"I'm Hooked" - Submitted by Trisha McAndrew

Article Submitted by: Trisha McAndrew
No race is perfect. It’s all about what you learn for next time. But I can't say I'm disappointed with the results of my first triathlon. My goals were to finish sub-12 hours, run a sub-4 hour marathon and have more fun than anyone else out there. At minimum, I at least wanted to run the whole marathon. My results: a 12:14 finish time, which includes three flats on the bike and a 3:55 marathon. I'm hooked.

The swim at Kona is what makes triathlon a "full contact" sport. People are vicious (intentionally or not, I don't know). I finished in ~1:22. My swim was slower than I expected by at least 5 minutes. People told me after the race that the swim times were slow in general (even amongst the pros). There was a fairly strong current, chop, and a school of jellyfish to contend with. I started back and to the left to avoid getting pummeled and was actually quite successful with that...so I got out of water not really minding that the time was slow because I was relaxed and cruising the whole time...and I didn't get punched or kicked or have blood drawn. My recommendation to the race organizers would be to stress that people cut their finger nails before the race. I don't care if people draft off me. In fact, I'm flattered that they actually think I maintain a pace/line well enough that they would want to draft off me, but for the love, they should cut their nails before connecting them with my feet!

So, I got out of the water, ran up the steps and went to get my transition bag… I got my helmet and bike shoes on, got sprayed with sunscreen, downed a gel and ran out to my bike.

The short version of the bike is that I got three flats and had to stop to go to the bathroom (more in a moment)...so, in my opinion, the bike split should have been quite a bit faster, but what can you do?

At ~mile 21 my bike started to feel funny. I looked down and realized I had a flat. Now, I put new Gatorskins on the bike about a week before the race, and put about 75 miles or so on them to break them in... There is no logical reason I should have been getting flats. Anyhow, I jumped off my bike, took off the wheel, and had the tube out when the support van rolled up. The took over for me (though I said I was fine) and put one of their tubes in and inflated it with a floor pump...I mention this because it meant I didn't have to use any of my spares or CO2 cartridges. We put the wheel back on and I was on my way. About 2 miles later, my bike was feeling funny again – I had a flat in my front tire! So, I jumped off the bike, changed the tube, and once again tried to feel for anything sharp. Finding nothing, I continued my ride.

By mile 45, my stomach had decided that it no longer liked peanut butter and banana sandwiches (the same food I had eaten before all my training rides), so I had to stop and use a Port-a-Potty… Back on the bike, I made it to Hawi; I hit the turnaround to start heading home... And, lo and behold, my bike feels funny again - I have another flat (at ~mile 65 or 70). I got off my bike again, changed the tube, using my last spare and CO2 cartridge.

By the time I hit mile 80, I'm well aware that my bike split is going to be super slow. I'm feeling like I haven't done anything all day (despite swimming 2.4 miles and riding a few more), so I think, forget it all, its time for a time trial! Or as much of a time-trial as you can do knowing that you still have to run a marathon. So I start hauling ass for Kona, into another headwind, thinking that, hey, since my first time goal is shot, I might as well make a new one...Let's see if I can get this bike done in under 7 hours. I get back to the pier/transition area, and my bike split is 6:45...so I'm stoked, I made my "new" goal. And my nutrition through the whole bike went well. I had six servings of Perpetuum and 13 gels on the bike (~450 calories per hour). I was an eating machine.

While I love riding my bike, cycling will never be running. You will rarely find me unexcited to go for a run, and the marathon is my favorite run distance... So, I thought it was awesome to spend most of my day swimming and biking and then get to go run for a few hours (no, I'm not being sarcastic). The marathon was great. I negative split it and never hit the wall. I only grabbed water in the transition area, and then headed out on the run. I knew I had to pace myself and that I didn't want to be running faster than 9 minute miles at the start. I timed the first mile...8:31, and I thought, dang Trish, you have to slow down! So I ran the second mile...8:16. At this point, I give myself a serious talking to--Trish, slow the heck down now or you are going to regret it later. I listened to myself and backed off. I settled into a comfortable pace just over 9 minute miles. I smiled for every camera I saw, yelled to my parents as I ran by, high-fived the kids when they stuck out their hands and just enjoyed the heck out of myself. I know that I can run a marathon only taking Gatorade and water, but I took four gels with me. I hit ~13.1 miles in 1:58.

All of a sudden I was in the energy lab and turning around to head out and back to Kona. As I hit mile 19.5 on my way out of NELH, I prepared to grab water from the aid station, and looked up and noticed a tall, rather good-looking man standing there to hand me water. Wow, I thought, clearly allowing my concentration to slip momentarily, a cute guy to hand me water right before I start the toughest part of the race. Awesome! As I got a little closer, I realized that this was not just your average good-looking guy. It was Peter Reid. How cool is it to do you first Ironman and have a former World Champion handing you water at an aid station! He had requested to work at that aid station all day to give something back to the race.

At this point I start doing calculations in my head. I was feeling really great, but if I continued to run this pace, I might just miss finishing my marathon in under four hours. So I started picking up the pace. About 100m from the finish, my dad joined my side and a few meters later my mom (she didn't want to run as far) joined me too, and we ran across the finish together. I finished in 12:14 with a 3:55 marathon split.

My big thing about this marathon was to run the whole thing. A friend of mine said I should have a plan to walk/run, and I looked him in the eye and said that I was going to run the whole thing, I didn't care how slowly I did it. I'm stubborn. I ran the whole thing (even through the aid stations). The soreness I experienced in the days after the race was minimal. I was never walking "funny" and it never hurt to sit down or go down steps. Maybe I didn't race hard enough or maybe my training program worked well, I don't know.

On not on pacing myself: I did it all based on effort. I intentionally have not put a computer on my tri bike. I don't want to know how fast or slow I'm going, and I don't wear a heartrate monitor while I ride. I wear one most of the time when I go out running, but have never raced a marathon with it. I wasn't wearing a heartrate monitor during any part of the Ironman. During the marathon, pace was based on time, how I was feeling and knowledge of how I should feel at different points in a marathon to finish strong. I wouldn't necessarily recommend training/racing this way to everyone, but it works for me.

There were a couple fears I had going into the race. The first was that maybe I would cramp. I have never cramped or had problems with it in training or races, but as I was going to race a distance further than I had ever gone before I didn't know what would happen. I didn't cramp though. I guess some people don't. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones. My other fear was with regards to nutrition. I don't eat chocolate at all and haven't for about 2.5 years now. Some people are addicted to coffee. I was addicted to chocolate and it was not healthy. My fear was that all the gels they would have on the run would be chocolate. I brought four green apple gels with me on the run, used them all and at mile 21 thought it would be good to have another one. So in the dark, they (the people at the aid station) handed me a gel, which I tore open and started to squirt into my mouth. I hope there was no one behind me, because I spit it back out so fast it wasn't even funny and then grabbed water, swished out my mouth and spit it back out (all while running an 8:45 min mile). Sure enough, it was chocolate. I ran the next mile thinking it was so incredibly ironic that the biggest fear I had about the race would come true...but not until the last couple miles of the race. For me, part of doing this race is about breaking bad habits and replacing them with new, healthier ones.

I never experienced the highs and lows that people say you experience during an Ironman. I can honestly say I was just happy through the whole thing. When the flats happened I hopped off my bike, changed them and kept on going. When the first one happened, I just figured the powers-that-be were telling me to back off and enjoy myself...I was concerned when the next two happened, but I just knew I had to roll with the punches because getting annoyed wouldn't get me anywhere any faster. I felt on top of the world during the run, smiling at everybody, yelling back at my friends that came to watch and smiling for the cameras. Attitude is such an important part of the race. I think I could have let the bike ruin my race, but I had a goal for the marathon, that I really wanted to meet. And when I got off my bike, I knew that I couldn't go sub-12 unless I ran a sub-3:40 marathon. It’s difficult to describe in writing, but I felt positive through the whole race. I was just so happy to be out there and kept thinking that this was the best way to spend a Saturday--having people to clear the roads, cheer you on and bring you food so you can just run, bike and swim all day :)


Patricia M. McAndrew is a member of the triathlon team at University of Hawaii.

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"Thoughts on My First Ironman" - Submitted by Caroline Perera

Article submitted by: Caroline Perera

The scariest part of my journey was the unknown. What would a mass swim start with 2,000 athletes be like? Would I bonk during the ride? Would I get a flat? Would I be able to run my first marathon ever? Would I be able to walk the next day?

I felt a little calmer after I registered and received my wrist bracelet identifying myself as an athlete. Before that point, I was afraid that strangers assumed that it was my boyfriend rather than me who would be competing in the race on Saturday.

The infamous swim start had loomed in my mind for months and had been the subject of countless, anxiety-producing nightmares. In my dreams, I had been kicked, swum over and pushed back onto the beach by huge, crashing waves. When I arrived in Panama City, the waves of my nightmares were a reality. The horrifying and sad story about the athlete in town for the race who had lost his life in those waves terrified me. I gathered my courage and went for a swim on Thursday, despite the fact that the red (translation DO NOT SWIM) flags were flying. While I did manage to get past the breakers, I didn’t swim out far. I couldn’t get the thought of that triathlete lost out of my head; his death continues to remind me that the ocean is a powerful force and that triathlon is indeed a dangerous sport.

Veteran Ironmen assured me that the water would flatten out, and sure enough it was smooth and almost glassy on race day. Saturday morning the temperature was cold and the cold sand seemed bone chilling. I kissed Scott good-bye and filed through the Gatorade arch and over the timing mat. I waded ankle deep into the water to keep my feet warm and I watched the holding pen slowly fill up with athletes as the sun rose over the horizon. A cluster of women gathered together and we began to exchange nervous advice and reassurance. I met a woman who was making a second attempt at Ironman after experiencing an asthma attack during the swim this year at Lake Placid. I met the Degree athlete Michelle who had trained with the pros for six months. Boy was I jealous! I met a few people who had never swum in the ocean before.

When the cannon sounded, I quickly ditched my plan to wait for the bulk of swimmers to start, and to head out behind them. I stood in the shallow water and watched while some swimmers dolphined into the deeper water but many stood waist deep as if they were hesitating. Maybe it was impatience, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I jogged deeper, dove into the warm water and began to swim. I didn’t swim on the outside of the pack as I had planned. Instead, I found a niche for myself somewhere behind the fast swimmers and in front of the slow swimmers. I found a pace and kept it. I swam a wide turn around the first turn buoy and paused to watch the other swimmers. The scene looked like the final scene of The Titanic. Hundreds of black-wetsuited figures were bobbing in the water, arms flailing as they rounded the buoy. I felt relaxed, strong, and in control during the swim. This being my first Ironman experience, I didn’t have any expectation for my swim time. I remember exiting the first lap of the swim and as I gulped a cup of Gatorade, hearing the announcer say that Michelle Jones has just finished the swim. I figured that I was right on track.

Ironman is like having a baby. Even after one asks for the truth, an Ironman doesn’t tell the whole story. Key information, both good and bad, is omitted from their stories. It’s like the post-birth amnesia that sets in when a mother looks at her new baby and she can no longer remember the horrific labor just completed. When people ask me how my race was, I don’t usually tell them about retching over my aerobars from mile 80 to mile 90 of the bike. Or about stopping to throw up, a la Natascha Baadman, within the first few miles of the marathon. I recall the “bubble” of amazing support that I entered. There is nothing like having your bike handed to you by an encouraging volunteer as you head out from T1, or having a friendly stranger help you tie your running shoes before you head out to run the marathon. I had been told that the volunteers are great. And it’s not that they are better than my neighbors on Long Island who volunteer to support triathletes at our local races, but... I was blown away by how far the Ironman volunteers went to make my race day special.

