Instead of a standard 5K for the Saturday sprint triathlon and duathlon races, athletes get to cut it off at 2.8 miles. On Sunday, the Olympic-distance athletes get to whack off a full 6/10 of a mile on the 10K. Perhaps the distance run in T0 makes up the difference for the sprint races, but many athletes see a sweet PR in the O-distance events produced by Buttar.

130 athletes completed Sunday’s Olympic-distance triathlon (.93-mile swim, 24.-8-mile bike and 5.6-mile run)  including Linda Cowart, 1^st 45-49, 2:19:42; Damien Glynn, 2:19:14; Kenton Harris, 3^rd 20-24, 1:57:50; Katie Halley, 2:59:03; Brian Kennedy, 2:23:18; Kenton Harris, 3^rd 20-24, 1:57:50; Virginia Propst, 1^st 35-39, 2:25:01; Marja Sprock, 2:50:54; Nicole Therrien, 2^nd 40-44, 2:26:10. Malabar’s Joan Meadows was Brevard’s lone finisher of the 17 who completed the duathlon (2.8-mile run, 24.8-mile bike, 5.6-mile run) in 2:49:45, taking first in the 50-54 age group.

Congrats to all locals and extra props to Joan 'hammer girl' Meadows, left, for bringing home THREE pieces of hardware including first 50-54 from the sprint du; first 50-54 from the O-du and the HAMMER award for doing both races back-to-back.

TO THE VICTORS GO THE BUCKS  

They dashed and got cash.

The inaugural Surf Coast Trifecta came to a close yesterday as the last participant in the Dad’s Day Triathlon at Sebastian Inlet crossed the finish line.

While Brevard County is home to several multisport events, the Trifecta was the first to offer a three-race series of multiple distances in unique venues as well as cash awards to the top competitors. (Trifecta website: www.surfcoasttrifecta.com )

"There were some hiccups here and there and we still have a lot to learn, but I'd say overall each event and the series were a big success and certainly welcomed by the athletes and local businesses,” said Trifecta promoter, Mitch Varnes.  “I intend to grow each event and the prestige of the series in the coming years and look forward to continually attracting a good mix of first-timers, elites and everyday triathletes."

The Series kicked off in April with the Ron Jon Triathlon in Cocoa Beach offering participants a quarter-mile river swim, a 12.5-mile out-and-back bike ride and a unique 5K run that took them through portions of the Cocoa Beach Golf Course and nearby country club neighborhood.

Clermont’s Kevin Grogan and Melbourne’s Ed Donner duked it out from the start with Donner heading out on the run with a seven second lead, hoping to keep the former Thong Boy at bay with a 5:58 pace. The semi-appropriately attired Grogan retaliated with 5:47 pace, redeeming those seven seconds and then throwing down seven more of his own. Final finish times? Grogan: 53:43 and the win; Donner: 53:50 and first in the 30-34 age group and second overall. (At left, Donner leads Grogan into T2)

Daytona Beaches Mallory Dunn smoked the women’s field in 58:36, pulling out the only female sub-one hour finish. Dunn finished more than six minutes ahead of Viera’s Jessica Crate, who rode the course of her first triathlon on a borrowed bike.

Crate, however, churned out the third leg 5K in 17:33, faster than any other of the field’s participants - male or female -  taking first in the 25-29 women’s age group and serving notice of things to come.

In May, the Trifecta gave those who are gill-challenged a chance to strut their stuff with the introduction of the Space Coast Bikearathon in Viera.

There really was no contest in the men’s race. The defending champ, Grogan, averaged 24 miles-per-hour on the 20-mile bike course compared to second-place finisher John Lafreniere’s 21.6 mph. Although their 10K run splits were only 12 seconds apart, Grogan hit the line in 1:30:50, more than six minutes ahead of his 44-year-old Orlando challenger.

On the ladies side, Crate, left, showed a high learning curve in the sport, finishing second only to Dunn.  After wiping out on the bike, speculation abound as to whether the crash might have kept Crate from leaving 65 seconds on the table allowing Dunn a second win of 1:43:49, with a margin of 65 seconds.

While the bike/run combo might have been called a biathlon or duathlon in other events, Varnes invented a new term for the dictionary:  Bi-care-athon; noun; a cycling and running event equal to the distance of a full marathon or 26.2 miles.

The term is pretty clever term but not too unusual when you realize that Varnes is also the promoter of the Melbourne Beaches and Music Marathon. And, as the brains behind Sebastian Inlet’s major professional surf contests, it’s not surprising that the beautiful state park played host to the last series event - a quarter-mile ocean swim, 15-mile ride and 5K trail run.

With the first two wins in the bag toward the series championship, Grogan could have thought the final race would be an easy one.  

“It did look wrapped up,” he said. “But with Palm Beaches and Space Coast so stacked with solid athletes these days, you never know who is going to have a good day.”

A good day, indeed, was had by Chad WIlkinson. The 36-year-old Palm Beach triathlete forced Grogan to dig deep on the run, eeking out a mere three-second victory in 1:02:50.

“Chad pushed me and I would like to say I pushed Chad,” said Grogan, an amateur elite triathlete and former physical education teacher who now owns Gear for Multisport inside Clermont’s National Training Center. “Any time you see a guy slip on track s pikes heading into the run portion, it makes me more than a little nervous.

The final event also proved that Crate is no fluke in the sport. Beating Dunn on the run and trailing by 21 seconds on the bike, the 24-year-old marketing vice-president who lost on the swim will be a deadly threat in the sport should she continue to use her natural athletic talent, positive attitude and uncompromising work ethic on the swim.

Grogan, the 2010 Surf Coast Trifecta champ, complimented our area and the Trifecta in an Email: (Dunn and Grogan with their Trifecta series trophies at left)

“I love coming to the Melbourne area to race and train - it is my Clermont,” he said. If nothing else, it motivates me to keep working hard in my training knowing that I want to finish the series strong.

I like the fact that they picked three different venues to hold the series, giving us a chance to check out different areas.

You can tell that the guys (Mitch and Chris and JB and the whole crew) put a lot of time into making the series a success. The Cocoa Beach triathlon was great and each race they did seemed to get better from a race production stand-point. I already look forward to next year.

Congrats to all the athletes who put it on the line in these events as well as Varnes and his entire team of staff and volunteers for bringing new and great memories to our home turf.

SURFCOAST TRIFECTA SERIES OVERALL CHAMPS awarded $250 each

MALE: Kevin Grogan, 37, Clermont; right in photo

FEMALE: Mallory Dunn, 27, Daytona Beach; left in photo

AGE GROUP CHAMPS awarded $65 each:

MALE: 19 and under: Nick Flint, left, Cocoa; 20-24: Marc Buonanni, Merritt Island; 25-29: Brad Daszynski, Melbourne; 30-34:Bj Graham, Palm Bay; 35-39: Tenadore Dean, Cocoa; 40-44: John Lareniere, Orlando; 45-49: Mark Knopf, Viera; 50-54: Michael Adams, Melbourne Beach; 55-59: Hywel Jones, Cocoa Beach; 60-64: Rob Downey, Melbourne Village.

FEMALE: 19 and under: Allison Burdine, Titusville; 20-24: Kristen Neilson, Melbourne Beach; 25-29: Jessica Crate, Viera; 30-34: Joy Hess, Melbourne; 35-39: Catherine Callender, Melbourne; 40-44:  Sara Manierre, Indialantic; 45-49: Nancy Buonanni, Merritt Island; 50-54: Lisa Saturday, Palm Bay; 55-59: Michelle Lyle, Merritt Island; 65-69, Susie Koontz.

SPECIALTY DIVISION CHAMPS awarded $150 each

Clydesdale: Dan Dietel, 31, Melbourne

Athena: Trinity Graham, 31, Palm Bay

RELAY DIVISION CHAMPS awarded $150 per team

FEMALE: Cozy Cougars: Tamara Estrada, Kathryn Varnes, Cynthia Wensinger

MIXED: Y Not Tri: Charlie Mora, Sherri Scott, Marion Wittman

posted June 21, 2010

A NOTABLE PLACE AND RACE 

After hearing about the quality of the June 20 Heartland Triathlon in Sebring, we had no idea where the town was so we checked it out Google maps. If you put one finger on Bradenton and another on Ft. Pierce and merge the two, you’ll find Sebring pretty much smack dab in the middle of the state, nestled among miles of rural roads and pristine lakes.

Now in its fifth year, the quarter mile swim, 14-mile bike and 5K run is sponsored by the Heartland division of Florida Hospital. The race organizers have two goals: get their county (Highlands) moving and provide participants with a first-class race experience.

They’re doing both in a big way.

Each year they invite one of the sport’s powerhouses - this year Olympic silver medalist and Hawaiian Ironman World Champ, Michelle Jones. Past years they’ve included Dave Scott, Mark Allen, Sheila Taormina and Sarah Reinertsen in their line-up.

The featured guests do more than flex and look studly, though.

On Sat. morning, Jones, center in photo at left,  first provided encouragement to the small fry who competed in the kids’ race and then placed a medal around each of the more than 80 tiny necks. Afterward, she hosted a race clinic for the kids and their parents.

Mid-day and no time for a breather, she then spoke at a luncheon honoring Florida’s USA Triathlon All-Americans and their families, who were also invited by the race organizers. Satellite Beaches Kaitlin Shiver, last year's Heartland tri female champ and 2009 USA Triathlon National Champ, was one of the invitees and she came in tow with mom, Kathleen; dad, Randall; and sisters Ashley and Nicole.

Before Jones Saturday could end, she again spoke to the more than 400 athletes who showed up for the pasta bash - sending pre-race excitement-o-meters skyrocketing.

On Sunday morning, Jones showed why - even at age 41 - she cannot yet be counted out. The Aussie transplant whipped through the course in 1:02:18, finishing third overall among men and women.

Read more about her racing and literal horsing around at http://www.gomichellie.com/www.gomichellie.com/Blog/Blog.html

Special CONGRATS to all the Brevard locals who got to race with and behind Jones - as well as enjoy a post-race bbq, dri-tech shirt, dri-tech visor and post-race towel for their entry fee: Willy Moolenaar, 69, Indialantic, 2^nd 65-69, 1:50:01; Ashley Shiver, 19, Satellite Beach, 1^st 19 and under, 1:12:19; Kathleen Shiver, 48, Satellite Beach, 1:24:53; Kaitlin Shiver, 21, Satellite Beach, 1^st elite female, 1:08:08; Nicole Shiver, 17, Satellite Beach, 5^th 19 and under, 1:26:06; Randall Shiver, 51, Satellite Beach, 1:38:22; Chuck Tanner, 53, Indialantic, 1:31:32.

Maybe we’ll all see you in Sebring next year. Race website http://www.heartlandtri.org/index.htm

posted June 22, 2010

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Although this is a belated notice, I thought you might want to share a link to photos of the Pineapple Man Tri. I concentrated mostly on some of the slower athletes, but there are pictures of almost every athlete who participated. Kathleen Yockey http://www.happysnappercandids.com/event_gallery

GRANDMAS LOVES CHIN

If you think Grandma’s Marathon is a wheelchair race through a nursing home, think again.

The 26.2-mile point-to-point course that begins outside Two Harbors, Minnesota and finishes in Duluth’s Canal Park is known for some smoking-fast age group times.

And today was no exception - especially for a handful of local runners who were greeted by race morning temps in the low 60s. Pretty cool for the folks who had experienced a couple of weeks of 90+ degrees in Brevard with a heat index above 100.

Whether it was his training or the inspiration from meeting Olympian and Minnesota native, Kara Goucher, Satellite Beaches Steve Chin, left, pulled out the fastest local time. The 41-year-old Technical Ops Manager crossed the line in two hours, fifty-eight minutes and 43 seconds.

Not a bad PR or BQ (Boston Marathon qualifier) for his second-ever 26.2-mile race.

Congrats to Chin and all locals who crossed this morning’s windy finish line including Cathy Czyzewski, 49, Melbourne, 4:30:13; John Davis, 32, West Melbourne, 3:00:24 (BQ); Scott Larson, 38, Melbourne, 2:59:11 (BQ); Logan Soya, 26, Melbourne, 3:38:22; Shane Streufert, 38, Viera, 3:12:16, (BQ).

By the way….the event's name ‘Grandmas’ comes from the inaugural 1977 race’s first and only sponsor - Grandma’s Restaurant.

Posted June 19, 2010

PRUNE-SKINNED AND PROUD

Next time you think your triathlon swim is lengthy, consider Brian LaJoie’s latest triumph.

Last weekend, the Melbourne Beach ocean engineer competed in the 34^th annual Swim Around Key West - a zippy little distance of 12.5 MILES in four hours and forty-one minutes, good enough for first in his age group and possibly third overall. (final results have not been posted as of June 19 at the race website http://www.swimaroundkeywest.com/) 

To put it in terms that most of us can appreciate, LaJoie’s pace per 100 yards was 1:16 or 2.7 miles per hour in conditions that offered changing tides, light chop, a 91 degree sea temperature and air temps rising to 98 degrees.

Pretty amazing stuff!

LaJoie is no stranger to extended endeavors. During the past three years, he and his wife, Sage, spent most of their spare time training for Ironman races - including last year’s Coer D’alene where Brian set an IM PR of 10:44:40.

“Sage and I wanted to take a break this year and do other things,” he said. “Last year, Russell Harbach, one of the guys I swim with, was training for the swim around Key West and I kept the thought about the race on my radar.”

With much of his life already centered around the ocean - career, diving, and surfing, LaJoie appreciated the focus required to conquer Mother Nature’s sometimes moody challenges.

“The appeal to me of open water swimming is the fact that it is always different,” he said. The weather, the bottom and what’s swimming next to you always keeps your mind engaged.”

Unlike many of his competitors who swam six or seven times a week to prepare for the race, LaJoie limited his days in the water to three and built additional aerobic and physical strength with running and “lots of weight training”.

“Last year, after Sage finished Clearwater (70.3 World Championships) and I did GFT (Great Floridian Triathlon Iron-distance), we were so beat up from the same repetitive motions.  I’d want to go surfing but would be too sore. We knew we needed to take the time to round out our strength.”

LaJoie credits his now increased functional strength for keeping him injury-free during training and racing.

“I don’t want this to sound like a commercial, but we did P90X,” he said. “There are lots of plyometrics, pushups, dips, pull-ups - big functional movements. From that alone I feel stronger overall and more flexible than I’ve ever been in my life.”

LaJoie and Harbach, who trained for the race in tandem, applied multi-sport training principles to build speed and distance. (Left, at race start: Brevard's Russell, Brian and Lauren Helton, who swam on a relay team)

“On a normal week we’d swim 5,000 to 6,000 twice in the pool and then do an open water swim on weekends,” said LaJoie. “We’d do one long straight swim, one with shorter sprints and one with longer intervals. The quick little 100s of triathlon became 300s and the 400s turned into 1000s.”

The long swims that had prepared him for Ironman were but the first steps in building up to the time and demands required to churn 12.5 miles.

“I knew what 1.2 and 2.4 miles felt like,” he said. “The best part of the training was preparing myself for that longer amount of time in open water. We did a 3.75 mile lake swim and then the Nike 10K open water swim.”

Their longest pre-race dip took them from the Melbourne Causeway to the LaJoie’s home - a distance of eight miles.

“I knew the distances from riding my bike,” he said. “On a whim I said to Sage that I’d like to be able to swim from the bridge to home.”

Race morning - one of the hottest days in the event’s history - found the water dotted with 28 solo swimmers, another 140 athletes who were part of two or three person relay teams, the support kayaks required of all competitors, five or six Coast Guard craft plus a number of official race boats. The clock-wise course, which would take the flotilla through the Key West Harbor, the Fleming Cut and under the Cow Key Channel bridge, remained open to the busy boat traffic that is indigenous to Key West.

Race course map, left: http://www.southernmostrunners.com/KW-Swim/KWIS-Chart-10.pdf

“They did such a great job with that,” said LaJoie. “I sent a note of thanks to the race director.”

While triathlon allows for competitors to stand up in the water and/or hang on a boat or buoy, those same acts would disqualify an athlete at the Key West race. During the race, LaJoie had to rely on the timed precision of Sage and his cousin to help him safely sight and provide crucial nutritional support.

“They were paddling along in a tandem kayak,” said LaJoie. “Every 20 minutes, I needed something. I’d swim over, get on my back or tread water. They would throw ice-cold Accelerade, water or gel blasts.

The challenge of the course, as well as the every 20-minute feedings, kept LaJoie from settling into the stifling tedium that often accompanies a long pool voyage.

“In the pool, you turn your brain off and do what you have to do,” he said. “There was a lot in this race and there were so many milestones: the Southern Most Point, the naval pier, the first choke point - every mile or two there was a course change. It was kind of neat to navigate.” (Left, LaJoie swims past the Southern Most Point in Key West)

There were also natural wonders - both majestic and exposed.

“One thing that got me was that I spooked a big eagle ray - he was more scared that I was, though,” LaJoie laughed. “The scariest thing I saw was a naked dude cleaning his boat.”

With time to reflect after finishing the race, LaJoie compared the 12.5-mile swim effort to that which is required to complete a half-Ironman distance (70.3).

“It is harder to stay focused with just one discipline,” he said. “The localized devastation to my lats, shoulders and triceps was greater but the whole body is worse off after a Half.

And while LaJoie is proud of the newest feather in his swim cap, he is not anxious to try the solo trip again.

“I think it would be fun to do it as part of a relay,” he said. “The only way I’d do it solo again is if Sage wanted to.”

Huge water-logged congrats to both Brian and Russell, a grandfather of two who also won his age division in 4:49. (Left, Brian and Russell with their awards - what else but an engraved conch shell in the Conch Republic?)

YOU’RE ALL WET

Or you could be. Triathlete and realtor, Gina Caccamo, has started up the Thursday evening open water swims last week. Just like last year, folks will meet at 6 p.m. at Pine and Sixth Street in Melbourne Beach. Choose your own speed and distance.

A note of warning, however, this is a non-sponsored swim.  Neither Caccamo nor anyone else is responsible for your safety. If you feel you need support in the form of a kayak or surfboard, please bring someone with you to provide it - others will probably also thank you…

posted June 15, 2010

NOW SERVING MEL BEACH

Near the end of 2009, ESM - the folks who produce the Publix Family Fitness Weekends - teamed up with Multirace - the timing company who also produces events such as Miami Man. What this meant for the athletes was an increase in both the quality and quantity of race venues offered in 2010. (Left, Deb Johansen, Bernie Sher, Kathy Blair, Eddie Blair, Patti Sponsler and Rob Downey mug for the camera after an ESM FFW race in Deerfield Beach a couple of years ago)

Kicking off in April, the new Series offered athletes and their families nine fun and fitness-oriented weekends in various locations around the state as well as races in Jekyll Island, GA, Nashville, TN, Gulf Coast, AL and Lake Lanier, GA. Series points are awarded to each finisher at every event but only the four best races count toward overall Series points. Once an athlete completes their fourth event, an additional 500 bonus points are given. Race categories include standard age groups as well as elite, fat-tire, physically challenged, Athena and multiple Clydesdale weight classes.

This year’s line-up includes a stop at Spessard Holland North Beach Park in Melbourne Beach which will offer a  kids’ duathlon and 5K on the evening of July 31 and then a triathlon and duathlon the following morning. Triathletes will be offered a 400-meter ocean swim, 10-mile bike and three-mile run. Duathletes will run one mile, ride 10 and then run another three miles. No course maps for these races have been posted yet on the website http://www.familyfitnessweekend.com/content/2010-publix-ffw-race-schedule

Several locals who have competed in past Series events were back this year with Satellite Beaches Garry Branch in third place overall after four races. Merritt Island’s Teresa Williams and Palm Bay’s Sue Stidham were ranked one and two respectively in Athena.

The trio also completed race number five on June 12 in Siesta Key - a beautiful eight-mile barrier island about 50 miles south of Tampa. Close to 400 athletes enjoyed the 600-meter swim in the Gulf, a 12.6-mile bike around the island and then a three-mile beach run.

Congrats to all of Brevard’s finishers including Garry Branch, 1:19:44, Rob Downey, 2^nd 60-64, 1:18:59; C. Frances Rodgers, 1:42:05; Sue Stidham, 1:40:15; Teresa Williams, 1:34:55.

Complete Series info is available at http://www.familyfitnessweekend.com/

posted June 15, 2010

GUY GETS PIE

Every year, the Run for the Pies 5K in Jacksonville offers 200 pies to the fastest in the field. Men must run under 20 minutes and ladies under 24 to be eligible for one of the sweet apple treats.

After much anticipation, Howard ‘The Pie Guy’ Kanner, crossed the evening finish line in 19-flat, earning one of the coveted pies as well as one of the unique medals that go up to 15 deep in some age groups. Kanner was sixth out of 88 in the 40-44 age group and 39^th overall out of 1,388 finishers.

The pie fetish continued for the Rockledge rocket scientist as he then proceeded to compete in the pie-eating contest and also partook of the post-race pizza pie.

Way to fly, Pie Guy!

Check out complete race information and results at http://1stplacesports.com/ 

posted June 15, 2010

BELATED CONGRATS!

In our hurried exuberance to post all things Pineapple on the weekend of June 5 and 6, we overlooked several accomplishments of our local athletes who were competing in other venues.

Congrats to Melbourne’s Ed Donner on his 4:51:10 finish on the hot and extremely windy Rhoto Ironman Hawaii 70.3 course on the Big Island. Donner, who had won the 30-34 age group at 70.3 Florida in 4:28:39 last month finished 10^th out of 94 in Hawaii after losing his salt tabs on the bike and then paying for it on the run.

Congrats also to Indialantic's Suzanne Coullias and Palm Bay's Jackie Clifton who finished first and third, respectively, in the 45-49 age group at the Coliseum Rock-n-Roll Half Ironman-distance race in Macon Georgia on June 6. Coullias covered the 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run in 5:59:56, followed by Clifton in 6:13:32. (Photo: Jackie, left and Suzanne, right, with their awards and an extra hand!)

Last, but by no means least…Congrats, as well, to those who finished the Rock-n-Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon in San Diego on June 6.

Local Marathon finishers included Kevin Allen, 5:08:14; Barry Birdwell, 5:47:35 and his lovely wife, Michele, who finished in 5:22:53.

Those finishing the half marathon include Tandy Capps, 3:05:53; Becky Deppe, 3:15:27 and Jo Lean Hearn, 3:12:24.

posted on June 15, 2010

FOR A GOOD TIME

I love the Pineapple Man triathlon.

It brings out what is still good in our community.

For 25 years, the event has been a labor of love for the Melbourne Beach Rotarians. They do it to raise funds to make people’s lives - both locally and abroad - a little bit better.

They have also made the lives of hundreds of athletes and their families a bit better, too.  We’ve become fitter, faster, and closer as friends and family because of the Ryckman Park event that welcomes all.

Pineapple Man has always seemed to be a homecoming of sorts and today’s 25^th anniversary was the best and biggest.

Jupiter’s John Reback returned, and in a sold-out field of 650 registrants, scored his fourth victory (’06, ’08,’09, ’10) in one hour, four minutes and thirty seconds.

“I ran the first mile as hard as I could,” said Reback who rolled into Masters (40+) this season. “I didn’t want to have any stragglers hanging on.”

Last year, Reback and Minneola’s Kevin Grogan traded places throughout the entire course, with Reback hitting the line ahead of Thong Boy with only two seconds to spare.

While young Colby Mack got out of the water first in 6:38, both Reback and Grogan quickly caught him on the bike and came out of T2 together, making a reincarnation of last year’s race a possibility.

When Reback rounded the corner for the finish line on Ocean Avenue, however, there was nobody near him. After crossing the finish line, the clock ticked off another 96 seconds before Grogan came through in second.

“Reback can run,” said Grogan, who has been racing off the front most of the season. “I’ve got to work on my run.”

Mack, who is now applying his swimming prowess to running and cycling, finished third in 1:07:53, improving last year’s time by more than 15 minutes.

In the ladies race, Satellite Beaches Kaitlin Shiver took the top spot as she stormed the line in 1:12:22. While lots of winners are happy to chat up their own race, Shiver was more interested in getting right back to the chute to cheer in her sisters Ashley (4^th oa, 1^st 15-19) and Nicole (3^rd 15-19, in spite of an injury) as well as her parents Kathleen (6^th 45-49) and Randall (4^th Clydesdale).

The 2009 USA Triathlon national champ trailed Katie Hamilton out of the choppy .3-mile swim in 7:06 but quickly passed her on the bike, averaging 21.3 miles-per-hour on the flat out-and-back course.

“My bike computer came off in the first mile,” said Shiver who focuses on cross-country and track for the Florida Gators nine months out of the year. “I can go on feel on the swim and the run but can’t do that on the bike.”

In spite of nagging PF, Shiver then ran a 6:36 pace off the bike to finish 77 seconds ahead of Nikki Bell. Bell, 36, had the fastest female bike split, averaging 21.7 miles-per-hour.

Third place went to Minneola’s Kim Grogan, mother of two - or three, if you count hubby Kevin’s antics - and co-owner of Gear for Multisport at the National Training Center in Clermont. Kim Grogan covered the course in 1:14:13. Between her third oa and Thong Boy’s second, the Grogans are this year’s ‘first couple’.

Other notable Pineapple Man happenings:

*Triple amputee Rajesh Durbal finished the race in 1:32:47. Pineapple Man donated two spots for a charity auction on Ebay to help buy new racing legs for Raj.

*Inaugural race director, Byron Beard, was invited back from his home in Colorado to participate. The 58-year-old semi-retired dentist who was “blown away” by how big the race has become, finished the course in 1:31:48.

*Gary Stern, the three-time state time trial champ and co-owner of Melbourne’s Infinity Bike Shop, lost his triathlon virginity today. The 38-year-old married father-of-one (son, Lance - go figure) whipped out the fastest overall bike split of the day in 34:09, averaging 26.4 mph in a total time of 1:15:31 - good enough for an age group fifth. If Gary learns to run, that age group needs to watch out. 

*Scores of folks finished their first multi-sport finish line today. Congrats and welcome to the club!

If you get a chance, drop race director Don Riordan a note (driordan@cfl.rr.com) and let him know how much you appreciated his efforts. He continues to be sincerely passionate about giving athletes a great race experience and has put this race on the map. Two years ago he was already talking about what he wanted to do to make the 25^th a special event. He did his job well.

Congrats to all of today’s athletes and volunteers. Our county has some really incredible heart and talent.

Complete race results are available at http://www.multirace.com/

Also check out some amazing race photos taken by multi-sport athlete Nick Flint at http://icunphotos.smugmug.com/Other/Pineapple-Man-2010-Pics-By/12457615_KBJQ4#892148176_3mKAf  Thanks, Nick! :)

posted 5/6/10 3:50pm

COUNTING DOWN....

PINEAPPLE MAN: THE SILVER ANNIVERSARY

What: 25th annual Melbourne Beach Rotary Pineapple Man Triathlon.

Benefits: Multiple national and community initiatives including the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Melbourne Beach town history projects, Friends of the Melbourne Beach Library, the South Brevard Sharing Center, The M.O.R.G.A.N. Project and Polio-Plus, a world-wide initiative to eradicate polio.

When: 7 a.m. Sunday, June 6.

Where: Ryckman Park, Melbourne Beach.

Distance: .3-mile swim; 15-mile bike; 3.3-mile run.

Best spectator spots: Transition area at intersection of Ocean Avenue and Riverside Drive; Finish line on Ocean Avenue in front of Ryckman House.

Course records for past decade: Male, 2008, John Reback, 38, Jupiter, 1:03:36; Female, 2007, Lotte Branigan, 33, Vero Beach, 1:10:38; Male Master (40+): 2009, Joel Kinnunen, 43, Melbourne, 1:07:51; Female Master, 2006, Pam Maxwell, 41, Melbourne, 1:15:16.

Athlete with most wins: Lotte Branigan, left, nine-time overall female champion.

Packet pick-up: June 3-4, Running Zone, Melbourne, 10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.; June 5, Melbourne Beach Community Center, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Amenities: Full post-race breakfast and pizza from BeachStreet Eatery; shade tent and chairs at the awards area; finish line bleachers; commemorative race shirts; commemorative race swag bags; long-sleeve DriTec shirts for participants; entertainment; post-race refreshments from Florida Beer Company and post-race photos from Matt Winer Photography.

Parking: The Melbourne Beach Supermarket will allow race participants to park in their restricted parking without being towed.

Additional information and course maps: http://www.rotarypineappleman.org/ and http://pineappleman2010.blogspot.com/

PINEAPPLE MAN: IN THE BEGINNING…

After NBC broadcast the historic footage of Julie Moss’s crawl toward the finish line of the 1982 Hawaiian Ironman triathlon, athletes everywhere began to look for events where they, too, might test their mettle against a race requiring triple-sport proficiency.

On May 3, 1986, the Melbourne Beach Rotarians answered the call with a race of their own - the Pineapple Man Triathlon. As organizers and spectators watched 67 new multi-sport athletes cross the finish line, no one imagined that the Pineapple Man would be one of the events that would launch and feed central Florida’s now burgeoning triathlon community.

“We had no idea that the sport would get so big,” said Byron Beard, left and the former Melbourne Beach resident who implemented the original Pineapple Man and then continued to direct the event until moving to Colorado in 2000......Continue reading in Running Zone's June 2010 newsletter at http://www.runningzone.com/newsletters

PINEAPPLE MAN: FROM START TO FINISH

With 650 entrants already registered - and scores more left cooling their heels on a waiting list - the sold-out June 6 Pineapple Man is the largest field in the 25-year history of the event. To help those who are new to triathlon or the Pineapple experience, race director Don Riordan and four local athletes provide some advantageous insight.......Continue reading in Running Zone's June 2010 newsletter at http://www.runningzone.com/newsletters

PINEAPPLE MAN: SALE

Good to know that when you pick up your race packet you can also pick up any last- (or future) minute items. To help celebrate the event’s silver anniversary, Running Zone is having a 20% discount on all triathlon products this Thursday and Friday (June 3 & 4) at the store. They are also setting up a booth from 10 am - 5 pm on Saturday, June 5, at the race site at Ryckman Park.

(bike) TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

Two salesmen, a pilot and a former wrestler-turned-restaurateur walked into a bike shop….

Sounds like a joke, no?

No.

It is, however, the start of INFINITY Bike Shop - a venture promising to up the game for Brevard’s cyclists.

Late yesterday morning, Earl Bradley, Marshall Reeves, Al Steiginga and Gary Stern signed the papers to purchase the Melbourne location of what was once known as Revolutions Cyclery from Jim and Ginger Twigg, who will still co-own the Suntree store of the same name.

“This may come as a surprise for some but we’ve been working this deal with them for five months,” said Jim Twigg, who began re-evaluating life’s priorities after he was hit by a car while riding his bike in 2006. “There are so many other things to do in life besides working more than 60 hours per week.”

After listing both Revolutions locations for sale with a business broker “a couple of years ago”, buyers from as far away as New York started to nibble.

“Earl and Marshall approached us in January,” said Jim Twigg. “They wanted to get into the business. It was a good fit and good timing. It seems like things just came together.”

And the four new owners seemed perfectly trued as well.

“Earl and I had talked vaguely about opening a shop for a long time,” said Reeves a long-distance specialist who counts  a dozen Ironman-length races among the 200+ triathlons he’s completed; and who, at 54, can still mix it up with much younger guys in endurance mountain bike racing, placing second most last week at the 12 Hours of Talsi. “In January we finally said ‘let’s quit talking about it and do it’.” (Left, Reeves finishing the inaugural 2006 4000 km Le Tour Ultime in Europe.)

Reeves, a transatlantic pilot for Delta, and Bradley, a sales rep for Nazdar SourceOne as well as a state and regional mountain bike champ and Cat ‘1/2 roadie, realized they needed someone with much broader business smarts to help bring their ideas to fruition.

“One of my strengths is knowing my weaknesses and I knew we needed a businessman,” said Reeves of Steiginga, who is a co-founder and partner in the very successful Long Doggers chain. “Al had just gotten into biking and triathlons and he really knows the ins and outs of business.”

Stern, the fourth partner and pharmaceutical rep for GlaxoSmithKline, brought to the table unbridled energy and attention to detail as well as the reputation and contacts that accompany a three-time state time-trial champ and former elite endurance mountain biker.

“We all complement each other,” said Reeves. “Everyone automatically assumes their roles.”

The crew also brought in Biron Keefer, who raced pro BMX and currently kicks cyclo-cross butt, to manage the store.

“Between us, we have a wide range of experience across all types of cycling,” said Reeves.

While the new signage went up yesterday, Infinity’s character and full range of new products and services will evolve incrementally.

“The most important thing right up front and always will be for us to provide great customer service to everyone who walks in the door,” said Stern. “Our goal is to provide everything a cyclist would want.” (Left, Stern gets ready to start the 2010 Space Coast Cycling Festival circuit race, where he took first in the Masters 35+ division)

Stern outlined some of the plans already in work to enhance customer service and become more than “just a bike shop”.

Inventory:  “We are working on increasing the available inventory,” he said. “We’ll keep TREK, Gary Fisher and Felt but want to bring in some other brands as well as increase the equipment and apparel selection for triathletes and women.”

Fit: “The most important thing for a cyclist is having the perfect bike fit,” he said. “People are beginning to realize how important that is and that area - as far as service - is growing faster than any area. At least two of our employees will be professionally certified to provide that perfect fit.”

Free access to exceptional expertise: “The four of us will continue to work our day jobs to allow for good cash flow into the store,” he said. “We know that people want to talk to us about specific things based on our training and racing experience, so we are going to establish a schedule for when each of us will be in the store during the week.” (Left, Earl Bradley, #456 and Gary Stern before the start of the 2009 Leadville 100, won by Lance Armstrong.)

Performance enhancement:  “We want to help our customers improve their performance in any area where they might have a need,” said Stern, who is also a former physical therapist and certified athletic trainer. “We will be partnering with cycling coaches, personal trainers, yoga instructors and massage therapists.”

Store remodel: “We are going to offer a comfortable sitting area with a flat screen TV,” he said. “We want people to just hang out, relax, watch cycling and get to know each other. The space will also offer an area for parents to let their kids play so they can take their time talking to employees or looking around the store.”

Indoor group workouts: “We want to have a CompuTrainer center where we’ll offer group workouts a couple of nights a week after hours,” Stern said. “The Trainers register power, heartrate, distance, course and we can link them together for people to race or ‘ride’ the same course together.”

Like the name INFINITY suggests, the possibilities and potential for the store, its employees and Brevard County cyclists are endless.

INFINITY will celebrate a soft opening on June 12 and then a grand opening once the remodeling is complete. The store is located at 1600 South Babcock Street in Melbourne. Check out INFINITY on Facebook right now for all the buzz or on their soon-to-be-up website at http://infinitybikeshop.com/

Google map link to IINFINITY: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1600+South+Babcock+Street,+Melbourne,+FL&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=29.358024,56.162109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1600+S+Babcock+St,+Melbourne,+Brevard,+Florida+32901&z=16

We wish INFINITY the very best in this new adventure!

CHEAP GENIUS

We usually don’t say anything about new products one way or the other on this site but Patti Hamilton showed us the coolest iPhone app on Sunday. If you want to turn your 3G or 3GS into a powerful bicycle GPS, you’ve got little to lose at only $4.99. 

The app shows time, location, distance, elevation, speed, average speed plus more and will chart, graph and map your rides. You can also share your data real-time on Facebook, Twitter and email plus configure the app to ‘talk’ to you about your performance as you ride. 

Another cool thing is that you don’t need a special attachment on your bike for the phone. Patti carried hers in her bike bag and the little gadget performed flawlessly, recording her data and yapping at her.

Find out more about this ingenious app at www.abvio.com/cyclemeter

THONG BOY SURFS TRIFECTA (again) 

Viera, Fla. – Central Florida Triathlon standouts Kevin 'Thong Boy' Grogan, 36,  of Clermont (left in photo) and Mallory Dunn, 26, of Daytona Beach followed up on their wins in last month’s Ron Jon Cocoa Beach Triathlon with repeat performances in Sunday’s State Farm Space Coast Bikearathon.  The two now have commanding leads in the overall standings of the three-event Surf Coast Trifecta and need only show up to win the series’ inaugural crown and their share of its $3,000.00 prize purse.

230 athletes entered the inaugural event, which saw Grogan scorch the field of the 20-mile bike and 6.2-mile run with a net time of 1:30:50 and a six minute lead over runner-up John Lafrieniere, 44, of Orlando.  Grogan capped his victory with a dive into the retention pond adjacent to the event’s Avenue Viera location.  “It was hot out there for sure; especially on the run,” he said.  “These guys are putting together a great series in Brevard County, and I am happy to keep the momentum heading into the final event next month.”

Daytona Beach’s Mallory Dunn once again reached the finish line first but only one minute ahead of and for the misfortune of Melbourne running standout Jessica Crate.  Coming into the cycling course’s turnaround, Crate’s bike came out from under her leaving the 25-year-old with bloody bruises on her knee, hip and elbow.  Were it not for the two-minute delay in picking herself up and putting the chain back on her bike, Crate would have likely won the women’s leg of the event.  “I guess I am a real triathlete now that I’ve had a wreck,” she beamed.  “What are you going to do? “

The final leg of the Surf Coast Trifecta takes place at south Melbourne Beach’s Sebastian Inlet State Park on June 20 with the Long Dogger’s Dad’s Day Tri.  The sprint triathlon includes a beach start ¼ mile ocean swim, a 15-mile bike ride and a 3.1 mile run.   More than 400 athletes from throughout Central Florida are expected in this event.  Entries are still open and available at www.surfcoasttrifecta.com

Complete results can be found at www.altavistasports.com

STAY IN THE ZONE

It’s that time again.

Each year, athletes have the opportunity to help their favorite running store win one of The 50 Best Running Stores in America awards.

“The running specialty store is the hub of the running community,” said Bob Babbitt, Editor in Chief of Competitor Magazine, co-sponsor of the contest. “They help bring new runners into the sport, provide knowledgeable service to experienced runners and help grow the sport with training programs and race sponsorships. We’re proud to recognize and honor the stores who play such an essential role in building our sport.”

Running Zone in Melbourne is just that store and that is why our local athletes have helped them win the award four years in a row. (Above left: Running Zone employees add an air of themed festivity to each of their Series races, helping to draw runners of all ages and abilities.)

Can we make it five?

You can help do that by visiting www.competitor.com/50Best and submitting your thoughts on why their store is the best. Last year, Competitor received more than 12,000 nominations, which play a critical role in determining the selection of the 50 Best. Input from vendors and suppliers is also weighed along with the opinions of 'mystery shoppers' who are sent to the nominated stores.

EXECUTION: DONNER STYLE

Ed Donner has pulled off the perfect execution.

No, it wasn’t some grisly mob hit. Instead, the 33-year-old wealth manager broke out a breakthrough performance at the Rohto Ironman 70.3 Florida at Walt Disney World on Sunday, May 16.

Donner, left - who had been trying to break the four-hour, thirty minute mark for two years - not only blew through the race in 4:28:39 but he also placed 30^th out of ~2,600, taking the top podium spot in the crazy-competitive 30-34 age group.

“I wanted to win going into the race,” he said. “It was awesome to stand on the stage of a big national race.”

It wasn’t easy to get there, however.

Although the race kicked off at 6:20 a.m., those in Donner's wave --  number 22 and the last of the day -- had to sit around for more than an hour before lining the shore of Clementine Beach to swim the 1.2-mile course.