So, what have I learned?
• Ship you bike to the race site. I watched bike after bike be unloaded from the small airplane taking us from Memphis to Panama City and left behind on the tarmac as their owners looked on with anger and utter disbelief.
• What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
• It’s not the speed, its getting there that counts.
• Wait until the day after the race to shop at the expo.
• That the Ironman really will change your life. I used to snicker at people who seemed to have entire wardrobes of Ironman logo wear. I am well on my way to acquiring my own collection and wear the logo with pride. I understand it now.

My experience has also taught me that a lot of triathletes are unduly scared of Ironman. You don’t have to swim three times a week with a masters swim team, spend hours on a computrainer, or be capable to running a sub four hour marathon, you do need to have the commitment to doing the training. Hiring a coach was the smartest decision I made. My coach Lee mapped out my training in four-week cycles and worked to fit my training into my life. Lee took the guesswork out of the equation. The money I spent on coaching was worth every penny, and I got much more in return than I ever would have from a new set of race wheels. I made choices about my priorities. I missed a few months of my book group because if I had to hire a babysitter, and I would rather spend a few hours getting in a good bike workout. I scheduled babysitters for my long runs and long bike workouts days ahead of time. If both of my kids were out of the house at playdates, I went running. While my busy life left little room for flexibility, it kept me on schedule. I did my first 16-mile run mid-afternoon on a brutally hot, sunny July day because that was when I could fit it in.

I have received more than my fair chare of “You did The Ironman? I can’t believe it!” remarks. Maybe it is because I look more like the mother who would be helping at the school bookfair than what these people think an Ironman looks like. I now proudly show off my Ironman tattoo and drive my minivan with the Ironmom vanity license plates. I feel like I am living proof of the Ironman slogan – Anything is Possible!

by Caroline Perera

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Triathlon's Flag Flying at Half Mast

Triathlon's Flag Flying at Half Mast

Ross Clark (left) and Liam McLaughlin (right) were killed during a rocket attack in southern Afghanistan on Saturday

In the Los Angeles Airport yesterday, I met a soldier at Starbucks who had returned from Iraq a mere two hours before - he was now just one flight away from getting home. I introduced myself and simply said, “thanks.” He graciously welcomed the gesture yet appeared wary of how the world would react to him.

The effect of the war on him as a soldier strongly showed in his eyes. We spoke briefly. He expressed his shock that the news only covered the negativity of the war and the not the other work and progress he saw in Iraq. He considered the 'negative' to be 10% of the total "happenings" and the other 90% to be positive, rebuilding, new roads, schools, buildings and utilities, all built with the help and support of the US military.

While we all wish for world peace, it is important to remember a soldier’s sacrifice. I was so grateful for the opportunity to thank a hero for his courage and more importantly—for his perspective.

This week I read a few news stories online about recently fallen triathletes, one in southern Afghanistan, one in South Africa and one in the UK.

• Skilled Triathlete and British solider Ross Clark died at twenty-five yesterday.He was killed from a rocket-propelled grenade attack while on guard duty. For more on this story, click here
• A twenty-eight year old Belgian triathlete Dieter Vanderbeke drowned at a beach 100km south of Mthatha near Nqileni village Friday morning. For more on this story, click here.
• And a triathlete in London who, at age 29, died in his sleep of a heart defect. For the story, click here.

I am sending comforting thoughts and wishes to their families.

Our sport, much like life – has both inspiration and tragedy. Be safe out there, not just on your bike, but in all the non-triathlon parts of your life, from the local freeway to Iraq, from your diet to your Doctor's visits. Take care of yourself.

I contemplate the tragedy of our fallen triathletes in relation to my newfound airport friend, the soldier. As he and I parted ways, I watched him slowly walk through the crowd. Dressed in full camouflage, he stuck out amongst the other travelers wearing comfortable flying attire. He walked cautiously as if walking through a minefield - a minefield filled with opinions of him as a soldier, and of the war. I cannot imagine how difficult it was for him to keep his spirits up while fighting for a county that was not 100% behind the war he was fighting.

I could see in his eyes that he had faced challenging adversities, yet he still held onto the inspirational things—rebuilding Iraq and rebuilding his life at home. Life is filled with challenges and tragedy, but we must remember to keep things in perspective and to never lose our inspiration - and to do everything we reasonably can to stay safe.

Godspeed soldiers, and triathletes worldwide - watch your back.

Mitch

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"My Journey to Triathlon" - Submitted by Maria Collette Sundeen

Article Submitted by: Maria Collette Sundeen

I don’t know when the idea of competing in a triathlon entered my head, but it happened some time after the end of my last long-term relationship, when I picked up the pace on my co-ed soccer team and shelled out a mound of cash for a three-year gym membership. Eventually I was working out five days a week. My heart was bruised, but I was in the best shape I’d been in in 10 years. But, I was a real novice and I didn’t know anything about endurance sports.

The first mistake I made was to overtrain. I used to be a sprinter. I started competing at the age of 10 and ran up through my third year of college, where I qualified for the northern state championships. For five years I lived in Los Angeles without a car. For anyone who knows anything about LA, this is phenomenal. I rode my bike everywhere. And while I had absolutely no real experience swimming, I loved the water. On road trips, my parents used to stop at hotels with a pool just for me and I would swim out there all by myself, even in the middle of rainstorms. I have paddled out on a surfboard on some pretty big waves even though I can’t stand up all the way. Heck, a triathlon was in my soul somehow.

I started cross-training on the bike machines and running hard. And I was still playing full regulation-time soccer on Sundays (that’s 45-minute halves to you folks), where I typically got beat up by guys weighing 50+ pounds more than me. When I started to feel a little worn out, I ignored it. And when I started feeling something coming on I went to the gym and did two-hours to “work it out.”

Needless to say, I went down for the count, the count being six months and the threat of hospitalization. When I went back to the soccer team I was pathetic, and in my weakened condition my left knee gave out again. I had been playing and running and biking and skiing with a brace for 10 years – the result of an earlier soccer injury. Now I couldn’t lie to myself. My plans of being a contender were over, at least for a while.

It wasn’t until three years later – after ACL replacement surgery and months of physical therapy – that I went back to running and the idea of a triathlon. So I volunteered to work at the Treasure Island Triathlon near San Francisco. I showed up at 6 am and guided racers and worked at aid stations, watching the people and checking out gear. I was in really bad shape, but I saw several people who looked in worse shape than I was and I watched them finish. It was amazing and awe-inspiring and humbling. These people weren’t concerned about time splits or winning. To them, winning was finishing, and inside my brain the light went on.

So I joined up with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program and, in honor of my beloved aunties, I began training 5-6 days a week. I committed. I had five and a half months to train for an Olympic-distance triathlon.

To start, I had to completely kill my ego. I was used to being not just good, but being one of the best. Triathlons require pacing, patience and this relentless push up to the outside edge of your comfort zone, and then you have to stay there. I was used to hauling out as fast as I could. This strategy wasn’t going to work for me in my sorry condition, or for a long distance event.

Then I had to face reality. I couldn’t just eat whatever and train as hard as I wanted. I got educated about patience, nutrition and planning. I was already eating pretty healthy stuff, but I shifted gears, ate at different intervals and consumed basic supplements like vitamins, electrolyte replacements and protein powder. From my wise Coach Chris I learned about negative splits, which I remembered from college track meets. It had always seemed odd to me that the long distance runners would plot out their race time to the lap. When you’re running 200 meters, you don’t plot out anything, you just run like hell. But learning to shift your pace within each element of the race and throughout the course is an important part of expanding your limits and conserving strength for the next big section or the monstrous hill around the corner. Work your body into it and, if you’ve trained well, strength and speed will kick in. You’ll know when to go hard and when to back off.

And I wanted all of it to be stress-free. I was still recovering – physically and mentally – and was more afraid of an injury than anything, so I under-paced myself. I wanted to just build up endurance and feel out that frontier, the wild physical edge I hadn’t been near in years. There were moments with my team when I felt a twinge of embarrassment and humiliation when I plodded in long after they’d finished, but they were incredibly supportive and positive. I couldn’t have asked for a greater group of people to make me comfortable with the path I had chosen. When race time came around, I was calm and only slightly nervous. I had trained. I had eaten. And I had everything I needed.

The swim started off badly. For some reason, the swell came up on that part of Maui. This was great for surfing, but not for open swims. Within that first quarter mile, I must have swallowed about a half-gallon of ocean water, which I vomited back to the sea along the way. It was a horrible feeling – I knew I could swim faster than I was, but I choked, literally, and spent a couple hundred yards getting back my equilibrium. By the time I got back into my groove, I was already behind the pace I had set for myself.

After a few miles on the bike, I felt better. I drank. I ate. I always think of the bike as my snack time. And if Lance Armstrong can eat a PB&J during the Tour de France, I can eat my peanut butter ClifBar and take it easy.

I have to admit that the bike is my weakest link. It’s just too long. There were only two moments during my training when I actually questioned what I was doing, and both of them were on the bike. My personal philosophy is that we should be able to ride a bit, coast, stop and have a picnic, ride a bit more. When I told my friends Evy and John about this strange fantasy (she’s a bike racer and he’s a professional squash coach), they laughed at me. “You’re not there mentally Maria. You gotta spin the bike.”

So with that in my head, I took it on and felt great. The best part was passing people climbing up the hills, some of which were so steep that racers were actually getting off their bikes to walk. In those moments I blessed my Bay Area training coaches and those months of tortuous hill riding. But I started to lag. I just wanted to run and the 2-loop course was confusing. Because the course had several tentacles, it was hard to tell where you were in the race. Then the sun seemed to get hotter and my ice-filled water pack turned warm. In the midst of this misery -- as I was chugging along in the heat on a straight-away before the turnaround -- a woman passed me from the other direction, put her hands up in the air and yelled, “I love Maui!”

I looked over and saw the cliffs of Maui I had just climbed, the towering palm trees, the bright green foliage, and the shimmering sea beyond. It was beautiful and I was on a tropical island competing in an Olympic distance triathlon. I smiled then. How could you not love it?

The transition from bike to run was less than 30 seconds. I counted. And even though I barely made the bike cut, I cruised out of there happy to have made it and to finally be on my own two legs. On my way out I saw one of our team captains, Troy, a speedy marathoner who had already finished his race. I pushed aside the fact that he was already done and I still had an hour to go and remembered a strategy he shared with me. I saw everyone in front of me, aimed for them, and ran past them. I ended up walking about half a mile, only because it was blazing hot running through the lava fields and I had to pee badly. But I took down about 20 people at the end and redeemed myself in my own mind. I had done it and finished strong. Nobody could ask for more than that.

Any way you look at it, a triathlon is a rough ride. Endurance means learning about yourself and being in your own head for a very long time. You learn about your limits, your fears, your strengths, and your inadequacies. You learn where you can push yourself willingly, and where the race pushes you unwillingly. It’s a tug of war, a compromise with the forces of nature.

The reality is that it’s a personal war – a war against fatigue, laziness, stagnation and time. It’s not logical or anything remotely sensible. It’s just about working the machine.

Although I chose to gracefully retire from soccer (while I could still be graceful), I’m still coaching, and I have two more triathlons coming up – a sprint and another Olympic distance in October. Now I can finally work on some speed and cutting out that extra hour of “fat time” that I took as a luxury. And every time I swim, or bike, or run, I will hear that voice from the crest of the Maui hill. Love the moment. Live it. Embrace it.

Maria Collette Sundeen is a filmmaker, writer and triathlete living in Berkeley, CA. You can read the training blog on her first triathlon at http://ruff-girl.blogspot.com.

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Come Bike With Me - Mitch Thrower's Video Blog Issue 2

I made this 2 min video for a great friend and the CFO of Triathlete magazine, Steve Gintowt to help keep him inspired through the East Coast winters. It's a crazy short bike ride along a crazy coast of what appears to be the west coast of somewhere. Turn up your speakers and push the play button below...

Online Videos by Veoh.com

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Chrissie Evans Blog - MultiStage Racing

Have you ever wanted to do a MultiStage race? There are several global series, but it can be hard to find them - they often don’t market to the US and nearby.

My friend Chrissie Evans is planning on quite a few races at end of this year. She is keen on is the race around Corsica. It’s October 27th, 6 stages around the coast of Corsica’s mountainous Mediterranean island.

This year, you can follow her new blog at www.chrissieevans.blogspot.com where you can also find other details and check out some MultiStage races. Last year’s race attracted Europe’s 100K champion…the event only requires a hydration pack…and of course - daily massages.

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A Letter From Jocelyn

Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 7:57 PM
To: mthrower@triathletemag.com
Subject: Good One!

Dear Mitch,
On a fateful google search (of something only vaguely related!) I landed on your blog. I am not a triathlete but I read your entry from your encounter with the lady with Parkinson's on your flight to London-it caught my eye because I've just returned home from living there for 2 years. I thought it was an absolutely fantastic entry. I work with people with a wide variety of illnesses who have taught me more about living than I could ever express to you. The fact that you showed her kindness and sensitivity when you come from a completely different perspective of the physical world made me smile. I'm sure she will always remember it as well.

Good Luck in all your triathletic pursuits!
-Jocelyn

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Click here to read the blog entry she is referring to.

Ironmitch Video Blog Post #1 - Training in NYC in February

I thought my friend Steve Byers was kidding when he said there was an all-night Starbucks here in NYC, but in fact there are two in Manhattan and they are always open. I am starting the weekly or semi weekly blog entries of my Triathlon and Life Adventures today, so here is the first of a series of short video blog entries from around the world. Turn up your speakers and click the play button in the video below.

So.... Live from New York - this is a brief, chilly, funny attempt to work out at the Reebok Club...

-- Push play in the screen below --

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Lecture in NYC Tomorrow Night - Mitch Thrower Presents 10 Secret Tips for Triathlon Excellence & A Few Life Lessons for Passion and Profit

I'm sitting on the tarmac at Kennedy Airport. The plane currently in our arrival gate can not push back because of this crazy ice blizzard on the east coast this Valentine's day. I'm here in NYC for meetings and also giving a presentation tomorrow. If you can come - please do: Mitch Thrower Presents 10 Secret Tips for Triathlon Excellence & A Few Life Lessons from Passion and Profit.

7:00PM February 15th, Thursday 2007
Location: SBR MULTISPORTS
SBR is located on the north west corner of 58th street and 7th Avenue.
(203 West 58th)

Forgive the nutty self-promotion below - but this is what they put in the newsletter promoting the lecture tomorrow night. You know PR is full of fluff - I'm just a normal guy devoted to participatory sports who loves Triathlon. Do you remember that stuff Marshmallow Fluff? Can you imagine if they served Fluffernutter sandwiches (a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff combo) at triathlon aid stations with no water?

From the SBR Newsletter: “Mitch Thrower is an accomplished author, entrepreneur, and a 16x Ironman triathlete who is coming to SBR to share his tips for excelling in the sport of triathlon as well as lessons for balancing your passions and professional life. Mitch Thrower is the Author of "The Attention Deficit Workplace: Winning Strategies for Success in Today’s Fast-Paced Business Environment," and is the author of the popular monthly column, "Starting Lines" in Triathlete Magazine, and the Ironmitch.com blog. A serial entrepreneur, Thrower is the co-founder of The Active Network, Inc, a software, marketing and registration powerhouse. Thrower is also one of the owners of Triathlete Magazine. In addition, he co-founded and was the CEO of The Active Europe Network, Ltd. -- which operates using Active’s business model in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Thrower is also Chairman of The La Jolla Foundation, a foundation whose first initiative is Project Active, a non-profit program that provides money, mentoring, encouragement and education to areas of world tension, most recently providing soccer balls and jerseys to the children of Iraq, Haiti and Mexico. Mitch’s presentation will include the top 10 tips for Triathlon Excellence, contagious excellence, shortcuts to passion, lessons from the business of Triathlete Magazine and the Active.com story." Blah, blah, blah... I just hope I can make some folks laugh when I tell them what happened to me the first time I clipped my bike shoes to my bike...

This is a FREE event. Please RSVP to alison@sbrshop.com
Phone: 1-888-swim-bike-run

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Triathlete Magazine Summit

This past week, following the Multisports Triathlon camp, the Triathlete Magazine team and the Board of Advisors gathered in Encinitas, California for a two day summit to discuss the expansion of Triathlete's business worldwide.

With white board strategy sessions and thought provoking bike rides and runs along the California Coastline - it was an amazing few days. John Duke, the CEO of Triathlete Magazine, kept everyone informed, entertained and on schedule -- John's been at the helm of Triathlete since 1998, and has done a fantastic job managing the inherent chaos of a high-quality monthly magazine. He's got some wonderful suprises for readers and the industry planned, so stay tuned.

So, here is a question: How would YOU - the amazing reader of Triathlete Magazine, improve the magazine?- what would you recommend? What additional things would you do/offer to better serve the reader and the triathletes around the world? Send your recommendations to me anytime. Put Triathlete Magazine in the subject header and send them to: mthrower@triathletemag.com

Photos: Top:- Wesley Hein, Matt Barger, Sean Watkins, Kai Baumgartner, Russ Crabs and uber-journalist and strategist - Cameron Elford.
Bottom: On a short break on one of the Sunset-Bike-Strategy-Sessions - I caught this photo of Triathlete Magazine Board member Matt Barger.

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Photos from the Endurance Sports Awards Night

Last weekend, Competitor Magazine hosted the Endurance Sports Awards at Sea World. Publishing legend Bob Babbitt and Mike Reilly, the voice of the Ironman, introduced video montages, athlete speeches, a Scott bicycle giveaway and the endurance sports superstars. The ceremony ended with the Competitor of the Year Award, given to ALS Warrior Poet, Jon “Blazeman” Blais. Click here for more information on Jon. And Click here for a live radio interview with Jon.

Jon came to the stage, stood up and made a speech and the story of his battle had the room filled with tears and cheers. Chris McCormack and Michellie Jones won awards, as did Tour de France winner Floyd Landis. Andy Baldwin received a Humanitarian Award that night, and when Andy took the stage, the crowd went wild in support of his next adventure, as "The Bachelor" on ABC in the spring.

Click this slideshow below for more photos from the Endurance Sports Awards.

* Slideshow *

Endurance Sports Awards (photos from www.anamique.com and from www.competitor.com)

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Project Active Letter From Mitch Thrower Read to the Children of Afghanistan

A few years ago, I started a foundation - The La Jolla Foundation - which sat dormant for a few years until it was given official non-profit status - but the initiative to give something back was set in stone. And now as an official 501C3, one of our ongoing programs is Project Active - http://www.projectactive.org/ - a mission to diffuse world tensions through sport. The project has sent Soccer balls to Iraq, Haiti and Mexico. This past week - one of our shipments of Shoes made it to Afghanistan - thanks to Nick MacFalls, the Director of "From Our Feet" who contributed the shoes for our distribution. And our hats are off to the amazing CPT Conrad Jakubow (seen reading in the video below) who coordinated the distribution on the ground -- and he also started cricket and soccer tournaments in Chamkani-- Conrad is a big supporter of the youth groups in this area. And a special thanks to Dr. Ghazi, the head of the local youth group in the area. Also our gratitude for Michelle Matricardi, the operations director at Project Active, for her work on this drop. Just prior to the distribution, they read an e-mail from me to the children. Here is what they read. You can watch a video of this touching moment by clicking the play button below.

Here is the actual text read in the video above: "Reaching across boundaries of politics, religion, geography and history – I am just one man, in just one country who started this foundation to send athletic equiptment around the world – to bring us all together and remind us that we are on this big planet together. Let us forgive those that went before us who hated each other and hurt each other – and let us now, instead, pick up a soccer ball, play a game together anywhere around the world. My heartfelt greetings to my new friends I may never meet in Afghanistan and on behalf of the Project Active Foundation – may these shoes carry you on a peaceful journey through life – filled with love, joy, happiness and sport.”
Mitch Thrower, Chairman of Project Active

To contribute just click this banner --->

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Martin Dugard, Author of "Chasing Lance", Has a Blog!

Martin Dugard is the New York Times bestselling author of Chasing Lance, a behind-the-scenes look at life at the Tour de France. His dispatches have appeared in Sports Illustrated, Esquire and GQ. He has has a blog with his take on the world of endurance sports, global travel and random adventure. His daily posts offer a great insight into sports and history. Check it out at http://dugardsports.typepad.com/

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Greetings from Singapore - Submitted by Terry Walsh

Article Submitted by: Terry Walsh

Mitch,

I am living and working in Singapore. I am employed in Interbank Treasury, specializing in G7 forward interest rates. Having been involved in this hyper-aggressive environment since I was 24, I nevertheless still find it challenging, although my passion has diminished. Burnout perhaps.

In 2000, I decided to slow down the nightlife and get my life in order. Since then I have met and recently married my lovely wife, who incidentally is Singaporean. Additionally, I decided that I was bored with lifting weights in the gym and staring in the mirror, and promptly decided to become a triathlete. Although being unable to swim properly, I self-coached, and completed my first OD a year later. Since then, I have completed numerous triathlons, half-IM's and two IM's, including Hawaii last October ( 12.30.46 ).

I respect your viewpoint and writing on the various subjects you have written about in Triathlete Magazine, so here I am with your book. Having just completed Desaru Long Distance ( HIM ), my training load will be subsiding now for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be reading your book on the beach!

Sincerely,

Terry Walsh

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Our First Ironman - Submitted by Angela Meakins

Article Submitted by: Angela Meakins

There are people that we came across in our lives that challenge us to be better. They challenge us to get uncomfortable, to leave our safe place and to realize our full potential. For me, my husband Walter Bergman has been one of those people in my life ~ with so much love, respect, thanks and appreciation; I share my Ironman victory with him.

Walter not only believed in me but he realized my potential and capabilities well before I even did. His constant encouragement and unfailing support is what lead me to join the twenty two hundred other swimmers on the beach of Lake Coeur d’Alene on June 25th. Three and a half months earlier, when I decided to do Ironman, I could not swim and I had never even done a triathlon… and from April 23rd on, I had been plagued with shin splints from overtraining, but…

There I stood, at 7a.m., June 25th. The 2.4 mile swim for me was terrifying. Within the first 10 minutes I panicked, and truly thought that it was all over before it had even begun. As I was just about to lose it, an old man calmly inching forward at a very slow paced breast stroke said to me, “It’s doable. It doesn’t seem like it but it is. Just keep your head down and keep moving forward. You’ll be fine”. So, I did; and at 8.38am, I exited the water. At that point, I was already a winner.

The 112 mile bike was…long…hot (100 degrees)…and grueling. The locals were out in full force cheering us on. For the first 50 miles, the encouragement was very much appreciated - until LUNCH! With the stroke of noon, came the BBQ’s, the tubs filled with ice cold beer, the hamburgers and steaks…the torture. As we were cheered on by onlookers with a beer in one hand and a burger or hot dog in the other, all I could think was you’re seriously kidding me! (Perhaps my thoughts were a little more colorful than that at the time.) But I know that they meant well. Eight hours and nineteen minutes later, I arrived back from my ride to start the 26.2 mile run. After learning that Walter had been unable to complete the ride, I was more determined than ever to reach that finish line for both of us.