Donner exited the swim in 33:56 and hopped on the bike for the 56-mile loop through western Orange County, passing scores of slower riders yet being passed by no one.

“I was really happy with the ride,” he said of his 24.1 mile-per-hour average. “I kept my heartrate around 147 and dialed in the fluids. I took in exactly the right amount plus the saltstick tabs to retain it.”

Perhaps Donner experienced his biggest victory as he tackled the three-loop 13.1-mile run in Florida’s late-morning heat and humidity.

“I was wary going in,” he said. “I’ve not been able to run well in the heat in the past. (Coach) Lee Zohlman told me I needed to go into the hurt locker and sustain it.”

And that Donner did.

“I made the commitment to stay below seven-minute miles,” he said. “The last lap hurt pretty bad but I forced myself and didn’t succumb to the pain. I took a step in conquering it.”

In doing so, Donner averaged a 6:56 per mile pace, completing the half marathon in 1:30:55 after passing the two men who were - unbeknownst to him - already on the run when he started..

“I finally proved to myself that I am capable of running in the heat,” said Donner, whose win gave him a confidence boost for the Ironman 70.3 Hawaii on June 5 where he’ll be racing for a spot at the Ironman World Championships. “I also had to prove to myself that I am capable of earning a spot,”

In addition to Donner, only one other Brevard athlete broke the five-hour mark at Florida. Cocoa Beaches LeeAnne Nawrocki, above left, placed third in the 18-24 age group and 23rd female overall in 4:56:08. Nawrocki exited the swim in 38:53; averaged 22.23 miles-per-hour on the bike and then averaged 7:45 per mile to run a 1:41:44 half.

Congrats to all of our local 70.3 finishers including Rick Buck, 40, Melbourne Beach, 5:23:30; William Burton, 45, IHB, 6:12:18; Ed Donner, 34, 1^st 30-34, 4:28:39; Bob Dow, 42, Merritt Island, 7:15:32; Paul Fleming, 37, West Melbourne, 5:25:25; Gary Ganiban, 47, Indialantic, 6:12:41; Michael Glover, 45, Merritt Island, 6:43:45; Jeff Grunow, 33, Melbourne, 5:42:23; Tod Hagan, Melbourne Beach, 6:49:34; Joy Hess, 32, Melbourne, 5:48:26; Elvira Johnson, 54, Palm Bay, 7:45:40; Leo Johnson, 32, PAFB, 7:14:57; Patricia Johnson, 30, Palm Bay, 7:09:41; Jerome King, 39, Malabar, 6:41:07; Scott Krasny, 45, Melbourne, 5:59:47; Glenn Latta, 52, 6:34:12; Kevin Leiker, 47, West Melbourne, 7:04:31; Leeann Nawrocki, 24, Cocoa Beach, 3^rd 18-14, 4:56:08; Rebecca Oostdyk, 28, Cape Canaveral, 6:03:17; Wes Ott, 55, Cocoa Beach, 5:30:17; Jeff Perry, 55, Melbourne Beach, 7:00:44; Hernan Rojas, 45, Melbourne, 5:42:55; Jeffery Rueben, 28, Melbourne, 6:04:35; Tricia Rydson, 37, Melbourne Beach, 5:55:22; Shawn Schaffner, 46, Cape Canaveral, 6:08:32; James Shaffer, 44, Viera, 5:46:08; Danny Silvea, 41, Merritt Island, 6;57:03; Nicole Therrien, 41, Melbourne, 6:25:19; Tommy Turek, 34, Melbourne, 6:56:13; Lisa Valentine, 39, Melbourne, 6:45:56; Jeff Winterich, 43, Rockledge, 5:55:20; Kendra Wood, 26, Melbourne, 5:57:21

SIGHT-SEEING IN VIERA 

Melbourne, Fla. – The Space Coast Bikearathon, a 20-mile bike and 6.2 mile run, takes place this Sunday, May 23 at the Avenue Viera.  More than 200 athletes from throughout Central Florida are expected to compete in the Bikearathon, which is the second stop of the Air Force Reserve’s Surf Coast Trifecta.

The Avenue Viera will be the hub of operations for the Bikearathon.  Cyclists and runners will be based in a parking lot just to the east of Belk’s department store and will run and cycle past many of the Avenue Viera’s restaurants and stores on their way to and from the race courses in the town of Viera.

Cyclists will pass by Space Coast Stadium, many county government facilities, residential housing developments and open pastures during the looping 20-mile ride.  Runners competing in the 6.2 mile (10-k) run will utilize an out and back course.  In addition to typical race amenities, athletes competing in the Bikearathon will be treated to post-race pizza and a beer courtesy of the Pizza Gallery & Grill.

The State Farm Space Coast Bikearathon is the second leg of the Surf Coast Trifecta, which kicked off April 18 with the Ron Jon Triathlon in Cocoa Beach and will end on June 20 with the Long Dogger’s Dad’s Day Triathlon in south Melbourne Beach at Sebastian Inlet State Park.  The Surf Coast Trifecta is the only series of its type in East Central Florida and offers a total prize purse of $3,000.00 to overall and age group winners. Minneola’s Kevin Grogan and Mallory Dunn of Daytona Beach are the current overall leaders.

More info at www.surfcoasttrifecta.com

IT IS ABOUT THE BIKE

Story and photos by Rob Downey

This weekend, the fifteen-year drought in Brevard bicycle racing will come to an end as many of Florida’s best cyclists arrive to ride the two-day Space Coast Cycling Festival.

“This should be an awesome event,” said Abe Pollard, director of the inaugural event that is offering a $3,200 purse. “We are expecting somewhere around 220 to 265 racers. I am happy to say that Julie Jerue, current USA Cycling National Road Race Champion and National Criterium Champion will be my special guest.”

Look for local riders including Atlantic Shores Velo team rider, Gary Stern, (top left in red) the 2010 Master’s 35+ state time-trial champ and Holy Trinity junior, Jos Chalmers, the current Cat 3 leader in the Florida Points Series who rides for Team Colavita.

Several other local riders teamed up under the Space Coast Velo Sport (SCVS) banner last year with great success and that has continued in 2010. The advanced race team now has major sponsors including Advanced Pro Cycles of Orlando and SCVS.

Look for their jerseys on the course. (Above left, team riders pose from left to right: Phil Moore, Andy Middleton, Jimmy Woodard, Tyler Jandreau, Daniel Ciuro and Keith Cook.)

On day one, Saturday, May 15, circuit races will be held on a three-mile loop off Lake Washington Rd just west of I-95. The venue is an undeveloped sub-division at the end of Washingtonia Rd. The day will begin with the 55+/65+ age groups starting at 8 a.m. moving up through categories of ability and finishing with the elite Pro 1 & 2 categories racing at 1 p.m. This is the best venue for spectators to see continuous action as cyclists round corners at high speeds, rolling well beyond 30+mph.

On day two, Sunday May 16, the athletes will move south to Grant-Valkaria where the road race events will start at the corner of Old Dixie Hwy & Grant Rd at Alfred Park. The road course is a 20 mile-loop and well-known to many area cyclists. From Old Dixie, riders will head south to Micco Rd. and go west to Babcock. On Babcock they will go north to return east on Grant Rd.

The categories will again start at 8 a.m. but the starts will be separated by only 15 to 45 minutes. The last start rolls out at 10:45. Length of the road races vary by category, between 20 miles (one loop) to 80 miles (four loops) for the Pro 1 & 2 riders.

The two-day event is part of the Florida State Cycling Points Series and anyone is able to enter. For detail information:  http://www.floridacycling.com/flyers/spacecoast.pdf

TRADING PINEAPPLES FOR FEET 

Orlando's Rajesh Durbai is going to Kona.

To get there, though, he needs a bit of help. 

Not the kind of help that you would normally think about, though,  like a new set of race wheels or a couple weeks of training in a remote location.

Nope, Raj needs some legs and feet.

The goal - as stated on Its Go Time Events, Inc. website - is simple:

“Currently Rajesh is running on a pair of walking legs/feet - not ideal for running. Our goal is to raise enough funds to provide Rajesh with a speedy set of running legs that will provide him with the ability to go the distance....Ironman.”

If you read more about Raj, you’ll realize that his is a champion's heart.  You'll also realize a couple of things about yourself: regardless of the aches and pains you might have, you are really, really grateful to have all your limbs and - you want Raj to succeed.

There are two ways to help: donate directly through Its Go Time or bid one of the two entry spots for the closed-out Pineapple Man on E-Bay. This Melbourne Beach race favorite will celebrate its 25th anniversary on June 6.

But first, read about this incredible athlete via the awesome article Kate Santich wrote in Dec. about Raj in the Orlando Sentinel (Kate, herself, is an incredible athlete as well as inspiring writer). Her article can be found at http://www.itsgotimeevents.com/ along with information about Its Go Time, Inc. and how to donate directly.

If you want to bid on the Pineapple Man spot, go to http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=300421769300&Category=158931&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D1

If  you want to see how a lot of athletes have helped this all evolve, check out the thread on the Windermere Roadies site. http://www.windermereroadies.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7303

(Don’t tell anyone, but beneath their seemingly heartless and WR testosterone-laden bravado lie some pretty decent guys - but ya didn’t hear that here!)

Posted 4/27/10

NO MORE BIKE FEAR

Do you want to ride your bike but are afraid of traffic? Are you uncertain of your ability to handle small mechanical problems like flat tires? Are you an experienced cyclist who would like to learn how to get more courtesy and respect from motorists? (Left, Lori Kruger grins during the bike portion of the 2009 Health First Triathlon)

Few of us were ever taught how to drive our bicycle in traffic. Traffic Skills 101 fills that gap. It is Driver’s Ed for cyclists. Traffic Skills 101 is taught by Dr. Tom Hoffman, President of Space Coast Velo Sport and a League Cycling Instructor (LCI). The curriculum covers everything, including bike selection, simple maintenance, fixing a flat, bike handling skills, hazard avoidance and strategies for riding a bike safely and confidently in all conditions.

For complete info, click link below for flyer.

posted 4/26/10

PATRON SAINT OF CALM WATER? NOT ST. ANTHONY

Strong and gusty winds greeted close to 4,000 competitors yesterday - including many of the sport’s best pros - at the 27^th annual St. Anthony’s triathlon in St. Pete. By 8:40 a.m., increasing pressure gradients had turned the .93-mile Tampa Bay swim into a bumpy froth, forcing organizers to shorten it to about half the distance for the last eight of the 32 waves.

“I wasn’t happy, it kind of deflated my game plan,” said 55-year-old Wes Ott, a strong swimmer and veteran triathlete who had already notched “about 15” St. Anthony’s events on his racing resume. “You’re going to get rough seas when you have 20-mile-per-hour winds on open water. But you can’t second guess the RD. He’s got the safety of a few thousand athletes to worry about.” Left, Ott at last year's Health First Triathlon in Ken Horton photo.

With an increase in charity athletes and newer triathletes testing race distances without a good base or open water experience, race directors who are rightly concerned about safety and liability are taking no chances.

Consider that in 2006, St. Anthony’s rescue personnel pulled more than 80 athletes from the water and in 2007, a 48-year-old woman from Illinois died during the swim. Last year, officials called off the swim for all but the pros.

The race - considered by many to be the U.S. season opener - owns a history rich with prestige and a deep prize purse. As always, a stellar pro field lined up for the start of yesterday’s race for a shot at a piece of the $65,000 pie, including $6K for swim, bike and run preems.

One hour, forty-eight minutes and forty-four seconds later, a relative unknown not only won the race and $10,000, but also served notice that he has moved up a notch.

"This is my first major win," exclaimed an exuberent 26-year-old Cameron Dye, left, of Boulder. "I never won anything close to this. This is huge. To beat the likes of Craig Alexander (Crowie, 2009 IM World Champion) and Greg Bennett (Olympic triathlete), guys I have looked up to for years. These guys are amazing, amazing (athletes) and to be finally in that class is amazing, huge."

In the women’s race, 29-year-old Sarah Haskins, of Colorado Springs, took the field by more than a minute with her time of 1:58:49.

On a local level, Ed Donner turned in Brevard’s fastest race finish. The Melbourne wealth manager cranked out a 23:52 swim; averaged 23.9 on the 24.8-mile flat and technical bike course and then followed up with a 38:33 10K.

His total time of 2:07:14 would have won the 30-34 age group but Donner’s multiple top ten finishes at multiple previous races allowed him to race in the elite amateur division where he placed 18^th out of 53 competitors. (At left, Donner on his way to second overall at the Ron Jon sprint triathlon last weekend)

With such a large field, St. Anthony’s awards go 10 deep and several local athletes returned with hardware including Jackie Clifton, 6^th 45-49, 2:39:24, left; Colby Mack, 2^nd 25-29, 2:14:34; Wes Ott, 10^th 55-59, 2:22:39; Tricia Rydson, 3^rd 35-39 and Sue Stidham, 10^th Athena, 3:10:20.

Congrats to all our local athletes who gave it their best on a tough day including

Amateur Elites: Ed Donner, 2:07:14; Stephanie Hirst, 2:20:46; Leeann Nawrocki, 2:34:24.

Amateurs: Devin Byrnes, 3:09:36; Jackie Clifton, 6^th 45-49, 2:39:24; Laura Cole, 3:42:44; Brad Daszynski, 2:24:48; Joel Dodds, 2:25:23; James Elmer, 2:52:01; Kevin Goins, 2:52:04; Jesse Hall, 3:18:31; Jeff Hedrick, 3:10:52; Brian Kennedy, 2:43:35; Scott Krasny, 2:52:27; Lori Kruger, 2:53:12; Ryan Lombroia, 3:01:38; Colby Mack, 2^nd 25-29, 2:14:34; Philip Mazzella, 2:38:20; Emily Nelson, 3:00:38; Cathi Rodgers, 3:59:51; Tricia Rydson, 3^rd 35-39, 2:25:52; Mike Suominen, 3:02:28; Andre Swierzbin, 3:15:19; Tommy Turek, 3:11:25; Matthew Walters, 2:50:23; Michael Weiss, 3:13:01; Robin Williams, 3:12:23. (At left, training partners Robin Williams and Jeff Hedrick before the start of the 2009 Health First Triathlon)

Shortened swim (~half mile) due to deteriorating conditions (Females 50+; Males 55+; Athena; Relay, Novice Women, TNT, First-timers): Denise Canina, 2:53:29; Wes Ott, 10^th 55-59, 2:22:39; Cynthia Palilonis, 3:55:21; Debbie Rescott, 2:52:09; Jeanne Stagi, 3:27:37; Sue Stidham, 10^th Athena, 3:10:20.

posted 4/26/10

ARE YOU SWIM-CHALLENGED BUT WANT TO TRI?

Annette Pallowick has helped launch scores of new triathletes during the last three years through her four-week swim clinics. This year is no exception. If you would like to learn the basics for open water swimming, join Annette and Chris Crotty on Sunday, May 2 at 9 a.m. at the Gleason pool in Indian Harbour Beach (Google map 1235 Yacht Club Blvd. for directions). The clinic is only $60 and she is asking that people pre-register at

http://sites.google.com/site/apallowick/swim-training/swim-stroke-clinic

posted 4/25/10

BUT WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE

Melbourne’s Pam Maxwell, left, was one of the athletes lucky enough to cross the finish line of the Country Music Marathon and Half-Marathon before race organizers and emergency management officials begin unplugging the race with a registered field of 36,000.

Late Friday, officials posted the following on the race website:

“After consultation with all the involved city authorities, due to the weather forecast in the Nashville area which is projecting severe afternoon storms, the MARATHON will most likely be subject to an abbreviated timeline.

At this time, there is a contingency plan to limit the marathon to 4:30 and under*. Any runner who is behind this pace (10:20 per mile) at mile 11.2 will be directed to complete the half marathon course. This timeline may change based on what actual race day weather pattern.”

When a tornado watch was issued for Davidson County race morning, officials began heading those athletes on to the half marathon course. Cutoffs were also added after mile markers 20 and 21, affecting another estimated 2,000 to 2,500 athletes.

Luckily, Maxwell was way ahead of the brooms, clocking a three hour, 22-minute and 56-second finish, fast enough for 19^th female overall and second in the 45-49 age group. The 45-year-old Ironman triathlete and mother-of-one also qualified for the prestigious Boston Marathon by more than 37 minutes.

The elements also played heavily on overall women’s winner, Ilsa Paulson, (left) the first American to win the race in its 11-year history.

The 2009 USA Women’s Marathon champ had previously been scheduled to run in today’s Saint Anthony Marathon in Padua, Italy but changed plans after the eruption in Iceland forced flight delays and cancellations throughout Europe.

“I was scheduled to run Los Angeles but I got sick, and then Italy, but I couldn’t travel with the volcano, so I guess the third time was the charm,” said Paulson, who broke the tape in 2:33:41.

Columbia’s William Najanjo - who finished fifth at last year’s race - took the victory in 2:15:38.

Complete results and registration for the April 30 race in 2011 are available at http://nashville.competitor.com/

posted 4/25/10

THE OTHER KENYAN JOHN DOE

$175,000 will buy a lot of cows for a Kenyan farm and that’s what Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, left,  plans to do with some of his winnings from the April 18 and 114^th running of the Boston Marathon. The 21-year-old farmer, who crossed the Boylston Street finish line in fifth place last year, shattered the course record by 82 seconds with his 2:05:52 victory adding a $25,000 course record bonus to the $150,000 top prize.

But don’t get today’s victor confused with the other and now 31-years-old Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot. The elder Cheruiyot is a four-time Boston champ (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008) and it was his 2006 record of 2:07:14 that the young upstart trashed.

It wasn’t a bad day for Americans either. Mammoth Lakes Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi took the fourth and fifth spots respectively in 2:08:41 and 2:09:26.  Hall was two seconds short of the podium and his time was the fastest U.S. finisher at Boston since 1994 when Bob Kempainen ran a 2:08:47.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Teyba Erkesso, left with Cheruiyot, outsprint Russia’s Tatyana Pushkareva for the win in 2:26:11. Erkesso earned $150,000 and, together with Erkesso, the distinction of hammering out the third closest women’s finish in Boston’s history.

For those playing advanced Beantown trivial pursuit, 73 competitors from Greece  started today's race to help celebrate the 2,500^th  anniversary of the Battle of Marathon. The year was 490 B.C. when Pheidippides dropped dead after running 26 miles from Marathon to Athens over the course of two days to deliver the news of the Greek victory over Prussia.

Thankfully, none of Brevard’s locals met their graves after their 26.2-mile journey between Hopkinton and Copley Square - and all were much, much faster than Pheidippides. With weather blessed by perhaps Greek gods, six of the 12 who started the race ran fast enough to get their tickets punched for next year’s event.

At 69-years-young, Sebastian’s John ‘Johnny O’ Ouweleen needed a 4:30 to re-qualify as a 70-year-old next year. We guess no one told him as the retired New Jersey Highway patrolman ripped out a 3:27:24, finishing eighth in the 65-69 age group.  Who said it gets easier to win or place with age?

Cocoa’s Danny Barrett,  left, had a score to settle with the Newton hills. During his last two battles with the five beasts, one or more had made him yell ‘uncle’ and walk a bit.

Today he held back to an eight-minute-per-mile pace until encountering the first Newton nemesis.

“I was on cruise control until mile 17,” said Barrett, who not only re-qualified but ran a negative split with his 11-minute course PR. “I charged up and down the hills as fast as I could this year. It was exciting and amazing to fly by others.”

“My quads are paying for it now, though,” he laughed.