I ran as much of the marathon as I could, while nursing shin splints and dealing with the crazy heat. The people that I met day we amazing; they each had incredible stories as to what had brought them there that day ~ not one the same. Many I spoke with were on their 3rd or 5th Ironman… some in their late 50’s even 60’s. How could I not finish??

As I neared the finish line I was greeted with so much love along with very loud cheers and yelling, the loudest of all from Walter. We walked together hand in hand for the last 200 yards, and in the background you could hear, “Angela Meakins from La Jolla, California….today you are an Ironman.” Without a doubt, it was one of the best days of my life. It may have taken me 16 hours and 48 minutes but I did it. I had pushed myself harder than I ever had before, both mentally and physically. The finish line was the reward of four months of training, sweat, pain, fun, lots of laughs and tears. Was it worth it? Every minute… YES.

What no one (other than myself and Walter) knew that day was this: Walter was not the only Bergman Ironman there with me that day crossing the finish line… We shared that moment with our 9 week old IRONMAN BABY. I believe that being pregnant that day is what kept me safe. I had promised Walter that I would take my time, that I would keep my body temperature down, that I would keep a close watch on my heart rate, and that I would do everything to ensure that both I and the baby remained safe. I did just that, and crossed the finish line knowing that I had kept my word to him and to myself.

By Angela Meakins

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An Amazing Letter to Mitch Thrower from Russell Staker

Every month, I am honored to receive e-mails about my column in Triathlete Magazine. This month, I must have hit a nerve, because I received hundreds of e-mails from readers sharing with me their stories about their Dads, their lives and their dreams. Every one was amazing. Below you will find one of them from Russell Staker.

Train Smart,
Mitch Thrower

p.s. Send me your thoughts or reflections anytime: mthrower@triathletemag.com

From: Staker, Russell
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 2:56 PM
To: Mitch THROWER; mthrower@triathletemag.com
Subject: Hey Mitch, What Are You Going To Be Today?

Mitch,

I’ve written to you before and I don’t mean to be a bother to you or take from your busy day, but once again, I’ve been greatly inspired and touched by your words. I was on a flight from Burbank to Las Vegas for a business meeting (I’m in Hospital sales for a large Biotechnology company based in Thousand Oaks) on Tuesday and took along the latest issue of Triathlete (Feb. 2007) and turned to your Starting Lines piece (it’s the first thing I read each month when I open the magazine) entitled "This Time Around."  When I got to the part about your Dad asking, “Hey Mitch, what are you going to be today?” I felt the tears welling up and burning my eyes. Of course, I’m a 6’4” dude and at 7:45 AM I wouldn’t want anyone in the seat next to me to think I was off my rocker (or maybe that I had burned my mouth with hot coffee), but nonetheless your words meant a great deal to me as man, triathlete, father, and human being.

I have a similar relationship with my Dad (he’s still living) and your sentiment and expression reiterated to me how life is about balance and keeping the right priorities whilst holding onto the memories of the pure and good things that keep us grounded in who we are and where we’re going. I too believe, as Helan Steller who wrote and sang: “This time around, you can be anyone.” Triathlon is more than just a sport in motion, it’s a way of life and it’s a metaphor for all the little and big things that matter to the person reaching for his/her goals (whatever they may be). Triathlon has saved me many times and as I navigate my 30s will be a good compass in the years ahead for life in general.

So thank you again for your writing, for your words and for the universal themes that keep your expression relevant and real to me and to anyone else that is fortunate enough to start each month with "Mitch Thrower’s Starting Lines"’

I’m a father of a 2 and-a-half year old little girl and I’m going to ask her the same question, on a regular basis as she gets older, that your father asked you. It’s a beautiful question indeed, one of hope and possibility and most of all, love.

Cheers mate, 

Russell Staker
Thousand Oaks, California

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Catch Triathlete Andy Baldwin on "The Bachelor" on ABC TV

SEASON PREMIERE

ANDY BALDWIN - A REAL-LIFE "OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN," PLUS A DOCTOR AND AN ACCOMPLISHED TRIATHLETE - CHALLENGES HIMSELF TO FIND TRUE LOVE WHEN "THE BACHELOR: OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN" PREMIERES, MONDAY, APRIL 2 ON ABC

The Tenth Edition of ABC's Popular Romance Reality Series Begins With a Special Rose Guaranteed to Bring the Claws Out; 

U.S. Navy Lieutenant Andy Baldwin, M.D., 30, an undersea medical officer for a special operations dive unit stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - a real-life "officer and a gentleman" - faces the most exciting mission of his life -- finding true love -- when the tenth edition of ABC's popular romance reality series, "The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman," premieres MONDAY, APRIL 2 (9:45-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Andy, an accomplished triathlete and winner of recent humanitarian awards for his work in Laos last summer -- on a military mission where he treated over 600 Laotians in remote mountain villages -- grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he was valedictorian in high school and a competitive swimmer who made All-American. He was even named ESPN's National Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1995. The Navy offered him a full ROTC scholarship, which he took and went to Duke University, where he was a varsity letter winner on the men's swim team and began training for marathons, all while taking a pre-med course load and earning a degree in biology, with a concentration in genetics.


After graduating Duke with honors, he enrolled in the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine and was a surgical intern at Naval Hospital San Diego, where he graduated in 2003.In this premiere episode, "1001," a yacht anchored off Los Angeles becomes Andy's private refuge, while the women take over their own house. And so the handsome doctor begins his marathon run to find the woman of his dreams. When the bachelorettes arrive to party and meet Andy, they are quick to find out that the competition starts immediately - right as they get out of their cars. This time it really is a "first impression" rose that Andy must deliver to one lucky lady as she arrives, and it's enough to send daggers flying between the 25 new bachelorettes.

As the party begins, Andy lets slip that it's his birthday and the news spreads like wildfire around the room. One woman shares a special bonding moment with the Bachelor when she reveals it's also her birthday. What will two other bachelorettes cook up when they sneak off to the kitchen to whip up something for Andy's special 30th birthday? The bachelorettes pull out all the stops to impress Andy: One female body-builder challenges Andy to a push-up contest, an acrobatic bachelorette is so taken by the Bachelor she literally does back flips for him in her evening dress in a must-see demonstration, and yet another woman treats Lieutenant Baldwin to a patriotic serenade of "The Star Spangled Banner."The pressure mounts as the evening goes on and sparks fly between two tipsy bachelorettes when one falls down.

Andy must eliminate ten of the 25 women the first night, leaving 15 to compete for his affections. In the end, one woman explodes in a tirade when she misses out on the last rose. A list of the bachelorettes will be released shortly. In bringing the iconic romantic movie "An Officer and a Gentleman" to real life, the women during the course of this season's "Bachelor" must be prepared to participate in a high energy "boot camp," complete with a "drill sergeant," plus triathlon events (swimming, biking and running) and race car driving. With Andy's true humanitarian spirit a large factor in his life, the bachelorettes will also participate in a charity event for an inner city school in Los Angeles.

Many other adventurous dates will test the ladies' perseverance in pursuing their romantic objective, along with fun, exciting and exotic dates that will elicit real and raw emotions. As in the past, women will continue to be eliminated each week, but if, at any point along the way, a woman should decide that she's no longer interested in the Bachelor, she can reject his invitation to continue dating. Some lucky women will meet his family, and he will visit their hometowns for a slice of their life in an effort to determine the woman with whom he is most compatible. At the end of the journey, the Bachelor may quite possibly have found true love.

But the big question is: After all of this, will he pop the question, and will she say yes? Hosted by Chris Harrison, "The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman" is a production of Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss and Lisa Levenson are the executive producers. Martin Hilton and David Bohnert are the co-executive producers."The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman" is broadcast with Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. A TV parental guideline will be posted closer to airdate.Note: Photos of "The Bachelor" are available at www.abcmedianet.com or 818-460-6611. ABC Media Relations Contact:Cathy Rehl (212) 456-6749; cathy.rehl@abc.com

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More Resources
www.andybaldwin.com

MYSPACE Fan Site

Click the play button below for a video from Andy's Laos Trip

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This New Year - Share Some Ideas Can Change The World

photo: New Year's Eve 2007

Happy New Year! It's 2007, and this year it's time for all the triathletes around the world to generate new ideas and share them with the world.

I would love it, if, when I signed my credit card slip at Starbucks - I could be handed an anti-bacterial pen. I'm sure they exist. Someone call China, quick and order some and call all the supermarkets and coffee shops around the world. You could call it the BAC instead of the BIC - but someone please take this idea and run with it. Call me crazy - or a germaphobe, or just call me someone who does not want to miss Sunday's swim practice because some yahoo sneezed a nasty sinus infection onto the pen at starbucks.

Some of my great friends now have little ones and they have all purchased baby joggers. Let's re-invent it - and call it the "Kid-NAP Generating Baby Jogger," and put small snap-in pedals that allowed the kid to pedal casually or aggressively to help a) push the jogger along, and b) to help tire the kid out - so he can take his nap and the moms and dads could then recharge while the little nuclear power plant is out of commission for an hour or two. Let the kids pedal!

This year, I'd also love to be able to buy a starbucks coffee - and ask them for the "Starbucks Triathlete" which, of course would have vanilla protein powder, a sprinkle of vitamins and even some bee pollen. Imagine starting your day with a caffeinated health smoothie from Starbucks. We could go faster, healthier. I'm not talking about that fake fruit blended syrup thingamajig they make - but a vanilla or chocolate POWER Starbucks coffee called the "Starbucks Triathlete." If anyone from Starbucks is reading this - feel free to contact me - and we at Triathlete Magazine would partner with you to find the right protein powder and formula, and we'd even license the name to you! Just please create the power Triathlete Coffee.

Do you have any ideas that would change the world? As a triathlete - your blood is pumping powerfully through your body and to your mind – and that blood creates new ways of thinking – and shows us how to solve things with ideas - so use that oxygenated brain to generate and then share your ideas. Don't worry about someone stealing them - everyone has an idea - few execute on the idea. If you think you can make something make the leap from neuron to reality - then do it!

If you have any new or creative ideas for products or services related to Triathlon or not - then feel free to send them to me and I'll publish the best 5 here in the Ironmitch.com blog. Send them to mthrower@triathletemag.com

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Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Very Happy New Year

Holidays can be strange and wonderful times. In a way - they are an ever-so-brief chance to travel back in time because the familiar songs, food, icons will always remind us of holidays past.

This time of year, so many people poke their heads up from an otherwise unexamined life and look around. Often there is a pressure for a perfect family gathering - which almost never exists because all families have their issues - it's a byproduct of human interaction. This holiday was special for me because they aired a special on my dad's creation in 1966 of The Yule Log - a burning fireplace on TV in New York. You can get more information about this at the web site http://www.theyulelog.net/

This holiday - poke your head up and look around. Remember your past, marked with the magnifying glass of the holidays. Call someone that thinks you forgot about them and tell them that nothing's changed in your warm-heartedness towards them.

-Mitch

p.s. I had the most wonderful Christmas run today along the beach in La Jolla - Santa Anna blowing and it was about 70 degrees - which is warm for December.

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La Jolla Rainbow

I shot this photo outside my bedroom window this past week in La Jolla in the morning -- when a rainstorm was heading for the coast. It was a full circle rainbow, but too big for my camera.

What are you searching for at the end of the rainbow? Most people don't even know what they are really looking for, working towards and sometimes even where their rainbow is. Too often people stumble through life as if they're haphazardly choosing cereal at the grocery store.

Remember - the meter is running. The clock is ticking. For insight and inspiration, just add a % to your age. Think about that. Now go find and define for yourself a rainbow and a pot of gold and chase it with all your heart and soul.

-Mitch

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Seriously Hurt Lawyer Likens Recovery to "$6 Million Man"--by Ty Young

Triathlete George Esahak-Gage crossed the finish line of the Soma Triathlon in Tempe on Oct. 29, adding another victory to a career spanning more than two decades.

Twelve days later, he was in the Maricopa County Medical Center emergency room, fighting for his life. It took seven hours of surgery to repair his near-lifeless body after a car slammed into his bicycle at 35 mph.

After years of pushing his body to the limits, Esahak-Gage, 48, finds himself in the biggest challenge of his life. But everyone seems to agree: If anyone can do it, Esahak-Gage can.

"I'm taking whatever progress I make on a day-to-day basis," he said from his Ahwatukee Foothills home. "And in my mind I picture the finish line. I expect to be out there again."

One week after leaving the hospital, the lawyer is dealing with pain and exhaustion, two sensations not unknown to triathletes. But his multiple injuries are straight out of a physician's nightmare: five pelvic fractures, four broken ribs, two neck fractures, a broken leg, a punctured lung and broken bones in his back and shoulders.... to read the rest of this article click here.

by Ty Young
(full article available at The Arizona Republic - click link above)

How to donate: Local bicycling and triathlon group Team Vitesse has set up an online account for people to help with George Esahak-Gage's medical and recovery needs. Anyone wishing to donate simply needs to set up a Paypal account, click the "send money" tab, and enter the fund name.

Web site: www.paypal.com
Fund name: gagefund@yahoo.com.
Information: mikecdale@gmail.com.
To send a message: members.cox.net/janeandgeorge
Information about the Esahak-Gages: www.gagetotaltraining.com.

Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore: Registration Has Opened

Registration is open and accelerating for the all-new Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore ... so sign up right now for this sensational new event. The first Ironman 70.3 in Asia, this exciting new event is set in the amazing city/country of Singapore, located on the cross-roads of the world. Blessed with a similar climate, weather, temperature and humidity to Hawaii and Florida, a fact not lost on the world's elite Ironman and Ironman 70.3 competitors, the race is on to make the race.

The Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore promises one of the most unique events in the global Ironman 70.3 series, set in the CBD of Singapore itself… and with the launch of title sponsor, the organizers announced a minimum prize purse of $USD 30,000-00


Entry opened for the new Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore event on December 16th 2006, and in the first hours over 150 entries were signed up for this new event, with triathletes entering from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia, the USA and the UK. Athletes have signed on for their chance to compete over a unique course, and race for one of 75 qualifying slots on offer to the Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 race in Clearwater, Florida. The first Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore race will take place next September 2nd 2007 and promises to be a truly memorable event.

To register sign on at www.ironman703singapore.com

WPIX Yule Log News Story

I received an e-mail today from my friend Lindsey - "Mitch - I just read your quote on the AP News wire release - it's the lead story on the Associated Press Entertainment Page today" So I checked it out, and sure enough -- I found a story about my dad's creation "The Yule Log."

AP - Sun Dec 17, 1:08 PM ET NEW YORK - There's a Yule duel brewing this Christmas day. Not one, but two separate versions of "The Yule Log," one of television's oddest yet most heartwarming holiday habits, will beckon families as they open their gifts. (click here to read the full story).

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Slaying a Triathlon Dragon

We frequently seek out the giants of our sport, both elite athletes and coaches, for inspiration and guidance on how to get through difficult training or racing situations. We devour many books and articles on the subject and even attend seminars in the hope of building our mental toughness, to help us get through the pain, discomfort, and disillusionment that often and unexpectedly greet us in the sport of triathlon.

Sometimes the answer and inspiration we need doesn’t lie in the lofty advice that the pillars of our sport vouchsafe us in their words, but rather in the countenance of a young boy tackling his first swim-bike-and-run event.

The emotion, determination, and focus written on eight year old Drew Sundet’s face as he struggles with his first triathlon trial—the displaced goggle—can inspire us all on how to meet diversity with conviction and equanimity.

This past summer, Drew, the son of Mike and Amy Sundet, St. Louis, Missouri, participated in his first triathlon, at the second annual St. Louis Kid's Triathlon —an event that encompassed 100 yards of swimming in a community outdoor pool, biking 3 miles in a hilly St. Louis suburb, and running one-half mile on a track. All done in the high heat and humidity of a St. Louis summer. A daunting event indeed for the 70 or so 7-14 year old kids who participated in the annual event.

Here’s a kid who had the gumption not to stop in the middle of the pool and say, “Now what?” Or get ticked off and quit. With the poise and confidence of a Peter Ried—with his eyes closed no less—Drew takes in a huge breath, and begins to sweep his right arm out of the water for his next stroke. He swam to the end of the pool before he briefly stopped to reorient the recalcitrant goggles, which served him well in the remainder of the swim.

He completed the event in a blistering 27 minutes and 53 seconds—a PR! On the ride home, Drew said to his Dad, “I’m really happy, really proud, and really tired!.”

The next time you find yourself faced with a group start, shivering in the crisp morning air, worried about where you should position yourself to minimize getting kicked, whacked, swam over, and, heaven forbid—for those of us who wear contacts—getting your goggles knocked off, think of Drew. Take inspiration from this young man’s determination and stick-to-it attitude. In the mind of this 8 year old boy, he was truly slaying one of life’s dragons.

by Terry H. Grapentine - http://www.grapentine.com/

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The Active Network Holiday Party

Photo: Lancer Group CEO - Scott Dunklee, Active.com Legal Wizard - Kory Vossoughi, Active Marketing guru - Emily Nesselroad, General Manager of Active Europe - Laurent Gauthier, and Co-founder of Active.com - Mitch Thrower.

Close to a decade ago, I co-founded a San Diego based company called Active.com (The Active Network, Inc.) with the genius Hedge-fund-Manager, Scott Kyle, and the extraordinary entrepreneur, Jim Woodman.

It has become a very, very big company now - and it's always amazing to me when I go to the HQ office and compare its three floors to my apartment where it all started. The Active Network continues it's long time partnership with Triathlete Magazine to bring you the best in content and registration.

Active is now managed by the superfriends of management - with Dave Alberga as CEO and Matt Landa as President. I've been so impressed with the Active Network's profitable expansion under their leadership. Go Active!

We have had a holiday party every year, since we started. The first one was a few guys in a bar talking about the "internet" sometime in December of 1997 - and this past Thursday... the holiday party took over the roof on the hottest nightclub in San Diego - Stingaree.

Click on the photo album below for a snapshot of our Active Network Holiday Party...

Click here for more photos from The Active Network Holiday Party at Stingaree

I had to smile however, when I got to the door of the holiday party for this now 500+ person company and introduced myself, and told them I did not remember to RSVP for the party, they replied. "I'm sorry Mr. Thrower, we won't have any drink tickets for you if you did not RSVP." I smiled because I love saving cash - and because I don't really like to drink.

About The Active Network, Inc.

The Active Network, Inc., based in San Diego, Calif., provides application services technology and marketing access to community service organizations, and is a leading online community for active lifestyles. The company's solutions help sports and community service organizations improve customer service capabilities, increase revenues, and reduce the cost and complexity of managing and marketing activities and events. Its full service marketing and promotions agency, Active Marketing Group, brings direct knowledge, insight and access to active and on-the-go consumers. Through its Web properties, www.Active.com, www.eteamz.com and www.ActiveGolf.com, The Active Network provides consumer services and resources that support participation in healthy lifestyles. For more information, please visit www.TheActiveNetwork.com or call 1-888-543-7223.

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Confessions of a Triathlon Groupie - Submitted by Nichole Matelich

Article Submitted by: Nichole Matelich

Groupies v. Stalkers

Allow me to introduce myself: My name is PC, and I’m a groupie. I have made my way through elite triathlon circles to be one-degree shy of greats Faris al-Sultan and Paula Newby-Fraser. I’m a junkie, when you get right down to it. I admire people that are driven, competitive, physically fit and disciplined. Having shaved legs certainly doesn’t hurt, hence my affinity for triathletes. My friends call me a groupie as an insult, and though I act outraged, we all know it’s true. In a way, it makes me smile. I have worked long and hard to know the people I know and have my face recognized. I have trained and kept pace, for a little while at least, with the best triathlon has to offer. In certain local scenes, I have an entourage all my own, but we know that when push comes to shove, I am a groupie at heart and I take pride in it. It carries a label that has a negative connotation, but I am out to change all that. Single-handedly, if need be. And let’s be honest: triathletes are not commonly known amongst the general population. Having groupies puts them on the map.

I feel compelled to point out that there are some requirements to being a triathlon groupie. These are self-imposed, but we have to start somewhere. First, you must be somewhat attractive and fit. By this I mean you must be able to secure a date before last call at Martini Ranch. You must have competed in a least one triathlon and finished with a respectable time; respectable being the top 50% of your age group. You must know that the Wildflower run is arguably the most grueling around. It is preferable if you have traveled to Kona, even if you had to apply to the lottery because you’d never qualify on your own. You must know what state Buffalo Springs is in. You must own a wetsuit. You must be able to change your own flat. You must not be afraid to run naked on Ali'i Drive after Kona Ironman. Most importantly, you must have dated a professional triathlete. Ok, let’s be honest: several. Otherwise, they wouldn’t call us groupies, would they?

Why set a standard, you ask? A groupie is a hanger-on. A wannabe, if you will. This is why: recently a debate ensued in my circle over the attributes of a qualified groupie vs. a stalker. Most of us groupies draw the line at being considered stalkers. A few of us are actually decent athletes in our own right, and have had significant relationships that have developed out of our love for those shaved legs.

An example to illustrate the difference between a groupie and a stalker: (The names change, but this is not the first case of stalker-dom, nor will it be the last.) This case involves a local SoCal pro who is arguably one of the nicest people the sport has to offer. He has had a distinguished career from a very early age. He offers his advice and wisdom to anyone who asks, and is always handy to help with bike repairs or refinement of a swim stroke. He’s also got a nice set of thighs. A few years ago, he was approached at our local pool by a woman wanting some swim coaching.

Difference #1: a groupie never asks for “coaching.” We are quite clear on where our intentions lie. If we meet you at the pool, we are more likely to pull you into our lane by your Speedo strings than we are to solicit help with the pretense of paying you for it. Needless to say, after exchanging phone numbers and her promise pay him for his expertise, she started clogging his lane at master’s swim, even after getting lapped, more than once!

Difference #2: A groupie doesn’t compete outside their league. We aren’t professionals and we know it. We know you’re superior to us, but we certainly won’t let you see it, let alone have the satisfaction of lapping us! The situation at the pool got so ridiculous that this pro changed his schedule to swim at a different time and temporarily quit his master’s program. Even more annoying than her clogging the lanes at the pool was the clogging of his voicemail on a daily basis. Mindless, rambling dialogue about random, insignificant events, fragmented thoughts and vocalized longings of dinner dates that have run so long they have become our own little comedy show on those nights when we need a good laugh.

Difference #3: Groupies can take a hint. If you aren’t interested, there are hundreds more out there. If it’s the body type that gets our attention, most of you have the same one, fitted with a different face.