Congratulations to all local finishers including Nicole Aia, 21, Melbourne, #16608, 3:59:24; John Andrews, 47, Titusville, #8221, 3:34:59; Danny Barrett, 45, Cocoa, #9318, 3:30:40, BQ; Diana Burton, 47, Indian Harbour Beach, 25,020, 4:29:56; William Burton, 44, Indian Harbour Beach, #25,021, 4:31:09; Paul Fleming, 36, West Melbourne, #6,883, 3:21:02; Michael Olson, 30, Melbourne, #5,755, 3:08:14, BQ; Annis Outlaw, 51, Titusville, #16,615, 3:51:37, BQ; John “Johnny O’ Ouweleen, 69, Sebastian, #11,050, 3:27:24, BQ; Brent Peoples, 49, Indialantic, #25,486, projected 5:44:31 finish; Juan Perez, 52, Titusville, #9,100, 3:22:01, BQ; James Shaffer, 43, Viera, #8,181, 3:17:46, BQ.

JAMMING FOR SCEIC

The mix of cyclists - some 350 strong - who came out for the inaugural Cycle Jam in Melbourne on April 18 were a bit like the charity for which they were raising money. Some were stronger than others but they all managed to ride together; the weak ones often taking a draft and some help from those a little faster; the experts lending inspiration and encouragement to those still learning.

The same mix is part of what makes the Space Coast Early Intervention Center so unique. The not-for-profit therapeutic pre-school mixes kids with and without disabilities in the same classrooms and there is a sense of inclusiveness, encouragement and camaraderie.

Although it is still too early to figure the full measure of the dollars raised, ride director David Ryan thinks they have pulled in close to $20,000 to donate to the nationally recognized pre-school, where his daughter attends.

He was grateful the winds were light and only a few sprinkles fell and he was quick to thank the participants who came from as far away as IL to ride either the 10-, 33-, 62- or 100-mile events.

Ryan was also quick to point out that nothing could have been done without a great group of sponsors -  such as  presenting sponsor Atlantic Financial Services of Indialantic; Revolutions and their great sag support and Joanne Gulliver, who Ryan described as “the brains behind it all with her tremendous years of experience as ride director of Ride for the Red”.

Congratulations to all and mark Sunday, Apr. 17, 2011 for next year’s Cycle Jam!

posted 4/18/10

SURFING TO MULTI-SPORT

As soon as Jessica Crate returned to her Viera home from the Ron Jon’s triathlon in Cocoa Beach on Apr. 18, the 24-year-old digital marketing vice-president went to the internet to began her search to purchase a tri-bike.

“I am absolutely hooked now,” said Crate, at left, who rode a borrowed steed for her initial foray into the sport.

The woman well known for her running prowess swam the lagoon-sheltered quarter-mile swim in seven minutes and sixteen seconds; peddled the out-and-back 12.5-mile bike course in 38:29 (the split also includes T2) and then pulled out her deadliest weapon - a 17:33 5K - the fastest run split of the day among women and men.

Her 1:04:35 finish gave her first in the 25-29 age group; fourth female overall and fastest local female time.

“It was so awesome to put it all together,” Crate said. “My adrenaline was up the whole time. It was great to see family cheering and friends on the course. I definitely want to do more.”

Daytona Beaches Mallory Dunn took the women’s race in 58:36 and was the only woman to break an hour. Dunn has proven proficient at multi-sport events of all distances, turning a 10:28:24 - and fourth age group - at IMFL in 2008 and winning numerous shorter distances.

The second fastest run of the day allowed Minneola’s Kevin Grogan to pass Melbourne’s Ed Donner and then keep him at bay till the finish.

“Ed probably had five seconds on me out of T2,” said the man who is notorious for his fashionable thong-wear. “I just did what I had to do to catch him and stay in front.”

Grogan, who won’t offer his first thong showing till later in the season, had three seconds on Donner (5:26 v 5:29) entering T1 and than gained another 10 seconds in transition. Donner left, was able to reel him in and gain the time plus an extra seven seconds on the bike. Left, Donner leads Grogan out of T2. Photo courtesy Kevin Grogan.

“He made me hurt today,” said Grogan, who along with Donner were tailed by a USAT marshall for most of the ride. “I had to work hard to stay in contact.”

Grogan’s 17:54 5K was good enough to give him the win in 53:43 and Donner followed behind in 53:50. Although he was second overall, Donner took first in the 30-34 age group as no awards were given for second, third or Masters (40+) at the race.

The Ron Jon Triathlon was the first in the inaugural three-race Surf Coast Trifecta multi-sport series. A purse of $3,070 is offered to the top overall and age group athletes who complete each of the three events.

The next stop for the Trifecta will be Viera on May 23. Event organizer Mitch Varnes, left with Cathy Chapman (photo courtesy Cathy Chapman), offers a new term with the race - a ‘bi-care-a-thon’ - which he defines as a (noun) running and cycling event equal to the distance of a full 26.2-mile marathon.  Participants will start with a 20-mile ride followed by a 10K run. Registration and more information is available at http://www.surfcoasttrifecta.com/

CONGRATS to all who raced, volunteered and made today such a great event. We hope the race will be around a long time! Complete results with splits are available at http://altavistasports.com/results/2010results/cocoabeachtriathlon4182010.html 

Check out Ken Horton's race photos at http://www.icunphotos.com/pics/run100418/

posted 4/18/10

WTC REDUCES RUBBER ROOM

(Ironman.com; Apr. 13, 2010) World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), owners of the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Series, announces modifications to several rules and regulations relating to the swim at U.S. races.

Effective September 1, 2010, which is the start of Ironman's 2011 competition season, new rules for apparel and wetsuits will apply at all Ironman and 70.3 events in the U.S., including both World Championships. The amendments were made to further standardize rules in the Ironman/70.3 Series and ensure a fair playing field at events around the globe. Left: Suzie Enlow, Kelly Hunter and Linda Cowart check out the water the day before the 2009 Miami Man Half IM.

The changes will include the following:

• Swimwear and swim apparel must be comprised of 100 percent textile material, such as nylon or lycra, and may not include rubberized material such as polyurethane or neoprene. Swimwear may not cover the neck or extend past the shoulders or knees. Swimwear may contain a zipper. A race kit or trisuit may be worn underneath swimwear.

• Wetsuits cannot measure more than 5 millimeters thick.

• Wetsuits may be worn in water temperatures up to and including 24.5 degrees Celsius/76.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Athletes who choose to wear a wetsuit in water temperatures exceeding 24.5 degrees C /76.1 degrees F will not be eligible for awards, including World Championship slots. Wetsuits will be prohibited in water temperatures greater than 28.8 degrees C/84 degrees F.

For more information on the Ironman and 70.3 Series, visit www.ironman.com. For athlete inquiries, email AthleteServices@ironman.com

ONE IF BY LAND

Nothing more need be said about the athletes’ ability once they proclaim “I’ve qualified for Boston.” In those four words, volumes are conveyed regarding their talent, tenacity and inclusion into running’s most restricted club.

Seventeen local runners will be heading to the northeast this week for the 114^th running of the world’s most historic and prestigious 26.2-mile footrace - the Boston Marathon on April 19.

Part of Boston’s allure is its exclusiveness.

The race doesn’t accept just anybody at the storied Hopkinton starting line. Amateurs -save the charity runners who ‘buy’ their way in - have to earn the right to run the point-to-point, undulating course. The Boston Athletic Association sets age-based marathon time standards and before earning a Boston bib number, one must meet or beat the time during the previous 18 months at another marathon. Click on photo above left to view course map and elevation.

Athletes can rub pre-race shoulders with the 22 female and 26 male elites - including US favorites Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi from Mammoth Lakes, CA - all vying for a piece of this year’s prize purse totaling $806,000 plus an additional $220,000 in bonuses for course and/or world records. Men who qualified with the fastest times will share the 10 a.m. starting time.

Good luck to Boston registrants from Brevard including Nicole Aia, 21, Melbourne, #16608; John Andrews, 47, Titusville, #8221; Danny Barrett, 45, Cocoa, #9318; Diana Burton, 47, Indian Harbour Beach, 25,020; William Burton, 44, Indian Harbour Beach, #25,021; Danny Cochran, 48, Titusville, #6,722; Kati Craig, 35, Rockledge, #14,298; Paul Fleming, 36, West Melbourne, #6,883, left; Wendy Handy, 45, Indian Harbour Beach, #18,866; Traci Luman, 44, Mims, #17,891; Michael Olson, 30, Melbourne, #5,755; Annis Outlaw, 51, Titusville, #16,615; John “Johnny O’ Ouweleen, 69, Sebastian, #11,050; Brent Peoples, 49, Indialantic, #25,486; Juan Perez, 52, Titusville, #9,100; James Shaffer, 43, Viera, #8,181; Veronica Sim, 42, Melbourne, #19,252.

For more information on the Boston Marathon, including qualifying standards, log on to www.baa.org  Registration for the 2011 Boston Marathon will openFall, 2010.

Great video interviews with Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi as well as other Boston video goodies are available from RUNNERS' WORLD at http://www.runnersworld.com/video/1,8052,s6-3-0-3,00.html?bcpid=2884341001&bclid=1463300967&bctid=75781222001&cm_mmc=training-_-2010_04_13-_-training-_-VIDEO%3a%20I%20feel%20prepared%20to%20win%20a%20Major%20Marathon.

Boston Marathon course and elevation map here: http://baa.org/BostonMarathon/CourseMaps.pdf

BOSTON BIGNESS

*Starting field - registration closed on Nov. 13, 2009 with 26,696 athletes, including roughly 1,700 charity participants. Those who qualified and didn't get in will have to roll to 2011. Cocoa's Danny Barrett, left, will be racing his third Boston Marathon. Daughter, Casey, also left, and son, Wade, will be there cheering.

*Course records: Men: Robert Cheruiyot, Kenya, 2:07:14, 2006; Women: Margaret Okayo, Kenya, 2:20:43, 2002.

*Beats only a bowl o’ beef stew: No prize money had been awarded at Boston until 1986 when John Hancock Financial Services stepped up as principal sponsor. They have continued their partnership and have awarded nearly $13.2 million in prize and bonus money. This year offers an $806,000 purse plus an additional $220,000 if world and/or course records are broken in the open, masters or wheelchair divisions.

*Since charity opportunities were made available in 1989, more than $100 million has been raised for Boston-area organizations.

*In terms of on-site media coverage, Boston ranks only behind the Super Bowl as the largest single-day sporting event in the world.

*Approximately 500,000 spectators line the 26.2-mile course annually. Marathon Monday is also Patriots’ Day and a local holiday in MA.

*Starting times: Push rim wheelchair: 9:22 a.m.; Elite women: 9:32; Elite men and Wave 1 (2009 cut-off time for first wave was 3:34:36, 2010 tbd), 10:00; Wave 2: 10:30.

*Live TV and internet coverage on race day on Universal Sports Television and on-line at www.UniversalSports.com

*ATT Athlete Alert program; Track top runners, friends and family. http://registration.baa.org/2010/cf/RegAthleteAlert/pg_AthleteAlert.cfm?mode=preentry&snap=45457949&

FRUITY RACING FUN 

Rob Downey continues to keep everyone up to date about the 25th annual Pineapple Man triathlon on June 6. His site http://pineappleman2010.blogspot.com/ has added 'the message board' for folks to chat about their training and racing as well as "Ask the Champions", giving you the ability to cull the wisdom learned from experienced Pineapple Man athletes Tom Daly, Tom Hoffman, Pam Maxwell, Kaitlin Shiver and Dave Underhill.  He also gives you the opportunity to chat up cycling with three-time Florida Time-Trial champ, Gary Stern.

READIN' AND RUNNIN'

Blame it on Pat Conroy.

The senses invoked by the author’s ruminations of the sweet salt marshes, she-crab soup and mansions on Broad led to the Brevard invasion of Charleston for the 33^rd Cooper River Bridge Run on March 27.

The point-to-point event is the third largest 10K in the U.S. behind the Peachtree 10K in Atlanta and BoulderBOULDER™ in CO.  Without race officials closing registration at about 40,000 this year, who knows how high the numbers could go?

The race takes athletes from Mount Pleasant to Charleston across the new 2.5-mile long Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge. With a grade of four percent and a pinnacle of 200 feet, athletes get a spectacular view of the city.

After spending the past year in the Kenyan army, the sight was probably a welcome one for Simon Ndirangu, above left, bib #3. With a slight tailwind and temperatures in the mid-40s, the 24-year-old elite runner posted the ninth fastest time in the event’s history and collected $10,000 for his victory of twenty-seven minutes and 49 seconds.

Ethiopia’s Mesekerem Assefer took the ladies win in 32:31.

Howard Kanner led the local crew across the line. The newly-minted Master (40+) slapped down a 39:52, finishing 316 overall in the race that clocked 33,040 finishers.

Congrats to all local finishers including Sean Black, 40:24; Carl Bonds, 55:15; Kim Breeden, 2:07:16; Dennis Breeden, 2:07:15; Michael Casey, 56:40; Michael Davy, 54:44; Autumn Evans, 48:56; Keith Flint, 1:10:36; Marisa Flint, 56:30; Stanley Golovac, 1:29:57; Jeff Hedrick, 51:22; Kelly Hunter, 53:43; Lucinda Kage, 1:09:45; Howard Kanner, 39:52; Colleen Lowman, 1:46:49; Stephen Maldony, 1:00:15; Suzanne Plantec, 1:01:27; Anthony Porter, 1:20:57; Lisa Ann Porter, 1:57:52; Roderick Ray, 49:12; Debbie Rescott,, 54:39; Loran Serwin, 45:19; Marc Caniel Shoemaker, 58:12; Sheri Lynn Shoemaker, 57:23; Stephen Simmons, 1:00:26; Sue Strout, 50:07; Jimmy Tyler, 49:50; Robin Williams, 55:19; Christy Zieres, 54:39. (Some of Brevard's locals get ready to head out for the Cooper River Bridge Run including (left to right) Howard Kanner, Loran Serwin, Christy Zieres, Kelly Hunter, Jeff Hedrick, Debbie Rescott, Robin Williams, Marisa Flint, Nick Flint, Sue Strout, Carl Bonds.)

Want to see what a crazy-big group of runners looks like? Check out the Charleston Post and Courier photo galleries at http://www.postandcourier.com/photos/galleries/2010/mar/27/2010-cooper-river-bridge-run/

FIRST RACE, FIRST CLASS

The inaugural Race for Research Half-Marathon and 5K got off to a good start on March 27 at 7 a.m. in Port St. Lucie. Clear, cool weather greeted the 228 athletes ready to tackle the 13.1 run; much of which was on wide, newly-paved roads.

The race was sponsored by Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies and all proceeds go to pursue research in the fight against MS, Alzheimer’s, many types of cancer and other major medical conditions.

Cocoa’s Danny Barrett gave race organization a thumb’s up. (Barrett, at left with daughter, Casey, after her cheer squad won the Jam Fest competition on Mar. 20 in Kissimmee.)

“This was the first race for them today and they did an awesome job,” said the single father-of-two. They gave you a shirt, running hat and a very nice bag with goodies.  Results were also done very fast and we were out of there.  They also had free massages.”

Barrett was also happy with his one-hour, thirty-three minute and 34 second finish that gave him third in the 40-49 age group. The race gave him a boost of confidence in the three-day-a-week FIRST training program he began using earlier in the season to help him prepare for Boston on April 19.

“Yes, I’m pretty happy with the FIRST program today,” he said. “What really made me feel good is that I was really holding back.”

Congratulations to local finishers Thaddeus Austin, 33, Merritt Island, 2^nd 30-39, 1:27:01; Danny Barrett, 45, Cocoa, 3^rd 40-49, 1:33:34; Joan Meadows, 50, Malabar, PR, 1:59:37.

Complete race info and results are available at http://www.tpims.org/race_for_research.asp

WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN

You can’t blame Jos Chalmers for raising his arms in victory (left) near the finish line of the Race of the West bicycle hammer-fest in Lake County on March 22.

Ok, that moment of jubilation cost him the victory by less than a tenth of a second, but c’mon…

How many 16-year-olds do you know who can hammer out a 64-mile race - with six trips up Sugarloaf - on a Sat. and then tow the line for a hilly and rainy 91-mile road race the next morning?

When you figure in the fact that Chalmers and Victor Herrera, a 2009 Columbian national team rider, held their two-man breakaway for 13 miles and then Chalmers out-sprint the Cat 1-2 professional near the line, well, you can see why his celebration might have been a tab premature.

‘I don’t have an excuse,” said Chalmers, who, according to his father,  averaged 26-miles-per-hour on the undulating course. “I was too caught up in being off the front of the Pro 1-2 finish and should have paid more attention to winning. I kick myself when I look at the photo.”

Mistakes of any type are rare for Chalmers and while he learned a painful lesson from the race loss, he still out-rode his Cat 3 competitors and continues to lead the category in the Florida Points Series. And while most of his competition is older and able to race on a 53/11; Chalmers -being younger than 18 - is still restricted to a 45/12 or a 52/14.

In spite of the mechanical limitations, his discipline and talent have earned Chalmers enough points to move up to Pro 1-2 where sponsorships and national team offers can fast become a reality.

But Chalmers is not willing to make the mistake of jumping too early.

“I have to find a mutual point in time where my team, my coach, the people around me and myself are ready to upgrade.”

Chalmers next Point Series race is the Tampa Twilight Criterium (50 minutes plus three laps) on the evening of March 27 followed the next morning by the 15-lap Pinellas Park Circuit Race.

THE MO SHOW

Mo Trafeh’s website states that he is “looking to establish myself as a professional U.S. distance runner and obtain a running contract.” 

After a disappointing twelfth-place finish at last year’s Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, the 24-year-old Cali resident returned on March 13 to smoke the deep and competitive field in 42 minutes and 58 seconds - the fourth fastest win in the event’s 33-year history. (left: Merritt Island's Kathy Ojeda tries to get Mo Trafeh to buy her a fave breakfast - Denny's Grand Slam and a bottle of Dom - the morning after his victory.)

“This is my biggest win so far,” grinned a visibly relaxed Trafeh as he lounged outside of the host hotel the next morning. “I wanted this race so bad.”

Trafeh, who averaged 4:37 per mile, shaved nine seconds per mile from last year’s pace and beat second place finisher, Oregon’s Tim Nelson by 53 seconds. Last year, Nelson also took second, but lost by only one second, the closest finish in Gate’s history. Nelson also owns the 14th fastest American 10K time of 27:36.

The Gate River Run has been the USA Track and Field 15K championship for 17 years and the 2010 event offered a total purse of $85,000. Trafeh - who was born in Morocco but is a US citizen - took home $12,000 for the victory and then scored another $5,000 after winning the Equalizer bonus.

Several years ago, in an attempt to equalize the field, elite women were given a five-minute head start on the men based on the difference between the American records - both set on the Gate course - for men and women (Todd Williams, 42:22 in 1995 and Deena Drossin Kastor, 47:15, 2003). $5,000 is awarded as an additional bonus to whoever crosses the line first

Trafeh passed eventual women’s winner, Katie McGregor, during the seventh mile; the earliest a woman has been passed. Because only one woman has won the bonus since its inception (Deena Kastor, 2007), race organizers will be averaging the difference between the overall winners from past races and women may be given more of a head start in 2011.

McGregor, who finished second in both 2008 and 2009, claimed the women’s race this year in 49:51 taking $12,000 back to her Minneapolis home.

The race is the largest 15K in the U.S. and this year a record 13,423 runners and walkers crossed the finish line, including 99 from Brevard.

Satellite Beaches Steve Chin - Brevard's speediest Gate participant - covered the 9.3-mile urban and suburban course in 57:13, good enough for seventh in the 40-44 age group, 159 OA and within the top two percent of the entire field. (Chin, at left, during the 2010 Melbourne & Beaches Music Half-Marathon, Cathy Friedel photo)

"This was not one of my best race performances as I felt slow from the end of the first mile to the finish and it showed in my splits and finish time,” said Chin, who was more than 40 seconds off his 15K personal best. “I finished fifteen seconds per mile slower than my goal pace and that is just not good.”

In spite of his slower pace, the 41-year-old volleyball specialist enjoyed his inaugural Gate experience.