With that said, we come to the heart of the matter. This is really what separates the respectable groupies from the pathetic stalkers: Groupies take pride in the fact that they aren’t the best any sport has to offer, but their other attributes - be it physical beauty, cutting wit or a wicked sense of humor - make them people that are welcomed into the inner circle of any set of elite athletes. Or, if you are like me, you have all of these qualities and are able to remain humble, as well. We groupies have our own set of standards. We travel to races with our significant others and are the life of the party. We have found a way to bask in the glory without taking the physical beating. Groupies respect the hard work, dedication and the training, and we don’t steal the limelight at the finish line. We don’t win the medals, but we provide the entertainment and the support. And if we’re really good, we secure shwag and sponsorships. Stalkers don’t just travel to the races, they enter them. They finish Olympic distance triathlons in the time it takes us groupies to run a marathon, take a shower, dry our hair, flirt with the bartender (male or female) and order a margarita. Stalkers don’t recognize rejection, while groupies loathe it. Stalkers repel crowds, groupies draw them. Stalkers yell at the object of their desire from behind barriers along the course, while groupies charm their way to greet elites at the finish line.

How do you know if you’re a groupie or a stalker? If you have left messages on a pro’s phone, ranging in frequency from daily to every other day, for 5-18 months, and have not received a return call, you are a stalker. If you try to make conversation at a pre-race dinner and the pro avoids eye contact and leaves the area after 1 minute of your mindless banter, you are a stalker. If you sign up with Carmichael Coaching and you become worse, you are a stalker. If you don’t know what the fourth event of triathlon is, you are a stalker. Finally, if you check the participant list of a race before you register, you are a stalker.

So, to all stalkers who seem intent on ruining the good name of tri-groupies everywhere, may you never get a good seal on your goggles, may you get lapped by the next wave, may you ride your bike with saddle sores without your custom-ordered seat while drafting a beach cruiser and may you please, for the love of Queen K, stop entering races and let the real athletes compete. You are muddying the water. You may mock us groupies from afar, but realize the object of your desire probably belongs to one of us.

“PC,” short for "Politically Correct," is a joke nickname bestowed upon the author by professional speed climber Hans Florine of Yosemite Valley. She has also earned the nickname “Chopper” from Jurgen Zack.

Submitted by: Nichole Matelich

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Mitch Thrower Live Speaking Engagement - 10 Business Secrets

This very entertaining short lecture is from USD in San Diego.

Turn up your speakers.

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"Crazy Bike" Video

Ok. Wow. I wonder if Natasha Badman could do that?

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How Many Coats?!? Gloves Too?!? - Submitted by Gary Breuner, Northern Idaho

Mitch - ...and it was HOW warm??? :)

If you need some REAL winter training...come up and hang with us up North. :)

The trail behind the house was too deep even for the mountain bike yesterday, so I had to settle for the trainer…

Hope your holiday season is finding you well.
-Greg

December Training in San Diego

Santa Anna winds bring warm weather from the East to the coast of San Diego - thanks to these winds, it was a spectacular day here in Southern California.

These photos show the view traveling South on Pacific Coast highway from Del Mar towards La Jolla -- if you look closely you can see where I live -- the point of land that sticks out into the ocean. I snapped these photos on my way home.

Winter training is easier in California - I almost felt guilty for wearing gloves and two jackets when it was 69 degrees - much easier than Mitch-esota no doubt, but no matter where you find yourself this winter - it's still hard to get out and train when days seem to run out of daylight faster than you can fit everything in.

The solution? Get up early. Get your tail out of bed and go train at the pool, at the gym, on your bike, or even an early a.m. yoga class. It's hard to realize that spring is only 4 months away - but it is, so build your base. Stroke work. Long winter runs. Time in the saddle. Don't forget the role diet plays in your winter program. Eat your veggies and lay off the bacon and fried calamari. If you want a winter layer to keep you warm, buy a sweater.

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Beth Turquand's Story

Story Submitted by Beth Turquand

Here's my story: I watched my brother (Glynn Turquand) finish his first Ironman World Championship in Kona and got so inspired that I jumped onto Slowtwitch.com and started their "slow" training schedule in order to start working towards an Olympi-size triathlon.

Even though summersaults aren't part of the program, I highly recommend them!!! They help in balance and coordination :) And are fun to do! So, I'm including this as a tip for any other crazy girl that wants to join me in a new adventure: triathlons!

-Beth

Ironmitch

The New Contessa Line

All the rage at Interbike... the Plasma model is pictured.



Click here for more info.

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Ovarian Cancer Did Not Stop Toni Barstis From Completing Canada's Ultraman - Submitted by Amy Kuitse

Article submitted by: Amy Kuitse
Toni Barstis is one of those special individuals who can make you feel good just by her smile. She is an amazing wife and mother of two, a professor of chemistry at Saint Mary's College, and an endurance athlete. She started competing in triathlons at the age of 33, when some new medications gave her a bit of a break from the asthma she had struggled with since childhood.

After a few years, Toni was ready for the next challenge, and Ultraman Canada answered the call. But her training was brought to an unexpected halt: she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, months before her 40th birthday. Yet, even surgery and chemotherapy did not stop Toni from keeping Ultraman Canada on her calendar. She contacted the race organizers to let them know what was happening and that she could be a questionable participant based on how she responded to her treatment. The organizers supported Toni in her pursuit, and let her know that her spot was there if she could make it.

On August 14th, 2006, just weeks after completing chemo, Toni Barstis crossed the finish line in Penticton, B.C. - 6th out of 11 finishers with a time of 30 hours, 56 minutes, and 21 seconds. The race included a 10k swim and 90 mile bike ride on August 12, a 170 mile bike ride on August 13th, and a 56.4 mile run on August 14th.

Toni wants other women with cancer to know that they can keep living their lives, and see that there is hope in all things. She gave hope to many women dealing with ovarian cancer on August 14th and sent a very loud message to many others... live, and enjoy all the moments your life has to give.

By Amy Kuitse

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ABC picks Ironman Triathlete Andy Baldwin as the next Bachelor

Click the play arrow above to hear Andy's acceptance speech at the ESA's

Click here and scroll down for more stories about and photos of Andy Baldwin

Photo: Andy Baldwin, ABC's next Bachlor at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon

One of my greatest friends in the world, Andy Baldwin has been selected as the next Bachelor for ABC TV's reality series. Tonight, following the conclusion of the last season - they made the announcement.
I've known Andy for a long time; we've raced together and - tried to find the women of our dreams out there somewhere, because after many failed attempts to find "the one" we're both convinced that they actually exist. From the front lines of the search - I'm sure that ABC picked the right guy, because Andy's not only ready - but he's really looking for the one.

Photo: Mitch Thrower and Andy Baldwin move a car in Penticton, Canada

I remember this year in Ironman Canada; a car had parked on a hose we wanted to use to clean our bike chains before the race. Andy's quick response? "Hey Mitch, let's just move the car," so we did. Andy's a Dr. in the Navy and an avid, very talented triathlete and humanatarian.

Steve Gintowt, the CFO of Triathlete Magazine said - "It's hard to believe that Andy Baldwin is actually as nice as he is - but he is, and it's great to know that he's the real thing."



Andrew Baldwin will have many fans, and a few vocal non-fans. Such is the nature of Reality TV - you have 45 million people who will love him and 5 million who will be grumpy because they just like to be grumpy about stuff. C'est La Vie.

Good luck Baldwin - find her!

Web press and users worldwide - feel free to use my photos of Andy or link or embed the posts – just make sure to credit http://www.ironmitch.com/

Ladies, you can apply to be on the show with Andy - and see if he picks you - click here.

You will find more photos and stories about Andy in my blog postings from the last year - just scroll down far for more stories about Andy, titled - Triathlete Andrew Baldwin on a Humanitarian Mission and Lt. Andy Baldwin - The All American. He is also in some of the triathlon videos below.

For more articles and photos of Andy - click here to see this entire blog and scroll down.

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ABC's New Bachelor Andy Baldwin

Tenth Edition of ABC’s Popular Romance Reality Series Will Air in Spring 2007

U.S. Navy Lieutenant Andy Baldwin, M.D., 30, an undersea medical officer for a special operations dive unit stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, has been selected to star in the tenth edition of ABC’s popular romance reality series, when “The Bachelor” returns to the network in the Spring of 2007. In addition to his professional accomplishments, this Bachelor is also a world-class triathlete. Now this real-life ‘officer and a gentleman’ faces the most exciting mission of his life -- finding true love.

Andy grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he was valedictorian in high school and a competitive swimmer who made All-American; he was even named ESPN’s National Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1995. His small-town upbringing in a family of modest means taught him a strong work ethic, so as a teenager he worked three jobs (paper boy, lifeguard and his own lawn mowing business), all with an eye towards paying for his college education. As Andy explains, there had never been a doctor or military officer in the Baldwin family before, so he set those professional goals for himself. He saved $25,000 for college before graduating high school, when the Navy offered him a full ROTC scholarship. He took it and went to Duke University, where he was a varsity letter winner on the men’s swim team and began training for marathons, all while taking a pre-med course load and earning a degree in biology, with a concentration in genetics. After graduating Duke with honors, he enrolled in the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine, and was a surgical intern at Naval Hospital San Diego.

His move to the west coast inspired a new passion -- cycling -- and he combined this with his excellence in swimming and running to compete in his first triathlon in 2000, falling in love with the sport. He has since gone on to compete internationally in numerous Ironman, Half-Ironman and other triathlons and marathons, often ranking among the top 5 finishers in his age group. One of his biggest supporters at his races was his beloved Uncle Tom, who died of pancreatic cancer just one month after diagnosis. To honor his uncle, Andy established a fund to raise money for pancreatic cancer research, and has raised over $20,000 to date. In 2006 he was asked to serve as group surgeon for a team of 50 military personnel headed to Laos. His role during the mission was to take care of the medical needs of his team and to treat Laotian villagers in need of medical attention. The experience was unforgettable.

Andy’s achievements are matched by his good-natured personality, stunning good looks and self-deprecating sense of humor. He’s an unabashed romantic, has watched the series and believes that the show can help find him the woman who could become his wife. “Who doesn’t love the movie ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’? We’re bringing the best parts of that romantic film to real life,” said Mike Fleiss, executive producer of “The Bachelor.”

Hosted by Chris Harrison, “The Bachelor” is produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss and Lisa Levenson are the executive producers. David Bohnert and Martin Hilton are the co-executive producers.

ABC Media Relations: Cathy Rehl (212) 456-6749; cathy.rehl@abc.com

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Starting Lines - Archive - "Let's Go" Honu Triathlon

Sometimes it's good to look back on amazing moments in our sport - I wrote this Starting Lines (the first article that appears in Triathlete Magazine each month) about the Honu Triathlon, in Kona, Hawaii.

STARTING LINES
“Let’s Go”
ON THE EVENING BEFORE THE HONU HALF IRONMAN IN HAWAII—ON ONE OF THE TEN MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES IN THE WORLD—WE COULD CLEARLY SEE THE COURSE BUOYS IN THE OCEAN, SET UP A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE RACE, FOR TRAINING. As the sun was setting, my wildly adventurous friend Terra looked at me and said “Let’s go,” as she pointed to the buoys with a suggestive look in her eye. It only took a moment, but in that moment of decision, I thought about those things we triathletes think about when getting ready for a race. Those sometimes nagging things, like, ‘Did I get enough sleep last night,’ and ‘What should I eat tomorrow before the race,’ and, ‘If swim out to that second buoy tonight, will I get too tired for my race tomorrow morning, and will it hurt my time?’

Then something hit me like a frozen water bottle, and I thought to myself, "I’m in Hawaii. The sun is setting. My friend wants to swim out to the second buoy and back. The water is warm." I put my digital camera on the beach, and getting back in the water, we started to swim. With the sun glimmering on the horizon we swam to the second buoy slowly, then back to shore at light speed, our pace inspired by the increasing darkness and mystery of the ocean.

On that swim, I thought about what we might lose, to gain an extra minute or two. The Honu Half Ironman is perhaps the most tri-historic, lava-scenic and therefore enjoyable Ironman qualifier in the world. And any qualifier could see Ironman slots allocated to people just a few seconds faster, and this is a twist worth mentioning, but this time, I was not racing this race for a slot, and across our sport, for the most part, the question will always be a valid one. How much have we all given up, in the name of a few seconds or minutes?

I may be a big supporter of focus, and I may even be a self diagnosed tri-compulsive, but before I die, it’s more likely that I’ll say “I wish I spent more time with the important people in my life, swimming into a sunset and back,” rather than, “I wish I spent more time stressing out about my finish time.”

The next morning, I did the “twice over” scan of my bike, checking to make sure that everything was tight and functional, and I have to admit that my potentially “lost” minute from the evening’s swim crossed my mind. Then I thought, about the fact that this magnificent sport of triathlon is here to create healthy relief—not more tension—in our lives. It was now 6:04 a.m. and we could hear the announcers welcoming the athletes into the transition area. With my bike and race gear, I headed down to the transition area. Just before the start, on the shore with the sun rising, I smiled, realizing that I was again on my way out to those big orange inflatables, this time with close to 1,000 other people from all over the world. In that moment I committed that anytime I have the chance to do something adventurous—outside my normal pre-race or training regime—I’ll just say, “Alright, let’s go.” And I’ll leave the stress on the shore.

Train Smart,
Mitch Thrower

mthrower@triathletemag.com

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Thanks Margaux - 11 months to Ironman 2007

And so another year of blogging begins, with great motivation from Margaux - who makes me get up every morning to go work out at 5a.m. - and I'm so thankful for that, and thankful for her. Having someone awesome in your life who will kick you out of the apartment and make you go to swim pratice or go running early before work is worth it's weight in titainum. Thanks Margaux - Ironman Hawaii is only 11 months away...

A Picture Worth A Million Words

 

TRAVEL to Hawaii For Last Year's Ironman Photo Video

While we're waiting for photos and updates from today's 2006 Ironman Triathlon, if you missed it last year, you might want to have a look at the very short video photo montage from last year's Ironman Triathlon. Just click play to watch - and turn up your speakers.

Click Play above to watch Last year's 2005 Hawaii Ironman Video Essay, featuring Mitch Thrower, Emily Nesselroad, Andy Baldwin and the Ironman Crew!

Ironman 2006 Race Day Photo Gallery Part 1 of 8

Swim Start

The view of Normann's win from 3,000 miles away.

Kai Baumgartner from 3athlon.de gives the German Report in German - live.

The Ironman will turn your life upside down.

Glynn Turquand starts the bike.

Transition Area

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Ironman Hawaii Photo Gallery - The Ironman is TOMORROW

We all start at 0.

Lori Bowden

Heather Fuhr

Desiree Flicker

Bruce Buchanan - ready to race.

Ironsmile.

Heather Gollnick

Dennis Kashisckec at the bike check-in.

Chris Lieto

Melissa Merson checking in.

Michellie checking in, and the guy behind her checking her out.

Lanzarote shopping.

Sarah Horn in Lava Java.

King Kam lobby.

If there is any question in your mind about the beauty of this island of Hawaii, just stop looking at all things man made for a second.

Japanese fans make some encouraging signs.

In search of a wireless connection...

Dick Hoyt, a hero defined.

I sometimes wonder what will happen to the children that grow up with heros who have true superpowers, like Paula Newby-Fraser. What yet undiscovered feat of human accomplishment have we inspired by nudging this sport of triathlon along?

Andrew Baldwin at the bike check in.

Photos by Roy Soleil

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10 More of the 50 IRONMAN Secrets and Tips From Mitch Thrower

21. The Ironman is TOMORROW. You're done. A year or perhaps a decade of preparation is behind you. It's time to shut down, and relax. Nervous energy is normal, so expect it.
20. Just before the cannon blows during the swim, lift your legs to the top of the water so you're horizontal rather than vertical for the start.
19. If your goggles don't fit very well or tightly, and you're worried about losing them, feel free to bring an extra pair and tuck them in the back of your swimsuit, just above your butt. You won't likely need them, but you'll feel much better on your swim. It's like biking with a spare.
18. Eat early tonight, don't change your routine.
17. Don't wait to relieve yourself on the bike. Just do it. Get it done. It's hard to bike when you have to use the, um, "rest" room. So stand, check behind you. Veer safely to the right and relax. Please use a water bottle to rinse yourself and your bike, but only if you have enough water. One year I was unable to, um, relax on the bike until mile 80. Miles 65-70 felt awful. If you have to stop and pull over, then do it. It's a long ride.
16. If you cramp on the run, let all your air out of your lungs and bend over slowly. Then stand up WITHOUT breathing in, and slowly start to run, and viola! Your cramp will subside - repeat until cramp is gone.
15. Limit the amount of time you're walking during the marathon - set an exact moment when you'll start running again.
14. If you can, save the Coke intake until after Mile 13 of the run, use everything else that you like, and then start to use the Coke for the last half of the run
13. PUT ICE IN YOUR RUNNING HAT - This will change your race. As you come up to the aid station, they will need to know what to get you, so yell up to them with your needs, e.g. ICE, water, etc. That way they will be able to prepare.
12. Hold on to your handle bars, tightly, but when you are biking, relax the non-stressed muscles, e.g. this is a race and you will tend to tense up unnecessary muscles from the excitement of the day. If you remember my words here, and relax the parts of your body that you can when you're swimming, biking and running - you will have a much better race with a much faster time.
11. If I had to pick one thing for you to remember tomorrow - just one thing above all else, that changed my races in Kona and around the world for the better, it would be this: to take in your calories early on the bike and consistently on the bike and run. Don't overdo the carbo drinks, and if your stomach bloats and you need to boot - then don't worry, you can still finish, just stick to simply water after the ordeal, and get calories from the other stuff. Eating earlier on the bike gave me great strength on the run. Think out there. If you do the bike course in 5:30, that's a great deal of digestion and caloric burn time, and then you need the energy for a marathon, so don't be shy. On a personal level, leave your inhibitions at home tomorrow about bodily functions -- it's an Ironman, we're all human, we're all in the human race, and we may have to do human things, so stop at the porta-potty if you have to. Take in the calories you require -- calories are the basis for your energy on race day -get them in early.

Dear Athletes,

I know what you're feeling right now, and though I am not on the island, I am there in spirit - cheering you on when you make your way into the lava field and you hear the squish, squish squish of your running shoes on the pavement.

Tomorrow, race swiftly - leave your troubles behind, trust me - you'll find some new ones ahead.

Try and feel the energy of the island underneath you. Think for a moment about the fact that you are being filled with energy, from the earth's core, and from the sun - and from you.

It is not a coincidence that this great planet earth has a core, and that core is between 5,000 and 7,000 degrees (which is how hot you may feel tomorrow)... but...on the eve of your ironman triathlon - what may just give you the chills - is when I now share with you the fact that the earth's core is made up primarily of the element known as Fe. That's right. The earths core is made mostly of Iron. Just like your core.

Tomorrow, introduce you to yourself. You are alive - that's possible. You are in Hawaii - that's possible. You are at the starting line of the Ironman - that's possible. The cannon will soon fire, and you will show yourself and your world what's possible...

Godspeed,

-Mitch

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Ironman Hawaii Live Coverage from Ironman.com

At Ironman.com, Live coverage will begin at 5:30 a.m. local Kona time, and continue until the last finisher crosses the line at midnight. The show is broadcasted free - all that is required is Windows Media player and a broadband internet connection.

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Ironblog by Lee Gruenfeld

A great friend of mine, bestselling author and wildly popular Ironman.com columnist Lee Gruenfeld has been posting reports from the World Championship race site in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Lee's writing about our sport is hilarious. Spend some time there.

For a (completely and utterly) different perspective on the world's toughest endurance race, visit the official Ironman site where you'll also find competitor analysis by Lee's wife, legendary Ironman group champion Cherie Gruenfeld. Click here for the Ironblog by Lee Gruenfeld.

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Thursday's with Kona - Hawaii Ironman Photo Gallery. Special Bonus: Underwear Run Photos

Beyond the blue Hawaii...

Roger most certainly, rocks - he has his own t-shirts.

Look into the distance, those are the transition tents... In less than 48 Hours, they will be full of screaming people. "Sunblock!" - "A little help!" - "Can you pull my bike jersey down?"

The Ironman Product Line.

Ironman Lieutenant Andrew Baldwin of the US Navy helps with the Power Bar banner.

Natasha Badman running on Ali'i Drive.

President of the World Triathlon Corporation, Ben Fertic on his new wheels, supplied by the WTCIA.

St. Peters Catholic Church on Ali'i Drive overlooking the ocean. With 12 pews and a pulpit, this  church is surrounded by bougainvillea. It was built in 1889 on an ancient heiau. Masses are given once and week and the door is always open for visitors.

White Sands Beach on Ali'i Drive.

Greg Welch and Kate Major

Oscar Galindez with negative 4% body fat.

If Graham Fraser was wearing a hat, and came to a rated R movie, you likely would not let him in, for fear he was too young. He's the energetic, youthful owner of the Ironman North America Series, including Ironman Canada and Ironman Lake Placid. Graham is pictured here with his beautiful wife in Lava Java.

Lava Java, once again.

Biking on Ali'i Drive

Bike with a view.

The tradition of the underwear run starts with the purchase of some really cheesy underwear.

Ironbodies flexing in their underwear.

Underwear run co-founder Paul Huddle on the left.

Over the years, the underwear run has transformed from a social commentary about the "foerigners" who were raised wearing very skimpy bikini bottoms all about town, into a cultural phenomenon.

There are few events in the world like Kona, and few athletes in the world like Triathletes.

Wonderful Photos: Courtesy Roy Soleil, Jessia Pace and Glynn Turquand

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Ironman Hawaii - Wednesday Night in Kona

Sunset in Kona.

The entrance of the Kona Surf restaurant and shopping plaza is filled with stuffed fish. When you exit the restaurant, you'll be stuffed with fish.

First time Irondad, and two very proud sons.

It's amazing how the island of Hawaii, by making you look outside and take a deep breath - in so many ways - makes you look inside.

Active.com Sponsorship guru Gordon wants you to LOOK at this bike.

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Wonderful Photos: Courtesy Roy Soleil

Ironman Hawaii Photos and More Tips For a Great Race

Here is the next installment of 20 of this year's 50 Tips and Secrets for a great Ironman:
40. Call someone you love and care about that you have not spoken to in a really long time - tell them where you are, and that you were thinking about them.
39. Get a great night sleep the-night-before-the-night-before-the-race. Research indicates that sleep problems on night before an athletic event does not impact performance, so if you've got the "I can't sleep the night before the race" jitters, don't fret. But the night before the night before? Make sure you get a great night sleep, even if you have to sleep in and miss the hardbodies at the Pier in the morning.
38. Plan what you are going to do after the race, where will you meet folks, what will you eat, etc. There is a kind of wandering collective daze that occurs right after the race. You'll need a massage, you'll need to rinse off, you'll need a clean warm change of clothes. If you can take a warm shower near the race finish that you can use, that's ideal - so start networking!
37. Eat at the Kona Inn - order the Ahi with a baked potato and vegetables - the view is fantastic, the food is fantastic.