“The course, volunteers, crowd support from the locals, race organization and the weather all were great,” he said. "Every runner should give Gate a try, this is a big race with a big party afterwards and it was a great time! I will be back to battle the bridges again in 2011.”

Hopefully, Melbourne’s Gary Castner will return next year as well. Castner is one of only 46 people in the nation who have completed each of the 33 River Runs. Look for his story in the April Starting Line, Running Zone’s on-line newsletter.

All race participants were treated to nine official bands and aide stations along the route as well as multiple spectator-sponsored stops that included beer, mimosas, champagne, oranges, hot dogs, singing, cheering, whistling and general crowd rowdiness. Finishers were also treated to post-race medals, lots of beer and a live band. Awards went five deep in the age groups and those who finished in the top ten percent of the field were given the coveted ‘top 10%’ hats as they exited the chute.

Congratulations all local 2010 Gate River runners including Cocoa finishers Danny Barrett, 45, 1:06:43; Linda Cowart, 47, 1:17:53; (Left, Linda Cowart, left, help a group of locals celebrate Suzie Enlow's at Bbs in Jacksonville the night before the Gate River Run 15K) Jeremy Flint, 19, 1:24:15; Marisa Flint, 44, 1:32:22; Nick Flint, 15, 1:12:31; Dan Howick, 34, 2:00:19; Jason Howick, 14, 1:14:57; Kate Howick, 2:00:19; Kelly Hunter, 44, 1:31:27; Eddie Repper, 15, 1:14:57; Christy Tagye, 38, 1:31:41. Cocoa Beach finishers Kristina Kady, 26, 1:31:24; Danny Murphy, 56, 1:08:46; Wes Ott, 54, 1:12:18; Patti Sponsler, 51, 1:22:59; Artie Stoeke, 42, 1:29:16. Indialantic finisher Melissa Delcher, 29, 2:41:49. Indian Harbour Beach finishers Grover Brower, 51, 1:29:32; Beth Caple, 43, 2:28:13; Jim Caple, 43, 1:24:08; Rebecca Caple, 16, 1:49:00; Debra Johansen, 48, 1:14:47; George Oswald, 58, 1:32:57; Marion Oswald, 52, 1:56:39. Malabar finishers Michele McCarter, 41, 1:55:31; Sandy Shafer, 50, 1:33:07. Melbourne finishers Jessie Brooks, 21, 1:11:41; Laura Baughn, 28, 2:22:41; Donna Carr, 39, 2:32:19; Gary Castner, 64, 1:19:51; Joe Castner, 41, 1:08:30; Leann Castner, 33, 1:43:19; Stephanie Castner, 63, 2:32:20; Andy Collamore, 44, 1:28:32; Jessica Crate, 24, 1:01:11; Brennan Diehl, 20, 1:55:52; Matt Diehl, 23, 2:45:34; Monica Holley, 34, 2:16:21; Ed Latham, 59, 1:28:24; Chris Marriott, 45, 1:16:27; James Nickens, 22, 1:24:12; Patti Seardino, 50, 2:32:20; Brooke Shlisky, 38, 2:32:20; Alissa Steele, 28, 1:44:41; Bryan Steele, 33, 1:24:05; Kevin Valone, 42, 1:31:24. Melbourne Beach finisher Shane Hogan, 22, 1:33:02. Merritt Island finishers Christy Anderson, 34, 1:40:26; John Anderson, 35, 1:26:18; Thaddeus Austin, 33, 58:26; Cyndi Bergs, 39, 1:31:27; Kim Berry, 39, 1:49:38; Shelley Christian, 54, 1:19:06; Terry Dobbs, 48, 1:38:51; Heriberto Echevarria, 45, 1:24:06; Joey Herbst, 18, 1:30:54; Frank Miller, 45, 1:15:34; Ron Norris, 35, 1:20:06; Kathy Ojeda, 50, 1:22:41; Loran Serwin, 54, 1:10:38; Kim Tillett, 44, 1:40:25; Christy Zieres, 49, 1:29:53. Palm Bay finishers Jason Frogge, 26, 1:31:40; Susan Houts, 32, 1:30:29; Ed Matheson, 62, 1:46:43; Jamie McLaughlin, 35, 1:18:14; Ashley Saxon, 23, 1:35:54; PC Snyder, 38, 1:33:08; Kristina Sterphone, 2:53:13; Bill Wavering, 58, 1:27:49; Gloria Wavering, 55, 1:24:32; Staci Wavering, 26, 1:11:45; Ryan Moore, 28, 1:14:09; Rockledge finishers Gerald Bird, 55, 1:45:55; Jeff Boston, 42, 1:42:50; Yvonne Doyle, 44, 2:12:02; Adam Roberts, 21, 1:17:55; Anele Roberts, 24, 1:54:17; Aprille Roberts, 26, 1:19:41; Kathy Van Brocklin, 50, 3:08:58; Tara Van Brocklin, 14, 3:05:09. Satellite Beach finishers Steve Chin, 41, 57:13; John Cole, 21, 1:11:24; Chuck Cook, 43, 2:26:22; Eden Cook, 38, 2:26:24; Noah Cook, 11, 2:26:23; Chris Crotty, 53, 1:54:32; Angela Shoe, 41, 1:34:45. Titusville finishers Chris Han, 28, 1:28:19; David Taurasi, 46, 1:07:05; Patricia Taurasi, 1:22:02. Viera finisher Daryl Gilbert, 54, 1:46:21. West Melbourne finishers Kristian Damkjier, 30, 1:11:42; Nina Damkjer, 31, 1:39:38; Chuck Galy, 58, 1:11:05; Nilsa Galy, 55, 1:53:58; John Hogan, 51, 1:30:50. At left, locals celebrate their 15K runs and help Loran Serwin celebrate his 55th birthday at Ragtimes in Atlantic Beach on race night.

WHO NEEDS THE PRINCE?

Just about every little girl has dreamed about becoming a princess at one time or another. And while a prince is no longer a requirement for the modern-day Cinderella, those wishing to earn their tiaras must possess courage, grace and the determination to push beyond self-perceived limits. 

And that is what close to 11,000 ladies of all ages, sizes and color did on March 7 as they crossed the finish line of the Disney Princess Half-Marathon presented by Lady Foot Locker at Walt Disney World. Each of the women - as well as 422 (perhaps slightly confused) men - received a special tiara-medal conferring their royal status.

“This event is all about princesses and spreading the message of health and wellness to women of all fitness levels while incorporating the glamour and grace of the Disney princesses,” said Disney Sports Area Manager, Kathleen Duran. 

The Princess weekend also offered the  Royal Family 5K on March 6 and the three-day Fit for a Princess Expo featuring seminars on training, racing and nutrition as well as the opportunity to check out and/or buy running and fitness equipment and apparel.

More than 200 local ladies and seven (brave?) guys returned to Brevard with royal blood in their veins. Cocoa Beaches Leeann Nawrocki, 23, was the most rocking royal; sliding her glass slipper past the finish line in 1:36:52. 18-year-old Emily Harrington, from Merritt Island, was the only princess to bring home the bling with her fourth place 14-18 age group finish of 1:43:14. Pam Meier was the fastest  Master (40+) with her Queen Mum wave and 1:48:08 at the line.

(Left: Princesses Angie Bramer, Lorraine Petersen, Anne Doerflein and Lauren Carlough are ready for the 6 a.m. race start; Below left, Princess Cathy Chapman is all smiles after earning her tiara after crossing the finish line of her first half-marathon!) Congrats to all our local majesties:MIMS: CHRISTINA CERRATO, 2:42:43; AMY CLARK, 2:06:26; JAMIE FLAKE, 2:42:43; SUSAN IVEY, 3:01:55; CLARISSA KIRK, 2:25:28; ZOE WALL, 2:06:26. TITUSVILLE: KIM ANDERSON, 2:37:53; CYNTHIA BAILEY, 3:00:12; CHRISTINE BEAN, 3:34:09; BRIDGET BEITEL, 2:51:54; CHARLOTTE BRUNELLE, 3:14:34; CANTERBURY, 3:25:06; KASEY CLAYTOR, 3:34:10; LAURA COLE, 2:40:48; ANN MARIE CONLEY, 2:39:19; BETH DELGADO, 3:18:24; MONICA DELGADO, 3:18:22; JOHANNA ESPENSCHIED, 2:31:56; CARA FISHER, 2:34:10; AMY GADAPEE, 2:48:41; KATHRYN GRAF, 2:39:47;  GVOZD, 2:35:27; SHERRY HEARD, 2:21:59; LAURIE HEATH, 2:42:03; JOY HUNKINS, 2:48:50; STEPHANIE JENKINS, 2:25:55; TARA LAKIN, 2:25:55; JENNY LEE, 2:32:12; CYNTHIA PALILONIS, 3:33:43; DEBI POLLARD, 2:54:20; MIKE POLLARD, 2:06:57; SIERRA POLLARD, 2:00:34; KATHERINE SCHINDLER, 2:23:21; PATRICIA WILSON, 3:31:53. COCOA: ABBY CULLEN, 2:11:39; JAYNE GOEHMANN, 2:34:47; BARBARA HALGREN, 3:21:08; JENNIFER HARSHBARGER, 2:25:50; JEANNETTE HUGHES, 3:11:15; SHELLY PRICE, 2:33:54; VIRGINIA RASOR, 3:23:27; JENNIFER VAN DEN DRIESSCHE, 3:29:01; BAMBI WIEDEMANN ,2:00:56; JENNIFER WILSON, 2:12:46; MICHELLE ZEPPIERI, 2:41:53. ROCKLEDGE: STACI-LEE BOND, 2:10:37; EMILY BOUDREAUX, 2:05:16; ANNETTE BURKETT, 2:45:04; ED CLOAK, 2:11:11; KRISTA COHEN, 2:43:31; ERIN FISHER, 2:00:46; ELIZABETH FORET, 2:35:17; KRISTINA FURCI, 3:31:13; ALLISON HALL, 2:50:00; JESSICA HARTMAN, 2:18:56; PAULA MCCORMICK, 2:52:54; JENNIFER MEEK, 2:33:48; PAMELA MEIER, 1:46:08; ROSE MYERS, 3:05:35; CATHIE POOR, 2:25:50; SHERRY THORPE, 2:19:49; ROBIN WEISS, 2:11:21; CORISSA WIEST, 2:06:09. VIERA: ANGELINA COTTO-PEREZ, 2:40:42; ANDREE FERGUSON, 2:26:42; KIM MOHERMAN, 2:49:15;  AMY SANDS, 2:39:48; JENNIFER SCELSO, 3:33:44; STEPHANIE SPRADLIN, 2:27:32. MELBOURNE: VICKIE ANTHONY, 3:28:43; JOCELYN BELLFLOWER, 3:12:06; ROSEANN BENNETT, 3:26:45; ROSANNE BESSENAIRE, 2:13:05; HANNA BEVENS, 3:29:38; CARRIE BLANCHARD, 1:44:15; JO-ANNE BOLAND, 2:31:45; AUTUMN BOWMAN, 3:33:43; MARY BROOM, 3:38:36; BREANNE BROWN, 2:46:34; LISA BURK, 2:49:45; CATHERINE CALLENDER, 2:26:16; LAUREN CARLOUGH, 2:28:02; KELLY CARRIER, 3:29:38; KARRIE CATALINO, 3:34:33; CAROLE CHAMBERLAIN, 3:11:29; CATHY CHAPMAN, 2:54:40; CATHERINE CLARK, 3:18:27; KIMBERLY CLEMONS, 2:26:30; CASSIE DELANEY, 2:56:42; JENNIFER DELANEY,  2:39:52; LINDA DEXHEIMER, 3:12:53; KAREN DIBBERN, 2:43:23; CONNIE DILLON, 2:14:21; GABRIELE DITOTA, 3:16:17; BEARNIDETTE DOYLE, 3:25:03; LAURA ENNIS, 3:38:06; LEE FAIRCHILD, 3:04:31; KAREN FIRRIOLO, 2:22:46; CINDY GAFFNEY, 2:04:02; JANICE GAGNIER, 2:54:09; ELLEN GROGAN, 3:21:00; LAUREN HALL, 2:39:37; EMILY HANLEY, 3:34:41; BRIANA HAUT, 2:48:26; VICKI HUMPHRIES, 3:38:07; CHERIE IDEUS, 3:11:14; AUDREY JOINER, 2:03:01; SARAH KEATING, 3:37:36; STEVEN KOPMAN, 2:48:50; TANYA KUELBS, 2:57:20; LINDA LOMBARDY, 3:06:44; OLIVIA LOWE, 2:44:47; PATRICIA LUCAS, 2:58:16; WANDA LUNDEN, 3:45:04; SHARON LUTTRELL, 3:12:14; LORI LYNCH, 2:13:57; PAMELA MARTICKE, 3:00:10; JESSICA MARTINEZ, 2:13:01; JOAN MCMAHON, 2:27:32; LAUREN MOORE, 3:26:03; MICHELLE MORENO, 3:33:35; YENA MORGAN, 2:13:31;  EMILY POIRIER, 3:34:15; LAUREN REECE, 2:11:42; PAUL REECE, 2:27:30; KRISTINA ROBERTS, 2:46:33; RICHELLE SAMUELS, 2:25:59; JULIA SCARPATE, 2:44:07; TINA SCHANTZ-GROSS, 3:31:33; KELA SCHRAM, 2:36:42; KELLY SEMENKO, 2:58:15; NICOLE SERAPIGLIA, 2:28:30; ERICA SHEIN, 2:43:53; JUSTIN SHEIN, 2:43:52; LAURA SIVITER, 1:56:53; ERIN SLAVIK, 2:31:02; JENNIFER SULZBACH, 2:14:21; SAMANTHA TANKERSLEY, 2:48:06;  BIANCA TREJO, 2:48:03; TERESA VAN VALKENBURG, 3:11:28; LISA WICKS, 2:22:41; APRIL WORRELL, 3:01:20. PALM BAY: CHRISTINE APSEY, 2:39:20; LINDA APSEY, 2:39:20; RACHEL BOWEN-WILKERSON, 2:13:12; APRILLE CLIFTON, 2:41:35; JACKIE CLIFTON, 2:41:36; MARY CONAWAY, 3:25:51; BARRY CONAWAY JR, 3:25:04; HALLY DOUGLAS, 3:32:46; TRACEY DUMPHY, 2:19:31; CALLA HESS, 2:27:28; DEBORAH HORST, 2:34:45; SUSAN HOUTS, 2:11:17; EUFEMIA HOWARD, 2:04:01; KIMBERLY HUENEFELD, 3:31:54; CATHY KOOS, 3:28:20; CINDY LOWELL, 3:28:04; VANESSA MCCLIMANS, 2:16:05; KRISTIN MYERS, 2:37:11; CASEY NOREN, 2:56:20 CHERYL NOREN, 2:56:19; NICOLE NOREN, 2:56:21; DIANNE ORTT, 3:34:12; PEGGY PARMENTER, 3:33:10; JEANNETTE POTTER, 3:12:15; DANA TOLLEY, 2:43:31; TERESA TRIEBELL, 3:26:34; JESSICA WHELPLEY, 3:32:24; LYNN WHELPLEY, 3:34:11; PAULA ZIMA, 3:32:38; PAMELA PEDERSEN, 3:34:12. MERRITT ISLAND:  HEATHER ANDERSON, 1:57:42; NANCY BALKE, 3:20:03; CATHY CHURCH, 3:18:27; JULIE GLOVER, 2:49:18; ELIZABETH GMEREK, 2:42:40; THERESA GRAY, 2:46:49; EMILY HARRINGTON, 4^th 14-19, 1:43:14; KIM HARRINGTON,  2:50:08; KELLY HASKINS, 3:20:02; MARYLYNN HUGGETT, 2:56:08; MICHELLE LAMB, 2:05:40; JENNIFER PAIT, 2:48:59; AMY PARKER, 3:26:45; AMY PAROLINE, 2:17:38; ROBERTA REAUME, 2:36:19; AMY SEQUEIRA, 2:34:20; CARRIE SOLOMON, 2:19:04; HEIDI TILLETT, 2:19:04; DEBBIE WELLS, 2:25:31. CAPE CANAVERAL: LAYLA HIGGINS, 1:50:04; NATALIE MOSES, 3:10:30; KRISTIN NIGHSWONGER, 3:30:52. COCOA BEACH: GINA CACCAMO, 2:41:38; VANESSA DANCE, 3:30:50; KIMBERLY DUNSCOMBE, 1:42:12; ASHLEY FISHER, 2:18:03; KELLY GORMAN, 3:22:14; CASEY HAHN, 2:33:18; ASHLEY JOHNSON, 1:56:38; ANGELA LEE, 3:04:13; BARBARA NAWROCKI, 2:24:34; KANDI NAWROCKI, 1:50:28; LEEANN NAWROCKI, 1:36:52; DEBRA ORRINGER, 2:25:02. SATELLITE BEACH: TAMARA ACFALLE, 2:19:23; CHRISTINE CROTTY, 2:48:10; LACEY FISHER, 3:36:06; HOLLY HERRMANN, 2:30:55; KYM MAHLER, 2:13:31;  MILLBAND, 2:13:17;  JOHN NOLL, 2:48:54; JACQUI WELLS, 2:49:21. INDIAN HARBOUR BCH: DIANA BURTON, 2:09:32; ANYA GIVENS, 2:03:01; MAGGIE PICERNE, 1:58:33; DENISE PIERCY, 2:03:01; TRISHA PIERCY, 2:03:01; CHERYL SERAFINI-COOK, 2:26:21. INDIALANTIC: JENNIFER ARRINGTON, 3:32:59; CHRISTI CURTIS, 2:28:12; BRANDI GAFFNEY, 2:13:17; SARAH KARP, 2:55:47; BETSY LAXTON, 3:21:04; JULIAN LAXTON, 3:21:04; ANNE NICHOLS, 2:12:39; ANNE RAMSEY, 2:26:19; MARTHA STEWART, 2:54:08; TERESA SUCHOSKI, 2:30:58. MELBOURNE BEACH: ERIN CHASE, 2:15:57 KATHRYN GOLDSTEIN, 3:20:14; BARBARA LOCKWOOD, 3:20:35; LORAN MORSE, 2:28:31. WEST MELBOURNE: TAMMY BLOUT, 3:26:37; AMANDA DITOTA, 2:38:14; ANNE DOERFLEIN, 2:28:02; ABIGAIL ELEY, 2:44:46; STEPHANY ELEY, 3:13:57; SANDY GHAWI, 2:18:19; TARA HAMILTON, 2:23:28; SHARI PARRIS, 2:02:15; LORRAINE PETERSEN, 2:28:02.

ESCAPE (the swim?)

Maybe it’s a good thing that this year’s Great Escape Triathlon at Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont was no longer a qualifier for the 30^th anniversary of the popular and historic Escape from Alcatraz on May 2. After all, if the Florida race director deemed southern athletes too delicate to handle a one-mile swim in the 60-degree waters of Lake Louisa, how could anyone expect them to handle the frigid (mid-50s) and treacherous waters of San Francisco Bay?

While a few were relieved that the race was turned into a duathlon for the non-elites, there was plenty of disappointment and some anger from those who knew what to expect; spent time training in cold, open water and had brought not only their wetsuits but, in some cases, hoods and booties.

Nevertheless, athletes were ready to rock as they lined up for the time-trail start of the two-loop 18-mile, hilly course within the park. We have to wonder if the police busted anyone for exceeding the park’s 25 mph speed limit? After exiting transition, athletes were challenged with a 5-mile run that took them through sand, soft trails and even some boardwalk.

A pair of out-of-towners took the top spots. Michigan’s Rhone Eppelheimer, 20, averaged 25.8mph on the bike and followed that up with a 5:57 per mile run split. He crossed the line in 57:54.

In the ladies race, 27-year-old Julia Mavrodin outpaced her competitors averaging 23.1 mph on the bike and the hitting the line in 1:20:35 with her 6:36 per mile run pace.

Cocoa Beaches Stephanie Hirst was Brevard’s fastest and third female overall but ended up second in the 25-29 age group with her 1:23:38 finish. (Left, Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Justine Whipple, #301, passes Air Force 2nd Lt. Stephanie Hirst during the bike course of the 2007 Armed Forces Triathlon Championships at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu July 28.  Both women made the USA Triathlon team.)

Congrats to Hirst and all Brevard locals who made the 'Great Escape' including Bill Buonanni, 1:39:55; Nancy Buonanni, 1^st 45-49, 1:28:55; Tod Hagen, 1:32:48; Stephanie Hirst, 2^nd 25-29, 1:23:38; Lori Kruger, 1:40:18; Kevin Leiker, 1:30:30; Anne OConnor-Smith, 1:50:15; Don Piercy, 5^th 45-49, 1:27:26; Mike Smith, 3^rd 50-54, 1:32:14; Michael Tuttle, 1:44:25; Christy Zieres, 3^rd 50-54, 1:48:15; Jeff Zipperer, 1:32:04.

Complete race results are available at http://results.active.com/pages/displayNonGru.jsp?orgID=216352&rsID=89832

(the other) BUTLER SLAYS DRAGON 10K

Although the Eye of the Dragon returned for its 22nd birthday with record crowds, electronic timing and a new course, there was a sense of déjà-vu reading the race results. Kevin Butler and Steve Hedgespeth went one/two in the Eye of the Dragon 10K and Bruce Bayless won the Tail-of-the-Lizard 2-Miler during the Feb. 27 Melbourne race that takes all participants out-and-back over the Eau Gallie Causeway. The three men were some of Space Coast Runner’s heaviest hitters during the first half of this decade rotating through the top three spots in the Space Coast Runners Runner of the Year Series.

While the trio never gave up on running, their names were inked less often in the race results after Bayless moved to TN, Butler took up golf and Hedgespeth - after building a house, finishing his Masters degree and becoming a two-time father - took a break from racing.

“Racings not going to be an every week thing now,” laughed the now 47-year-old Butler, who in past years was often mistaken as the brother of preeminent local speedster and coach, Doug Butler. “It will be once a month at the most. I was pretty sore after the race.” (That's Kevin Butler in the photo taken by Ken Horton, above left.)

After running with Hedgespeth and Thaddeus Austin through the first half of the 10K, Butler said the other two faded back while he kept the pace steady relying on his Garmin GPS - a technology unavailable during his heyday.

“One of my biggest problems now is pacing,” he said. “I used to know exactly what I was running but now I think I’m at a certain pace but I’m not. The GPS is really helping me run even splits.”

Butler’s five minute and 56 second-per-mile splits gave him the win in 36:49. Hedgespeth took second in 37:33 and Austin pulled in for third in 37:58.

“The award was kick-ass,” said Butler of the unique dragon and dagger designs drummed up by Race Director, Marlene White. “My wife and everyone at work loved it. It’s not one that is going to the recycle pile.”

Butler’s 36:49 will now stand as the time to beat for a new course record. This year, Dave Hernandez and Bill Dillard, mapped out a new route that provided athletes a straight out-and-back along Pineapple Avenue as opposed to the old romp full of up-and-down turns through the adjacent neighborhood.

In the women’s race, 23-year-old Beth Whalen, left in Ken Horton photo, made it six for six wins in this season’s Space Coast Runners Runner of the Year series as she pulled in at 39:50. Last year’s Eye of the Dragon champ, Tracy Smith, was second in 40:41 and Julia Thomas took third in 41:43.

This year’s event also included a walker’s division for both the 10K and 2-Miler. Turns out the walking crowd is growing as 55 vied for the new categories awards.

Complete results for 10K and 2-miler runners and walkers are available at http://www.runningzone.com/event_results

The Eye of the Dragon was race number six in this seasons eight-race ROY Series. Only two races - and the chance for more points - remain. The Downtown Melbourne 5K kicks off on April 3 in Melbourne followed by the Space Walk of Fame 8K and 2-Miler in Titusville on April 10. Visit http://mattmahoney.net/scr/cal.html for complete information and registration for these events.

SHIVER ONE OF 2009 GARMIN ATHLETES OF THE YEAR 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — USA Triathlon is pleased to announce the 2009 Garmin Age Group Athletes of the Year, an honor awarded annually by the USAT Age Group Commission.

"These talented athletes displayed fantastic results at various distance races which set them apart from others," said Lee Zohlman, co-chair of the USAT Age Group Commission. "Each year, a panel of USAT member volunteers meet and look at a group of athletes and their results. Based on performances across various race distances, depth of fields and quality of races the panel chooses the AOY. We congratulate these athletes on their hard work and dedication and wish them the best in 2010."

Overall Triathlete of the Year - Women

Cathy Yndestad, 31, Apple Valley, Minn.

Honorable Mention:  Mandy McLane (30, Windermere, Fla.), Lindsey Whalen (28, Chicago, Ill.), Kathleen Calkins (34, Gold River, Calif.), Bethany Handley (28, Oklahoma City, Okla.), Kaitlin Shiver (20, Satellite Beach, Fla.)

“I had no idea I was even in the running for that,” wrote Shiver, who is both personable and down-to-earth. “I think any recognition from USAT is an honor and I am thrilled that I am even being compared to the best age group athletes in the country!”

Shiver, who won the 2009 USA Triathlon National Championships on Aug. 22, is looking forward to the upcoming season.

Left: Katilin Shiver taking the women's win at the 20009 USA Triathlon Nationals - photo courtesy USA Triathlon.

“As for 2010, my triathlon season will kick off with Pineapple Man back at home which I am really looking forward to,” wrote Shiver, a University of Florida Junior who lives in Satellite Beach. “The rest of the summer I will be back to the DP (Deer Park) training schedule with the guys, but I’m not sure which races I will do yet.”

“I would like to enter a couple of elite races to see how I stand, but haven’t decided on any specific ones. A big goal of 2010 is to work on my bike fitness and efficiency which is by far my weakest link.”

After averaging 23-miles-per hour on the rolling 40K Nationals Tuscaloosa course, we have no doubt Shiver’s summer cycling goal should put elites on notice!

Congratulations, Kaitlin and good luck in 2010!!

Check out Shivers amazing 2009 triathlon accomplishments, documented in FLORIDA TODAY on Aug. 30, 2009 (below). 

Dominating debut

Shiver wins first national triathlon championship

BY PATTI SPONSLER

Kaitlin Shiver was shocked to learn she had bested the country's top female age group athletes on a hilly Tuscaloosa, Ala., course at the 2009 USA Triathlon National Championships on Aug. 22.

The former Satellite High swimmer and Class 3A state running champ blazed through the 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run in two hours, eight minutes and 13 seconds, finishing more than two minutes ahead of her closest competitor.

"I wasn't expecting to win overall," said Shiver, who attends the University of Florida on a track and cross country scholarship and is unable to race triathlons during the school year. "I had never competed in something this big or on a national level. I had thought that if I could get top five in the age group, I'd be happy,"

Last summer, the athlete already well known for her swimming and running expertise demonstrated budding tri-sport competency by finishing seventh, third and first female overall, respectively, in the three triathlons in which she competed.

After returning to her family's Satellite Beach home this summer, Shiver upped her cycling game, building prowess under the sometimes punishing tutelage of Melbourne's 10:13 Ironman triathlete, Ed Donner, and Palm Bay's Adam Ullein, who broke five hours at Ironman Florida 70.3 in May.

"I had never thought that I could average 23 miles per hour for 40K," said the 20-year-old exercise physiology major whose 1:04:33 bike split on the undulating Nationals course was more than five minutes quicker than the fastest flat 40K she rode last season. (Left, Shiver on Tuscaloosa course)

 "Training with Ed and Adam was hard at first and I was sweating tears, but it has made a tremendous difference."

Two to three times a week, the trio would churn out 40 to 60 miles along the isolated, Hades-hot Deer Park route that straddles the Brevard and Osceola County lines. The demanding workouts always included a sweaty, post-ride run of up to nine miles in length.

"We would hammer hard on the bike and then do fast tempo or speedwork on the run," said Donner, who was quick to point out that the runs would have been less painful without Shiver pushing the pace. "Kaitlin is one tough girl -- determined and disciplined -- with a fast learning curve. She has so much potential."

The Nationals didn't ping on Shiver's radar until mid-July when she was invited to a USA Triathlon All- American luncheon the day before the Heartland Triathlon in Sebring.

"I didn't even know that I had been ranked last year," she said of her 2008 All-American status and second place ranking in the USA Triathlon 18-19 age group.

Although USA Triathlon automatically qualifies All-Americans to compete in the following year's National Championship, Shiver proved her worth at the Heartland race, taking the top female spot with more than four minutes to spare.

That win, added to her June victory over the entire field -- both men and women -- at the Marineland Triathlon, gave Shiver the confidence to sign on for Tuscaloosa.

On Aug. 19, she shared a quote with her Facebook friends that read: "Success does not come to those who want it the most the day of the race, it comes to those who have wanted it the most at every single practice leading up to the race."

"I had been getting very nervous about the race and remembered that quote," Shiver said. "I realized that I had put in all the training this summer. I didn't think I could have worked any harder. It gave me a sense of peace."

Three days later, Shiver was crowned the national champion, earning a berth to the 2010 World Triathlon Championships in Hungary.

"Winning this is a huge deal", said Barb Lindquist, a 2004 USA Olympic triathlon team member who is now the Collegiate Recruitment Coordinator for USA Triathlon, the nation's governing body and pipeline for the US Olympic team. "Kaitlin is now on our radar and we are here to help her out with wherever she wants to take the sport."

Two days after her win, however, Shiver was back in Gainesville for the start of fall classes and cross-country training.

While she is thrilled with her accomplishment, the humble and well-grounded honors

student views her victory through the lens of life's bigger picture.

"I'm just one of 50,000 students at UF again with the opportunity to go to cross country practice," she said. I'm not ready to give up my education or track and cross country. There will be plenty of triathlons after I graduate."

CLASS ACT ON THE COVER

The fact that Jos Chalmers is on the cover of the February Florida Racing Magazine www.floridaracingmagazine.com speaks volumes about how fast the 16-year-old speed demon is rising through the raucous ranks of bicycle racing. (That's Jos on the left raising a fist in victory)

It's already been a fast ride for Chalmers, who had no interest in the sport until 2006 when he accompanied his father to England to watch him ride London to Brighton - Europe’s largest charity cycling event.

Jos became smitten and - recognizing their son’s passion and potential - the Chalmers hired Kevin Livingston, a retired pro and six-time Tour rider to mentor their son.

Jos’s discipline, grueling effort and willingness to sacrifice have steadily sped him to the top of the Florida Points Series, a collection of 30-plus races including time trials, road races and criteriums staged throughout the state from early February through mid-October.

Placing third in 2008 and second last year in the Junior age group categories, Chalmers has served notice that 2010 will be his year.  After five races, he is leading the maniacally competitive Cat 3 class in spite of the gear restrictions place on those under 18 by the UCI.

Showing strength, skill and smarts, Jos has also demonstrated class and sportsmanship - something remarked upon only because of its rarity in the sport (think Lance).

During the Spring Fling road race in Deland on Jan. 31, young Master Chalmers pulled Alex Spook to the line and then eased off a tad to give his Colavita teammate the win.

Brad Gordon, who helped referee the race, described what he witnessed in an Email to Tony Chalmers, Jos’s dad.

“I had the privilege of watching the Cat 3 race today from my motorcycle. The chief ref sent me up to the break that Alex was in with Neal Shepherd. Alex worked like a mad dog in the break doing about 65-70 percent of the work. Jos sat in the pack and blocked and covered every move.

Then as we were heading for the finish line with about 1000 meters to go I see Jos coming up like a freight train in my mirror. I move far left to get out of his way and he comes up on Alex who is now about shot and on the back of the break with 200 meters to go. Jos taps Alex on the arm and literally HAULS him to the front before the others even knew he was there.  Then, right at the end, just at the line, I saw Jos ease up a touch - just enough to let Alex have the win.”

Left, Jos (middle) was the victor at the Dade City Race for Humanity. Approximately 100 men in Cat 1, 2, and 3 raced each other over the 68-mile undulating course. Jos nailed the Cat 3 win by more than two minutes. His time was also fast enough to have placed him seventh amongst the Pro 1-2 riders.

Congrats, Jos - you're a class-act champion!

Coming up next on the Florida Points Series is the Feb. 20-21 ORC Race Weekend.  Watch the events live on-line at http://www.webcast-tv.com/OrlandoRoadClub/?Show_ID=463&facebook=y

MILES FOR SMILES

The 2000 Surgeon General’s Report on oral health care noted that uninsured children were 2.5 times less likely to receive dental care than insured children, yet kids from these families were three times as likely to have dental needs.

And that is why the Feb. 13 Tooth Trot 5K - benefitting the local Give Kids a Smile program - is a labor of love for Race Director, Jerilyn Bird and her husband, Dr. Gerald Bird, an oral surgeon and competitive age group runner. (Jerilyn Bird, left. Photo courtesy Barry Jones.)

“Last year we helped about a 150 kids,” said Jerilyn. “The children are first seen by a general dentist to see what needs to be done and then they receive the whole care. We don’t just send them on their way.”

The funds are used to cover lab costs and educational materials and local dentists volunteer their time and talents.

“The local dentists do a lot for Brevard,” Jerilyn said. “They were recognized by the state last year at a special dinner.”

Many of yesterday’s volunteers came from the local dental community, as well.

“Each volunteer makes such a difference in how the race goes and how everyone feels about it,” Jerilyn said.

Now in its twelfth year, the race continues to receive rave reviews.

“Everything, including the organization, course, chip timing, post race food and refreshments, and door prizes were excellent,” said Melbourne’s Art Anderson.

Anderson knows how to judge a race. The 50-year-old competitor finishes at least one race just about every weekend and has been known to cross as many as three finish lines in one day; often placing in the top ten and winning his age group. (That's Art, shirtless, running in the cold. Barry Jones photo)

True to form, Anderson’s 18:54 finish on yesterday’s chilly, windy course snagged him fifth overall and the top spot in the 50-54 division.

Taking top race honors was West Melbourne’s Michael Fisher, 17, who crossed the line in 17:50.

Rockledge’s Ryan Oates, the 2009 Pumpkin in the Parks champ, was second in 17:59 and Thaddeus Austin, who placed third in the 30-34 age group of last weekend’s Melbourne & Beaches Half-Marathon, took third overall in 18:37.

Running Zone’s Tracy ‘T-Sizzle’ Smith, 37, (left in Barry Jones photo) grabbed the ladies’ win with more than two minutes to spare on the rest of the field as she crossed the line in 20:11. Finishing for second in 22:37 was 19-year-old Stephanie Bird, who no doubt put in countless hours helping her mom get things ready for the race. Merritt Island’s Leah Harpole, 15, grabbed third place in 22:43.

Congrats to the Birds, the volunteers and the runners for helping give Brevard’s underserved kids a chance to smile!

Complete race results are available at http://www.runningzone.com/results/2266?type=a 

Barry Jones, of TriHokie.com took great race photos and those are available for free download at http://www.trihokie.com/Road-Races/Tooth-Trot-2010/11229165_d7wck#787547962_3zgAu

Also check out Ken Horton’s photos at http://icunphotos.smugmug.com/Running/2010-Tooth-Trot-5k/11233929_H86Ag#787838276_cEJpr and http://www.icunphotos.com/pics/run100213/index.php?start=0

THE (OLDER) BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN!

The second annual Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon was truly one for the books. As the USATF National Masters’ Championship, the race brought in many of the smoking-fast more ‘mature’ athletes (the top eight finishers were all older than 40.) The faster core field combined with crisp, albeit gusty, weather made for a great morning of racing.

The race offered $4,000 to the Masters with the fastest finish time and another $4,000 to the Masters with the fastest age-graded score.

“Age-graded scoring levels the playing field,” said Don Lein,  Chairman of USATF Masters' Long-Distance Running. “Age-grading is nothing more than mathematical tables that ratio world record times for your age and gender divided by your actual time.”

And those ratios - recently updated by a statistician’s dream team for 2010 - can really make a difference on who takes home the cash.

Last year, Paul Aufdemberge,  a Michigan running store manager, won the inaugural MBMHM in 1:08:05. When the ratios had been run, the then 44-year-old father of two also received the top payout on the age-graded side with his ratio of 93.57. Left, Paul Aufemberge on his way to his second Melbourne & Beaches Music Half-Marathon win, Ken Horton photo)

In spite of not feeling well this year, Aufdemberge returned to Melbourne for a second, but slower, win of 1:08:57. His age-graded ratio dropped to 93:14 percent which placed him third for that purse behind 58-year-old Kathryn Martin (1:27:49, 94.23%) who won the age-graded top spot and 60-year-old Doug Winn (1:17:57, 93.91), who took second.

Melbourne’s Steve Chin, 41, was the fastest local Master and his half-marathon personal best of 1:19:55 placed him eleventh overall in the field of close to 1,000 athletes of all ages.

“It was a blast,” Chin said.  “I couldn’t believe how many PRs (there were) today. I’m very happy for everyone.”

One of Chin’s training partners, John Davis, also ran a half PR of 1:18:43, giving him ninth overall and $125 from State Farm for the fastest local male finish.

Jessica Crate, who trains with the Chin-Davis duo, also ran a PR of 1:22:25, giving the 24-year-old pharmaceutical rep third female overall and $125 for the fastest local female finish. Left, Steve Chin and Jessica Crate pose for a shot after the Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon. Photo courtesy George Mcafee)

(If you cranked their ages, gender and finish time through the age-graded tables; Crate would have beat out both Chin and Davis.)

While there were multiple personal bests in the field, Chin, Crate and Davis were of special interest as each had raced both the 5K and 8K the day before (Read the Triple Take blog below) - something that usually flies in the face of conventional taper wisdom and begs the question: did racing the day before hurt or help their half marathon PR performances?

Below John Davis, left in Ken Horton photo, shares his thoughts…

“I wish I knew.  My coach says I can run it faster, and I would have been faster if I hadn’t run 13k the day before.” 

“What I can say for sure is that because I ran so hard on Saturday, I had no mental pressure to perform on Sunday – if I failed, I had a good excuse.  Maybe it was primarily mental.” 

“… I read an e-mail from Matt Mahoney, and he mentioned that he had PR’d (or nearly) in the marathon twice after running a fairly hard 5K.  So is there a physical advantage?  Or just a mental release since the pressure is off?  Or were all of us just at a higher level of fitness, and we would have run even faster if we had tapered?

“I’ve run three half marathons this year, and I tapered quite a bit before the first two.  I ran both of them (Space Coast & Disney) slower than I did the previous season – big disappointments.  Maybe that was because of marathon training that I did for the first time, or Disney could’ve been because it was bitter cold, and I saw sleet for the first time in my life.  Melbourne Beaches turned out to not only beat my previous two this season, but I was over a minute faster than the 2008 season.”

I might run Eye of the Dragon 10k the day before Gasparilla.  That would give me four half marathons for the season, and I will have ran a hard race the day before two of them.  Maybe that’s another data point to try to figure this thing out.  But if I set another PR, I’ll still ask myself ‘Could I have run faster if I had tapered?’”

John’s thoughts give one much to think about regarding what a body can really handle in terms of peaking and what really is the right amount of rest when you're approaching or at a new peak.

Congrats to everyone who finished the Melbourne & Beaches Music Half-Marathon!

HALF-MARATHON LOCAL AGE GROUP AWARD WINNERS:

MALE: 19 and under: 1. JC Ivey, Melbourne, 1:33:42; 2. Mark Renkens, Palm Bay, 1:37:15; 20-24: 1. Timothy McRae, Indialantic, 1:33:03; 2. Craig Micheletti, Melbourne, 1:33:04; 3. Michael Skuban, Melbourne, 1:49:22; 25-29: Travis Hiers, Melbourne, 1:27:13; 2. Dan Cizana, Melbourne, 1:35:20; 30-34: 1. John Davis, West Melbourne, 1:18:43; 2. Ed Donner, Melbourne, 1:21:15; 3, left in Ken Horton photo. Thaddeus Austin, Merritt Island, 1:23:46; 35-39: 3. Shane Streufert, Viera, 1:26:58; 45-49: 2. Brad Cody, Melbourne, 1:21:24; 3. Kevin Butler, Cocoa Beach, 1:21:27; 70-74: Ron Osler, Cocoa Beach, 2:10:48; FEMALE: Overall: 3. Jessica Crate, Viera, 1:22:25; 20-24: 2. Beth Whalen, Melbourne, 1:24:11; 3. Andi Binney, Cocoa Beach, 1:35:46; 25-29: 3. Kim Hunger, Palm Bay, 1:42:14; 35-39: 1. Cheng Ten, Melbourne, 1:33:02; 2. Kristin Apotsos, Melbourne Beach, 1:39:03; 3. Melissa Vandett, West Melbourne, 1:42:19; 45-49: 1. Ceal Muldoon Walker, Cocoa Beach, 1:27:44; 65-69: 2. Willy Moolenaar, Indialantic, 2:10:13

Complete results are available at http://altavistasports.com/results/2010results/MBMMHALF2010.html

Ken Horton race photos are available at http://www.icunphotos.com/pics/run100207/ and http://icunphotos.smugmug.com/Running/Melbourne-Music-Marathon-2010/11174503_ZahdZ#783329440_eKkmN

BEAN-TOWN, BABY!

While the Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon was small on numbers - 198 finishers - it was big on Boston Qualifiers. Almost 23 percent of those who finished earned the coveted Bean-town Berth.  In their marathon debuts, Melbourne’s Barbara Krause (left, in photo courtesy Cathy Friedel) and Doug Nichols each ran a qualifying time with Krause taking third in the 40-44 age group and Nichols placing second in the 45-49 division.

There was no prize money given for this race either but Allstate did award $125 each to the fastest local male and female finishers. At only 16-years of age, Palm Bay’s David Morales and his 3:03:55 (fifth overall) earned the male honor while Angela Wells, 44, grabbed the ladies’ cash for her 3:31:37 and third female overall.

 Congrats to all who completed the two-loop, four-bridge, 26.2-mile trek.

LOCAL BOSTON MARATHON QUALIFIERS:

Christy Barnett, 30, Merritt Island, 1^st 30-34, 3:39:45; David Grant, 63, Viera, 2^nd 60-64, 3:47:38; Dude Kerley, 57, Satellite Beach, 3:35:10; Barbara Krause, 43, Melbourne (first marathon), 3^rd 40-44, 3:47:12;  Rodney Lee, 61, Melbourne, 3^rd 60-64, 3:53:33; Matt Mahoney, 54, Melbourne, 2^nd 50-54, 3:20:47; Timothy Marquardt, 18, Merritt Island, 2^nd 19 and under, 3:08:58; David Morales, 16, Palm Bay, 1^st 19 and under, 3:03:59; Doug Nichols, 46, Melbourne (first marathon and left in Ken Horton photo), 2^nd 45-49, 3:30:12; Megan Pendergast, 24, Melbourne, 1^st 20-24, 3:39:57; Jim Schroeder, 62, Indialantic, 1^st 60-64, 3:42:49; Kristin Tinker, 40, Merritt Island, 2^nd 40-44, 3:31:43; Kathryn Vanarsdall, 47, Indialantic, 3^rd 45-49, 3:58:17; Angela Wells, 44, Cocoa Beach, 1^st 40-44, 3:31:43.

ADDITIONAL MARATHON LOCAL AGE GROUP AWARD WINNERS

Male: 20-24: 3. Nicholas Vannorsdall, Melbourne, 3:22:24; 30-34: 2. John Kramer, Satellite Beach, 3:28:24. Female: 20-24: 2. Jennifer Lea, Melbourne, 4:13:01; 35-39: 2. Suzanne Krasny, Indialantic, 3:49:59; 50-54: 1. Shelbe Zimmerman, Indialantic, 4:39:17; 65-69: 1. Elanor Hunt, Indialantic, 4:51:51.

Congrats to all of the marathon finishers! Complete results are available at http://altavistasports.com/results/2010results/MBMMATHON2010.html

Ken Horton race photos are also available at http://www.icunphotos.com/pics/run100207/ and at http://icunphotos.smugmug.com/Running/Melbourne-Music-Marathon-2010/11174503_ZahdZ#783329440_eKkmN

TRIPLE TAKE

Chin, Crate and Davis. The three alphabetized, good-looking and maniacally fast Running Zone team members laid down a new definition for triple-training during the Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon Weekend on January 6-7. (Ken Horton photo: far left, John Davis; #1533, Steve Chin, #1560 overall female 8K winner, Sonya Friend-Uhl and far right, Jessica Crate)

Each went back to their professional day jobs Monday with extra coin and new half-marathon personal bests.

Instead of doing the traditional taper prior to Sunday’s half, however, the speedy threesome lined up for both the 8K and 5K on Saturday. The two races were sponsored by FLORIDA TODAY and each offered a $1,000 purse broken down between the top five males and females.

“Chin always cons me into these crazy running shenanigans,” said Crate about the trio’s about the latest scheme. “So, we decided to create a new tradition…the FLORIDA TODAY 13K.”

The plan was to finish the 8K - that was suppose to begin at 7:30 a.m. - in less than 30 minutes, ready to rock the 8 a.m. start of the 5K.

And that they did - sort of.

A late start on the 8K and some issues with timing sort of fouled things up in the 5K but all three placed first in their respective 8K age groups with Crate earning $100 for her second overall notch on the ladies side and Chin grabbing $60 for the men’s fifth.

Melbourne’s Anne Dockery - who won the 8K 60-64 age group - also went home with $60 as she placed fifth woman overall.  Also note that both Matt Mahoney and Jim Schroeder ran the 8K and both qualified for Boston the following day at the finish line of the marathon.

Kevin McNab, left, from the ‘Show Me’ state, showed everyone how to earn $561.40 per hour as he collected $400 for 42 minutes and 45 seconds of running. He took the 8K in 26:08, then grabbed the 5K, as well, in 16:37.

The Tireless Trio followed McNab to the 5K finish line but due to the aforementioned foul ups, finished out of the money and with incorrect times. Chin and Davis both said they finished in their usual lockstep fashion but results from both races show them uncharacteristically apart - with Chin almost four minutes ahead of Davis on the 5K.

"Neither Steve or I were going all out – we just finished side by side to maintain a sub-six  minute pace; we didn’t want to go much faster since the half was the next day," said Davis.  "We ended up averaging around 5:55 for the 8k+5k=13k.  When we were side by side in both races, how did they mess up both of them and show us with drastically different times?"

Good question, especially with money on the line.

Race photos from www.sportphotos.com confirm the speedsters' stories (like anyone would doubt their word, anyway.)

Two locals did grab 5K cash, however, including Palm Bay’s Jackie Clifton, who will be taking her hubby to a romantic Japanese dinner with the $75 her third overall finish threw her way. Emily Chapman, 13, could have taken home $60 for finishing fifth female overall but, as a cross-country runner for John Davis's team, Brevard Heat, she was unable to accept the money as doing so would jeopardize her amateur status.

LOCAL FLORIDA TODAY 8K AGE GROUP WINNERS:

MALE: 12-14: 1. Jack Dickens, 36:35:00; 30-39: 1. John Davis, 29:19:00; 40-44:  1. Steve Chin, 28:43:00; 2. Chris Lornes, 33:32:00; 45-49: 1. Rick Baney, 32:49:00; 3. Roy Daugherty, 42:34:00; 50-54: 2. Matt Mahoney, left, 33:47:00; 3. John Hudacek, 38:06:00; 55-59:        1. Jerry Bird, 35:20:00; 2. Dick White, 44:21:00; 3. George Oswald, 47:36:00; 60-64: 1. Jim Schroeder, 41:57:00; 70+: 2. Jim Weir, 42:06:00; FEMALE:  18-29: 1. Jessica Crate, 30:17:00; 3. Agatha Kolodziejczak, 40:38:00; 30 - 39: 2. Megan Bolin, 38:48:00; 3. Donna Davis, 40:38:00; 40 - 44: 1. Angela Handa, 40:05:00; 45 - 49: 1. Molly Ragsdale, 34:48:00; 3. Holly Herrmann, 49:20:00; 50 - 54: 1. Lori White, 40:21:00; 3. Wanda Bibens, 44:21:00; 55 - 59: 3. Marsha Lake, 53:37:00; 60 - 64: 1. Anne Dockery, 37:00, far right with sunglasses perched atop her head; 3. Milly Krause, 1:08:34.

Congrats to all who completed the FLORIDA TODAY 8K and/or 5K. Complete  8K results are available at  http://altavistasports.com/results/2010results/MBMM8K02062010.html with 5K results at http://altavistasports.com/results/2010results/MBMM5K020610.html 

RUNNING COVERAGE FROM FLORIDA TODAY 

February 8, 2010

Marathon champ relieved after run

BY CARL KOTALA
FOR FLORIDA TODAY

The finish line wasn't the only thing beckoning Brian Alessandro on Sunday morning.

Somewhere about the 14-mile mark of the Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon . . . Mother Nature called for him, too. (Brian Alessandro, right, won the Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon on Sunday. Greg Lemmon, left, finished second in the event. (Tim Shortt, FLORIDA TODAY)

"I stopped to use the restroom once, on the second lap," Alessandro said. "I was real quick."

The pit stop didn't cost Alessandro the lead, or the race. The 29-year-old teacher and Division III running coach from Covington, Ky., hit the tape in 2 hours, 39 minutes and 12 seconds Sunday morning to win the 26.2-mile event. His friend and training partner, Greg Lemmon of Cincinnati, was second. He took his bathroom break at mile 10.

Eileen Posgay of Plantation won the women's marathon in 3:20:22.

Paul Aufdemberge of Redford, Mich. (1:08:57) and Lori Kinglsey of Wysox, Pa. (1:20:32) won the men's and women's half-marathon races. In doing so, both captured the USA Track and Field Association National Masters' championships as well.

"I was running with the pack for the first five miles or so," the 45-year-old Aufdemberge said. "I didn't think I felt as good here today as I did last year, but I made kind of a break right around 10 miles. That's where I was able to get away. It was probably good thing I did, because at that point we were still running with the wind. When we got to the bridge, around 11 miles, the wind was pretty tough.

". . . I was hurting the last 5K. I just tried to keep focused. Of course, it's a little extra motivation, knowing that you're out in front. I just tried to keep it going that last 5K and get up and down that (last) hill."

Temperatures in the 40s with a gusting wind made conditions a little chilly for runners Sunday morning. But for runners such as Aufdemberge and Alessandro -- who come from cold-weather climates -- the conditions were excellent.

"I wanted to run a marathon, and I can't do one in the fall and spring because of coaching," Alessandro said. "We were training in 16 degrees in Cincinnati. This is nice."

The weather didn't seem to affect some of the top runners from Brevard County, either.

David Morales, a 16-year-old from Palm Bay, finished fifth in the men's marathon in 3:03:59. He was followed by 18-year-old Timothy Marquardt of Merritt Island, who was sixth in 3:08:58. Matt Mahoney (3:20:47) of Melbourne was 14th overall.

Angela Wells of Cocoa Beach finished third in the women's marathon in 3:31:43. Christy Barnett of Merritt Island was the fourth woman across in 3:39:45, followed by Megan Pendergast of West Melbourne in 3:39:57.

Melbourne's John Davis was the top local finisher in the men's half-marathon, coming in ninth place in 1:18:43. Steve Chin of Satellite Beach was 11th in 1:19:55 and Melbourne's Ed Donner was 14th in 1:21:15.

Jessica Crate of Viera (1:22:25) was third in the women's half-marathon. Other top locals included Beth Whalen (1:24:11) of Melbourne and Ceal Muldoon Walker (1:27:44) of Cocoa Beach.

Almost 2,600 racers took part in the two-day event, which featured a 5K and an 8K on Saturday, as well as the Top End Euro-American Handcycling American Championships on Sunday.

Posgay got a warm round of congratulatory hugs from her family at the finish line. Though she took the lead about the 14-mile mark, she ran alone for most of the race and took pride in the fact she didn't have to rely on any drafting help to get the top spot.

"I'm a consistent top-10 contender. (This) is my first marathon win, though," the Plantation native said. "It kind of completes my racing career (goals). I've got first in every distance and now, finally, the marathon. It's pretty cool."

While Posgay missed her personal record by a minute, Alessandro made his personal best by five minutes.

That made for quite a day for the man who coaches cross country at Thomas More College in Crestview, Ky.

"Our goal was to set out a six-minute pace and I went through a lot faster than that at the half," he said. "So when I used the restroom, it really wasn't that big of a deal. I was still on a pretty good pace anyway."

Lemmon tried to catch back up to his friend, but said running into the wind sapped some of his energy. He finished in 2:46:22.

"I'm pretty pumped about it," Alessandro said of his win. "A PR and a win . . . I can't ask for anything more than that."

RUNNING COVERAGE FROM FLORIDA TODAY

February 8, 2010

Karma pays off for Kingsley

BY CARL KOTALA
FOR FLORIDA TODAY

Lori Kingsley always will remember Sunday's Melbourne & Beaches Music Half-Marathon for several reasons. (Left, Lori Kingsley finished the 13.1-mile race in 1:20:32 on Sunday, just ahead of Marybeth Reader, who crossed in 1:21:54 (Tim Shortt, FLORIDA TODAY)

It's where she won the USA Track and Field Association National Masters' championship . . . and where a friend really came through when it counted.

"I saw them pull up the banner (winner's tape) and I was like, 'Oh my God . . . that's for me!' " beamed the 43-year-old Kingsley, from Wysox, Pa.

"That is such a great feeling, because to get it, you really have to work hard. I mean, these women are good."

Kingsley finished the 13.1-mile race in 1:20:32 on Sunday, just ahead of Marybeth Reader, who crossed in 1:21:54.

It seemed only fitting that if Kingsley were to win the race, it would be Reader -- of Bloomfield, Mich. -- who would finish second. Because it was Reader who helped Kingsley and her husband out of a tight spot when there was no room at the inn.

"This is my roommate," Kingsley said after excitedly hugging Reader at the finish line. "I got to the hotel, and they had canceled my reservation. We were trying to straighten it out and they were like, 'Sorry, we're sold out.'

". . . I was sitting on the floor, crying and by the grace of God, (Reader) came over. I see her at Masters races (all the time) and I'm like, 'Marybeth, I don't have a room.' She was like, 'Lori, come to mine.' "

Reader's generosity paid off for Kingsley, who took the lead after the first mile and never let it go.

RUNNING COVERAGE FROM FLORIDA TODAY 

February 8, 2010

Legend Bill Rodgers enjoys windy race

BY CARL KOTALA
FOR FLORIDA TODAY

Bill Rodgers posed for more pictures than any of the winners at Sunday's Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon. (Left, Bill Rodgers, #1 and 62, plans to run 25 races this year. (Tim Shortt, FLORIDA TODAY)

But what do you expect when people realize they've just raced with a legend?

The 62-year-old Rodgers, who won the Boston and New York marathons four times each from 1975-80, ran the half-marathon on Sunday. He finished fourth in the 60-64 age group with a time of 1:39:41.

"I was faster here last year by five minutes, but . . . I'm not in quite the same shape, I guess," Rodgers said. "And it was a little windy, especially the last bridge. But it was a very competitive race. A lot of fit runners here with the (USA Track and Field Association National) Masters championship."

Rodgers, a cancer survivor and spokesman for Prostate Awareness Cancer Education (PACE), liked the atmosphere of the Melbourne event.

"I go to races all over the country, and I've raced in Florida since the mid-70s," he said. "Melbourne's a very pretty little area. I like this little downtown. We came down last year, a bunch of us guys from New England -- training partners. Three of us ran last year and this year, we've got about six or seven. We just came down for some fun."

And that is the name of the game for Rodgers these days. Sunday was his second race of the year, and he plans to run 25 -- just like he has for more than 30 years.

"I still love road races like this," he said. "This is a cool little race. (Race director) Mitch Varnes and his team, they've done a good job. It's a fun race.

"Runners . . . you're competitive, but you want to have fun, too. You want to enjoy life. Runners really get to do that, I think -- after we recover.. . . I think this race is going to keep growing. You've got the different distances. To make it a two-day race was very smart."

PINEAPPLE SOUFFLE' 

Can’t get enough of All Things Pineapple Man? Rob Downey has your fix. Check out his new blog at http://pineappleman2010.blogspot.com/ There you can find the latest updates on the race - including how to cancel your entry or how to get on the wait list for the sold-out event that will be celebrating its 25^th anniversary on June 6.

If you’re one of the 604 lucky enough to get a spot, check out the Beachside Tri Sport training camp geared for Pineapple Man at http://www.beachsidetricamp.com/default.asp

THORNLESS ROSES

Beautiful Mead Garden in Winter Park was the setting for the Feb. 6 Florida Hospital Lady Track Shack 5K. More than 2,000 ladies ran or walked the race that donates the proceeds to the Florida Hospital breast cancer screening program providing mammograms to the under-insured women in the community. 

Congrats to local participants Kate Abernethy, 57:10; Pam Brockmeyer, 57:09; Andrea Canterbury, 36:00; Roberta Chaildin, 38:35; Amy Chaildin, 50:03; Jo Connell, 30:00; Nancy Cross, 35:23; Pamela Flinchum, 30:14; Tonyia Gibbons, 53:08; Danielle Hiner, 38:35; Lynn Levine, 35:04; Sabren Litus, 53:09; Cookie Marquez, 59:38; Donna Neill, 35:57; Cindy Nicholas, 57:09; Heather Parman, 34:03; Nancy Rowan, left, 28:14; Tamara Rudowitz, 35:25; Amanda Shrader, 29:08; Patti Spoerle, 23:38.

AT PEACE WITH THE PAST 

During two interviews with Patti Sponsler, former world record holder, Zola Budd, expressed her peace with the past and shared some thoughts on the fresh restart of her career as a Masters (40+) runner. While FLORIDA TODAY ran part of those interviews on Feb. 5 at http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100205/SPORTS/2050332/+I+am+at+peace+with+the+past+  most of the conversations are printed below. Photo of Budd, below, was taken at the Pawley's Island Turtle Strut 10K on Oct. 24 in South Carolina. Zola's 37:33 finish was good enough for second overall and the women's win by almost nine minutes. Photo courtesy Zola Budd.

The Masters (40+) road racing circuit - which includes the Feb. 7 USA Masters Half-Marathon Championship - is often one of second chances. It is for those who came to the sport later in life as well as those who ruled the podiums of past years.

Of all names inked beside past world records, however, none may be more deserving of a fresh start than Zola Budd.

After setting a 5K world record of 15:01.83 in 1984 on her native South African soil, the then 17-year-old Budd was thrust on the world stage by a greedy father and a British tabloid hungry to increase circulation.

Because of Apartheid, South Africans were banned from the upcoming Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The tabloid convinced Budd to bring his daughter to England to compete for the British. Not only did the paper reward him handsomely financially but because of Zola’s speed and her grandfather’s British birth, it expedited a berth for her on the British Olympic team.

The girl who had run with joyful innocence quickly fell victim to exploitation and her own political ignorance. Unfairly tagged as a symbol of Apartheid, people protested her presence.

Perhaps her most notorious moment came during the hotly-contested 3,000-meter Olympic showdown between Budd and American world champion, Mary Decker Slaney. With Budd running barefoot on the inside lane just in front of Decker Slaney, the two bumped twice. Resounding boos filled the stadium as Decker fell to the ground and an unnerved Budd faded back to finish in seventh place.

Although race officials, after viewing race footage, exonerated her from any wrongdoing, Budd’s remarkable athletic accomplishments are still often palled by that Los Angeles shadow.

Today, at 43, the married Budd Pieterse and her family are living near Myrtle Beach on a two-year visa allowing her to compete on the Masters’ circuit. Although the mother of three has continued to run, she stepped away from the competitive limelight to raise her children.

While Budd Pieterse is registered for Sunday’s half-marathon, a knee injury suffered just before Christmas may limit her to Saturday’s 8K.

During two interviews with Patti Sponsler, Budd expressed her peace with the past and some thoughts on this fresh phase of her running career. Here are some excerpts:

PS: What brought you to US?

ZBP: I wanted to run on the Masters circuit before I turned 50. My kids are more grown up now so we can do it. (Zola and her husband have twin 11-year-old boys, Mikey and Avell and a 14-year-old daughter, Lisa.)

I am excited about the Masters circuit because it also does a lot for our junior runners. They know that there can be a long future in running for them.

PS: Do your children run and race?

ZBP: Sometimes they do but I don’t want them to take it too seriously. I want them to run only if they enjoy it.

PS: You have all those world records, including a 5K personal best of 14:48.07 (1985), what are you shooting for as a Masters runner?

ZBP: If I can run a steady six-minute pace for the 10K, that would be great.

PS: Many Masters’ athletes take up coaching voluntarily or for a tiny stipend; what intrinsic value do you receive?

ZBP: I think you have to be passionate and want to give back what you got. (Zola is a volunteer assistant coach at Coastal Carolina University near Myrtle Beach.)

PS: What did running give you?

ZBP: Endurance-physical and emotional.

PS: What do you want to pass on to the kids you coach?

ZBP: Most importantly is a balance and perspective on life. You can enjoy running more if you know that even if you fail in a race, you don’t fail as a person.

PS: You seemed to disappear from competition in the early 90s, were you still running?

ZBP: I was still running but not at a high level. I had children and the focus changed from competition to fitness.

PS: What effect has motherhood and aging had on your training?

ZBP: There is a big shuffle in training after kids. You have to find time when you’re not too tired and when you have someone to watch them. With aging, you can still train hard but recovery time increases dramatically. You have to take care of your nutrition and eat healthier. When I was younger, I could eat anything and was fine; now I have to be conscious of what I eat.

PS: What brought you back to competition?

ZBP: For the experience and enjoying it again. Running has come full circle. This time I am running for myself because I really enjoy it. You go through various stages and then come back to health and well-being. This is good. I don’t feel any pressure.

PS: Are you eligible for the prize money at the Melbourne race?

ZB:  No, I’m not an American citizen.

PS: As soon as most runners hear your name, one or more of the following come to mind: world champion; barefoot runner; political victim and/or Mary Decker. How would you want people to remember you in the future?

ZBP: It’s difficult to say. On a personal level the legacy I would like to leave for my children would be for them to carry on their lives in a balanced and fulfilled manner.

PS: I’d read you completed your undergrad in psychology and had just finished up your masters in religion-based counseling. Did you choose this field of study to help you with what you’ve been through?

ZBP: Yes, I had started looking into my own life. It is only through helping others that you really get to help yourself.

PS: Many of us get our identity wrapped up in our sport or work. When those things start to decline, how does one separate that from who they really are and keep their sanity, self esteem, and peace?

ZBP: It’s difficult. When you’re doing well in that you forget what life is really about. It comes back to having balance and reminding what is really important to me every day. I don’t know what it is for others, but for me my faith keeps me sane.

PS: Has your spirituality helped you forgive those in your past?

ZBP: I practice proactive forgiveness. I forgive but it is hard to forget because you have to learn from your past.  I am at peace with the past.

PS: Most runners aren’t as fast as they used to be. How does one come to terms with that?

ZBP: It’s difficult. I’ll look at my watch at the five mile mark of a 10K and think ‘I’d be finished by now’. Laughs. That’s why you have to be running for personal satisfaction.

PS: What piece of advice would you give the young and upcoming world champions?

ZBP: It is so difficult to be in that situation. You’re so caught up with it, thinking only about your next training. Your whole world revolves around it. You don’t hear what other people are trying to tell you. Only when you have it taken away do you realize there is a life outside of sport. It is liberating.

PS:What piece of advice would you give to newer runners, especially those ages 40 and up?

ZBP: Every moment that you can put into your health now is an investment in the quality and longevity of your life, especially if you are lucky enough to live into your 70s and 80s.

PS: Do you see any cultural differences between the US and SA in terms of Masters running? ZBP: “Masters racing is very big here but small in SA. Most who are masters run with everyone else but it is starting to pick up in cross country. They are starting to separate (masters) at the higher level and for money.”

PS: How about any differences in cultures in terms of women running?

ZBP: Not really. Maybe in South Africa the males are a little more competitive. They don’t like women beating them.

PS: They don’t like it here either.

ZBP: Laughs.

PS: I’ve read the in SA, taxis are referred to as Zola Budds, any relation?

ZBP: They started that in the 80s when I was running internationally.

PS: Are you still recognized in SA?

ZBP: In my age group. Laughs

PS: Good luck in Melbourne!

ZBP: We’re looking forward to it.

RUNNING COVERAGE IN FLORIDA TODAY 

February 4, 2010

Handcycles make their debut in Melbourne race

BY PATTI SPONSLER
FOR FLORIDA TODAY

More than three dozen handcyclists pedaling sleek, three-wheeled chariots will roll through the 26.2-mile Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon course on Sunday.

The international mix of athletes, including several world and Paralympic champions, will be vying for a piece of the $2,500 purse being offered in what is the latest addition to the Marathon weekend line-up: the inaugural Top End Euro-America Handcycling Marathon Championship.

"This niche race came into being as I was trying to do something special and unique with the Challenged Athletes Foundation," said race founder Mitch Varnes. "We somehow zeroed in on handcycling and the need for a wintertime race in a warm climate location."

The timing of the new event, both on the calendar and in the sport's history, couldn't get any better.

"This is a good time of year because there aren't many races in February," said the Netherlands' Monique Van der Vorst, 25, who owns the women's handcycling marathon world record of 1 hour, 12 minutes and 1 second, and hopes to top the women's field in Melbourne. "Everyone can come to Florida and plan a training camp around this race." photo of Van der Vorst, above left, courtesy of Chris Peters, Top End.

For years, physically challenged athletes have competed in road-racing worldwide using push rim wheelchairs. Unfortunately, the chairs' design, which requires an upright, forward-leaning position, left many disabled potential athletes sitting on the sidelines. Handcycles, which were developed during the 1980s human-powered vehicle movement, turned out to be a barrier-breaker.

Using a combination of bicycling and wheelchair technology, the three-wheeled, hand-pedaled trikes offer a wide range of options in seating, gearing, pedal placement, and steering systems.

"Handcycles offer designs that will work for just about every disability out there," said Chris Peterson, founder and principal designer for Top End, the event's co-sponsor and a leading manufacturer of premium handcycles and racing wheelchairs. "The cool thing is that it is a great form of exercise for all ages whether disabled or able-bodied. You don't have to race to get some really fun exercise."

With increased accessibility and ease of use -- not to mention increasingly aerodynamic models -- the sport mushroomed worldwide during the past decade and made its Paralympic debut during the Athens Games in 2004.

While the sport is considered a cycling event in the Paralympic realm, road races that allow handcyclists are seeing a marked increase over wheelchair participants. During last October's Marine Corp Marathon in Washington, D.C., wheelchair athletes were outnumbered almost 15 to one by handcyclists.

However, not all race directors will allow handcyclists to roll off their starting lines. Reasons given typically include safety and logistical concerns about speeds that can reach in excess of 30 miles per hour on the flats -- more akin to a bicycle.

"There are different schools of thought," said Ian Lawless, executive director of U.S. Handcycling, the sport's national governing body. "Our official position is that handcycling is part of Paralympic cycling and that wheelchair racing is part of Paralympic track and field. By in large, the events that we sanction are cycling events."

With the sport still in relative infancy, however, attitudes are continuing to evolve and the Melbourne event -- which is now the sanctioned season opener for the 2010 U.S. Handcycling Series -- may help the sport reach a new level of maturity and inclusiveness.

"The Melbourne race is significant in that it represents a bit of a new direction for us," Lawless said. "It's a nice way for athletes in cold weather climates to get their competitive season under way and it is also bringing additional exposure and prize money to the sport. We have to embrace opportunity."

Additional Facts

Guide to the Handcycling Marathon

What: The Top End Euro-America Handcycling Marathon Championship is the newest addition to the Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon weekend. The event is also the sanctioned, season opener for the 2010 U.S. Handcycling series.
When: The handcyclists will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of U.S. 1 and US 192 in Melbourne.
Prize purse: $2,500
Participants: More than three dozen athletes from 16 states and five countries have registered, including Paralympic gold and bronze medalist Oz Sanchez from San Diego; the Netherlands' Paralympic double-silver medalist and women's handcycling world record-holder, Monique Van der Vorst; and South African Paralympic gold medalist, Ernst Van Dyk.
Race Web site: www.themelbournemarathon.com

RUNNING COVERAGE IN FLORIDA TODAY

February 4, 2010

Nothing can slow paralyzed athlete

BY PATTI SPONSLER
FOR FLORIDA TODAY

Carlos Moleda has always lived life large. ( Moleda photo at left courtesy Carlos Moleda.)

At 17, he dreamed of becoming a skateboarding champion, first coming to America to compete in 1979 and then returning the following year from his native Brazil to start a new life.

On Dec. 20, 1989, however, Moleda, who was by then a U.S. citizen and elite Navy SEAL, was hit by two bullets when his 10-man unit -- operating in Panama -- came under fire while helping to restore democracy.

In spite of being paralyzed from the waist down, Moleda knew adventure still beckoned.

"I realized that I was still the same person," said the upbeat 47-year-old Moleda, who lives in South Carolina and will be racing Sunday. "I knew that I would get my life back and that sports would be a huge part of it."

Instead of becoming the next Tony Hawk, however, Moleda became a husband, father, business owner, mentor and championship handcyclist and triathlete.

His athletic prowess has given him two national championships; a Sadlers (367-mile) Ultra Challenge win; and five Hawaiian Ironman World Championship medals, including thephysically-challenged world record of 10 hours, 30 minutes and 55 seconds.

Moleda also is a spokesperson for the Challenged Athletes Foundation and teaches kids with disabilities how to ride handcycles. He also mentors and coaches disabled veterans for CAF's Operation Rebound.

"I don't feel like a disabled person," he said. "I'm just a guy doing what he wants.

(RUN) ING MIAMI

An estimated 17 thousand runners and walkers lined up for the pre-dawn start of the eighth annual ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon in balmy Miami on Sunday, Jan. 31. Participants began at American Airlines Arena and traveled through Miami Beach, downtown Miami, Little Havana, Coconut Grove, and Coral Gables before returning downtown for a finish at Bayfront Park.

While most were well-tapered for their 13.1 or 26.2-mile adventures, Melbourne's Jim Schroeder, left, arrived at the "warm and humid" start with more mileage on his feet during the previous two days than many of the half-marathon participants probably ran in a week.

On Friday, the 62-year-old Harris research scientist had run 17 miles on Wickham Park's trails. On Saturday, he ran the Tiger Dash 5K; ran another 12 at Wickham to support the Action Jackson Surgical race; hopped in his car and drove to Miami and then slammed down the 4-7 p.m. expo shift for his pace team.

On race day, Jim paced the 5:00 group, pulling into the finish with a 4:59:21 chip time. Whew. Stud!

Congrats to Jim and all locals who finished the events including ING Miami Marathon finishers Todd Angel, 3:50:29; Kate Chapman, 4:11:55; Penny Churchill, 4:33:12; Kevin Cutright, 4:51:40; Molley Fahey, BQ, 3:30:57; Lisa Roberts, 4:28:30; David Rodriquez, 4:27:27; Jim Schroeder, 4:59:21; Derek Sichler, 3:58:04.

ING Miami Half-Marathon finishers Bob Arehart, 2:13:17; Jessie Caraballo, 2:06:59; Ed Cloak, 2:16:31; Vanessa Dance, 3:05:43; Tom Dean, 2:26:25; Diana Dias, 3:31:29; Crysta Doty, 2:55:30; Richard Dupuy, 2:51:49; Erika Feltz, 1:43:06; Kathy Flavin, 2:21:45; Jennifer Lepper, 2:05:35; Jennifer Mirenda, 3:37:58; Heather Mundy, 2:25:11; Ray Mundy, 2:25:11; Tom Oday, 3:02:13; Andres Perez, 1:39:56; Tanya Seaman, 2:30:14; Joann Sommers, 3:26:23; Chester Straub, 2:30:33; Jennifer Straub, 2:30:34; Karen Suarez, 2:42:34; Rick Suarez, 2:40:03; Kim Thorpe, 3:05:39; Julio Torres, 1:53:12; Lisa Valentine, 2:05:59; Erin Walker, 2:06:51; Doug Youngblood, 2:40:33; Keith Zoller, 2:30:34.

GIDDY UP! 

The organizers of the Ocala Marathon and Half-Marathon call it "Florida's most scenic race". Those who love horses, rolling hills and sun-dappled trees would have to agree. Ocala is known for its horse farms as there are more than 200 of them plus lots of training centers.

In 2001, the Marion Cultural Alliance launched “Horse Fever” which included 52 life-sized fiberglass horses decorated by area artists. They were displayed around town for months before they were sold at an auction that raised $1.2 million for charity. About half of the horses remain in the community and have gathered a huge following. You can see why when you check out http://www.horsefever.org/

The Ocala Marathon brings two of those horses to the race, with one sending the runners off and the other greeting them at the finish. This year more than 400 finished the two scenic routes including local half-marathon finishers Thadeus Austin, 6th oa, 1st 30-34, 1:27:01; Lisa Petrillo, 1:54:00; and Erin Schuck, 1:57:17. Fiona Wright finished the full in 4:54:39. Congrats to all! (Erin and Lisa in front of finish-line horse. Photo courtesy Erin Schuck.)

START YOUR ENGINES!

Close to 800 runners warmed up the track for the 48th running of the Rolex 24 in Daytona on Jan. 30. The 5K, which starts and finishes on the track in front of pit road, left, lets athletes race on the famed Daytona International Speedway. Those who sign up receive the usual race bling plus a ticket to the Rolex 24. We wonder how many stayed awake the whole time?

Congrats to local finishers Ronald Abel, 1st 25-29, 18:02.6, Thaddeus Austin, 1st 30-34, 17:48.1; Anna Berry, 32:26.0; Barbara Berry, 40:43.2; Andrew Chin, 25:43.9; Amy Clamons,  2nd 25-29, 22:00.9; Sarah Clamons, 28:37.5; Taylor Collier, 18:46.5; Tim Collier, 18:53.4; Timothy Crosby, 26:02.9; William Crosby, 37:35.3; Andrea Defrates, 33:32.1; Les Dunne, 28:05.2; Rene Dunne, 28:04.6; Victor Ellison, 3rd 12-14, 26:33.1; Suzie Enlow, 23:59.6; Randy Farner, 3rd 40-44, 20:26; Ken Flieder, 31:15.2; Sherry Heard, 31:14.6; Susan Houts, 26:03.5; Teresa Huff, 2nd 15-17, 20:45.1; Maria Huff, 28:40.5; George Johnson, 35:05.1; Patricia Johnson, 26:54.0; Howard Kanner, 2nd 40-44, 18:09.8; Brian Kessler, 2nd 50-54, 18:22; Brian King, 31:03.7; Jeffery Koeberl, 24:18.3; Annalisa Koeberl, 33:15.4; Heather Koeberl, 31:27.3; Kensey Kramer, 43:47.0; Aaron Larson, 26:08.2; Scott Larson, 19:13.4; Owen Leland, 27:02.9; Troy Main, 37:35.1; Tynesha Moran, 51:59.9; Ronald Norris, 24:22.1; Holly Phelabaum, 34:18.6; Gabrielle Pilcher, 28:31.3; Richard Pilcher, 38:46.1; Alexa Potier, 32:13.6; Justin Potier, 24:57.8; Jim Schaeffer, 19:28.8; John Schelke, 30:46.1; Charlie Smutko, 20:59.5; Krysten Smutko, 29:07.7; Danny Taurasi, 3rd 18-24, 18:45.1; David Taurasi, 19:31.0; Patricia Taurasi, 24:09.8; Caleb Webb 31:05.5; Glenn Webb 31:06.1; Jason White 25:00.8; Hank Wielgosz 25:48.2.

THE TIGER (STILL) DASHES!

You can’t keep a good - or fast - man down.

For more than 20 years, Melbourne’s 46-year-old Doug Butler has been winning road races at multiple distances in multiple locations. You have to wonder why neither Father Time nor a recent career change nor the 90 kids or 70 adults he coaches can slow him down. (Butler, at left, ripping up the Tiger Dash 5K.  Cathie Poor photo)

Maybe the secret is the addition of three-year-old grandson, Alex, to the household that keeps Butler young-at-heart and moving.

We had to find out. Below is what he told us in an Email  the day after his 16:53 victory at this year’s Tiger Dash 5K.

How did the race unfold between you, John (Davis, 2nd place) and Steve (Chin, 3rd place)?

I told John and Steve I was going to get them under 17:00, I felt I could run 16:45.  We backed it off a notch this week in training in order to be a bit fresher. I felt very heavy the first mile and my right-side sciatica was very sore, which is weird because it has been my left side the past few months that has hampered me. I led from start to finish and hit the mile in 5:30. I wanted to hit it in 5:20, but the wind out of the south kept the first mile slower than expected. I turned it up the second mile and hit it at 10:50 feeling pretty good. By that time Steve had dropped back about 15 seconds but John was only about seven seconds back. I took a look over my shoulder with a half mile to go and John was still seven or eight seconds back so I yelled “lets go”. I tried to go as hard as I could the last half-mile and never looked back again. I knew sub-17 was going to be close.

I've known you for what seems like about two decades now and you've always managed to stay at or near the front while most everyone else either burns out, fades away or slow downs.  Got any thoughts on that?

Yesterday made it 25 consecutive years that I have run at least one 5K in the 14s,15s, or 16s. My first sub-17:00 was in March of 1986 at the Superstars 5K in Grant and that seems like another life ago. It does not get any easier.

I feel very blessed with the gift God has given me along with the longevity and the good health to be able to compete with only minor injuries throughout that 25 years. I have had many great training partners over that 25-year period and that has contributed a great deal to my success. I think I owe much to my father and mother who passed on a hard work ethic and competitive sports attitude. My wife (Rhonda) has endured 24 years of my training and racing, which is more than any person can expect. The coaches  have taught me how to train more, race less, and train at the proper pace! This has allowed me to stay injury free and race faster when I do race.  But most of all, God has blessed me and I don't take anything for granted. He saved my life on November 12, 1978 and I don’t know where or what I would be if I were not a born-again Christian. I think our bodies are a gift that He has given us and what we chose to do with it is our gift back to Him.

About a month ago I was just tired and felt beat up and decided I can not train hard enough to race anymore. I wanted to run for fun. But after about two weeks of training with John and Steve, I knew I still had the fire to see what I could do and here I am. I think He will let me know when it is time but for now, I think He wants to use me in this manner to serve Him.

Do you attend CAV (Church at Viera)? It was cool that you flew their colors during the race…

We are members of CAV and Rhonda did the printing for Mark Ragsdale (the church pastor) about 20 years ago. He is phenomenal along with all the people there so I was very proud to be able to run with them yesterday.

Are you running the Melbourne and Beaches Music Half Marathon on Sunday?

Depends on the sciatica, if it is ok this week, I plan to do the half.

Complete race results and photos of the 2010 Tiger Dash 5K are at http://www.runningzone.com/results/2249?type=a . Matt Mahoney also has additional photos posted at http://mattmahoney.net/scr/index.html