36. Be prepared for food delays - Kona's restaurant industry is stretched to the limit with the demands of the finicky triathletes - because we all want our food a special way... If you're on a tight schedule, and want to get meals on time, or when you are hungry, then call ahead and place a TO GO order, that you can then of course, ask them if you can subsequently, upon arrival, eat there - and haaay - you're foods ready by the time you arrive.
35. Take more photos. I mean a TON of photos. This is the Ironman.
34. Explore the Island - get out to some of the beaches that are world famous - Hapuna, Mauna Kea - even check out Captain Cook's monument.
33. Find the store Pacific Vibrations in town. Home of the world famous McMichaels - tell them Mitch sent you and that I say hi. Check out the Ironman memorabilia on the walls.
32. Do some wind sprints on the bike course. Not many, but make sure your legs know what it feels like to go race pace on the Queen K.
31. BE CAREFUL. Hold on to your handle bars, watch the road, car doors, and especially other bikers. During the race, be very careful in the transition area. Because this is the Ironman, people go a bit crazy to get through transition, and you can easily collide, or get your foot stepped on or twist an ankle in transition. Take slow, controlled movements to get through the Ironman safely.
30. Pratice letting your arm relax backwards when you grab a water bottle on the bike - remember that every aid station will be a different experience in hazards.
29. Make sure that you have access to a mobile phone at the finish - you will want to call the people you cannot find.
28. Take two spare tires with you during the race if you have sew ups, take at least three tubes if you have tubular, and plenty of CO2.

Photos : 3athlon.de

27. Get a massage. In fact - get two.
26. Don't get discouraged when you feel how long this race actually is, and how hard it can be. Hope for a day with cloud cover during the marathon, and light winds - but know that that's unlikely. There will be wind. When you expect it to be behind you - it may change. Be ready for a 112 mile headwind - psych yourself up for this - and be thankful for every mile with no wind.
25. Give out some encouragement on race day - tell the people you pass and that pass you "Great job."
24. Swim tips: put a small drop of Johnson's Baby Shampoo in your goggles then rinse it. Pratice swimming with this no-fog technique in the days before the race, and don't put too much in - just a very small film to cover the goggles. Don't freak out when people bump up against you in the swim - relax - when you get hit in the face with a wrist, elbow or ankle - don't hit back. If someone tries to bump or nudge you away from your draft from that perfectly paced swimmer you've found - feel free to hold your ground firmly with your body position, but don't punch them or pull their goggles off, I've seen that happen - and it's not very ironspirited.

23. Send me an e-mail - mitchthrower@yahoo.com with some photos and any stories from your race week or training.
22. Check this blog every 5 minutes.
21. Reach deep inside and ask yourself why you're doing this Ironman. Why are you here, on this island -- so far from home in some ways -- so close to home in others?

~

Hawaii Ironman 2006 Photo Gallery - Continued

As the Parade Marches By...

Now that's a tatoo.

Ironbodies.

Check out this kid's goggles.

Go Bo!

Where is the "Get Wendy to apply Sunblock to my back" sign up sheet?

Dig Me Pier, above Dig Me Beach.

Go USA!

Wonderful Photos: Courtesy Roy Soleil

~

Photos Galore...

Dig Me Beach

Do they allow fins in the race?

Lava Java Front view

Photos: 3athlon.de

~

Glynn Turquand is Ready to Race

Age Grouper to watch out for, Glynn Turquand donning the newly released 2XU suit (Black)

Mark VanAkkeren, (2nd AG out of water in 2004) in TYR suit and his girlfriend, Jen

For some reason, it is suddenly real when you get the wristband.

The ultimate crew.

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Photo Gallery - A day in Kona

John Duke, Publisher of Triathlete Magazine, and Derek Keller from Puma.

Fast.

Hawaii Ironman race course repair work continues.

There are a few tickets floating around out there for the Triathlete Magazine "After Party"- which happens after the Awards. It is where all the industry, pros, and race crews go after the race. You may have to know someone who knows someone to get one of these passes. You can also get a ticket to the Triathlete magazine party on e-bay for $30,000 per ticket, two free drink tickets included with every e-bay party slot. Just kidding - there are no free drink tickets with purchase.

Ford.

This Kalahikiola Church, just north of Hawi, was built over 100 years ago in 1832, before earthquake building codes.
Time for a retrofit.

these awesome photos from Triathlete's own Glynn Turquand.

~

Smelling Good All The Way to Kona.

I'll admit it. I'm a sandbagger. Paula Newby Fraser can't walk by me without saying the word "Sand-baa-ga" with a smile. It's true - I tell people I don't train, then I wake up at 3:00 a.m. and swim from the La Jolla cove all the way to Del Mar (it's more fun in the dark because the things that bump up against your legs really motivate you to swim faster) - then I bike from San Diego to Los Angeles (before Traffic gets too bad) then I run back to San Diego, in time for work.

I hope you know I'm kidding. The truth is - I have time to race, and I really LOVE to race, but I do not have as much time to train - is that not true for all of us? I also work quite a bit, and ok, another admission, I'm a workaholic. So, having raced in this sport for well over a decade it raises the question - does it get any easier to "start" a race without "much" training? Yes. I'm not so sure, however, how much easier it is to finish one.

After your 10th Ironman, you have learned a multitude of lessons about the race, yourself and your life. You know what to eat, how to pace yourself - and perhaps most importantly - you learn that at least 50% of doing any Ironman race is mental (no pun intended). So does the Ironman get easier? No. Does it get easier to do an Ironman? Yes.

My friend Claudia in New York, once again sent me a crazy support message posted above, with the sandbagger theme, which was developed by my now famous "cold-turkey" approaches to my last few races that lead to a Mitcherable last few miles

Claudia did not know that I am not racing this year when she placed the advertisement on a highway billboard to wish me good luck. It is now what people see when they commute into New York on the I-95 - how embarrassing.

I hope you know I'm kidding again (about the billboard). It is simply a great graphic art modification - and made me laugh. She also jests in the text - "Smelling good all the way to Kona." because I have a very sensitive nose (like a polar bear) and can smell food at 10 miles, under the snow, inside an energy bar wrapper. Go ahead. Hide a cookie.

In any event - it is true - I am not racing in the Ironman this year. That is even a hard sentence to say out loud. Very recently, I had to turn down my chance to race, with all the reluctance of Charlie giving away a Golden Ticket. I wrote about the "why" in the Ironman issue of Triathlete Magazine, so don't miss it on the newstands or in your mailbox.

I am glancing at the place where I have the bibs from my past races hanging. I am remembering all those races. I'm thinking carefully as I start to write the next blog installment of ten of the 50 tips for your best Ironman experience...

~

Hawaii Ironman 2006 Photo Gallery: More from the Pier

Photos, once again, courtesy 3athlon.de

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Have You Ever Wondered?

What it would be like to bike up Mauna Kea? Did you know that Hawaii is the highest mountain on earth, if you use the starting point of the ocean floor? If you are swimming at the pier, it is 13,796 feet down to the ocean floor, and over 17,000 feet up to the top of Hawaii.

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to travel up to the volcano, or bike up there - just click here for a first hand account, so you can put your curiosity to rest. You can also click here or the video below or here or a short video tour of the climb.

Photo below: Post-earthquake clearing work continues on Queen K on the way to Hawi. ~

Tuesday Morning in Kona - Ironman Photo Gallery

Hold my stuff, I'll be right back.

Peter meets Ripples, his youngest fan (she's behind the bikes)

Pier Shot

Glynn Turquand (on the right) and friend running 4 minute/mile warm ups on the Queen K.

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Active.com Blog Partnership with Triathlete Magazine

Hungry for more information from Kona? Got videos?
Click this screenshot above or here to check out the Active.com Ironman Hawaii Blog partnered with Triathlete Magazine.

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Ironthought of the Day

"It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop."
Confucius (551-479 BC)

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SIDEBAR: Great Video Trailor

Click the video screen on the left or here for the unforgettable journey of four blind individuals as they attempt to make history to complete the Ironman.

The backbone of the feature length documentary film "Victory Over Darkness" is the triumph of four blind people who defy both circumstance and boundaries that society has imposed on the visually impaired. The Ironman triathlon is but a microcosm of lifetimes spent defying odds and overcoming obstacles. Some of the conflicts our characters have had to face through the film include: a disease that is slowly stealing windows to the world, abuse, ostracism and unspeakable violence that took a father, spared a son and changed a life forever. When a lifetime is spent in challenge, one will seek to do the impossible. The mision of the film is to educate, inspire and ultimately change the audience's perception of the blind.

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Kailua Kona - SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... THE ISLAND OF HAWAII IN HAWAII COUNTY

* UNTIL 900 PM HST

* AT 810 PM HST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED TWO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DIME SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THE FIRST STORM STORM WAS LOCATED 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF KONA VILLAGE RESORT...OR 16 MILES NORTH OF KAILUA-KONA...MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THE SECOND STORM WAS LOCATED OVER THE KOHALA MOUNTAINS ABOVE KAWAIHAE...MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... WAIKOLOA BEACH RESORT AT 815 PM HST PUAKO AT 825 PM HST KAWAIHAE AT 835 PM HST KOHALA AND HAWI AT 830 PM HST WAIMANU VALLEY NEAR 845 PM HST

THIS WARNING UPDATES THE PREVIOUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING. THESE ARE DANGEROUS STORMS. IF YOU ARE IN THEIR PATH...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 1996 15609 1977 15587 2017 15555 2033 15587

Click this map above to see the current satellite map in motion over Hawaii.

~

Enough about the Quake - Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Ironman Week

The First 10 Secrets and Tips For Your Best Ironman 2006

50. Find a professional athlete and have your photo taken with him or her. Send it to all your friends who are not triathletes, and say "Me with Thomas, or Me with Belinda."
49. Scope out all the bathrooms at the King Cam - find someone who is staying there, and become their new best friend. In a moment after you help them change their bike tire, or with their swim stroke, say "Hey, do you mind getting me an extra key to your room so I can use the bathroom on race morning?"
48. Make your rock pyramid early. There, um, should be plenty of rocks lying around. If you don't yet know about the rock pyramid - it's a legend, and something really special. Ironman athletes often make "energy pyramids" in the lava fields as a way of connecting with the island, themselves, the people they are dedicating their race to and their spiritual beliefs.
47. Help someone with something. Good Karma is good karma. You'll need all you can get on race day.
46. If you're single, ask a triathlete on a training date. If you're not, ask your significant other to do something really special with you while you're on the island. REALLY special.
45. Prepare everything early. Register early, get all your gear taken care of early, get your bags all set up, your food, your checklist all taken care of long before race eve - as the week progresses, you want as much of your life to be on auto-pilot as possible.
44. If you eat yogurt, then eat yogurt. It will keep the bacteria in your stomach all good for race day. Don't vary brands or eat frozen yogurt during the week. You want to get your digestive bacteria all set with one set, then keep it in sync.
43. Drink ample water, but don't over drink - eat, but don't over eat - and try not to stress about every thing.
42. No Alcohol. I mean it. Every drink this week will make each of the last 5 miles seem 10 minutes longer. You don't believe me? Try it. But not in Hawaii.
41. Stand outside in the rain when it rains. Stretch your arms out and let the rain fall on as much of you as possible - close your eyes, and imagine the rain washing away all your worries, fears, stressors and problems. Forgive yourself for your mistakes. You are alive. You are racing in the Ironman on the big Island of Hawaii, on the planet earth which is spinning around a sun which is spinning around a Galaxy, which is flying through space and time. This is your space. This is your time. When everything is washed off of your conscience, go inside and get dry - you don't want to catch a cold.

...more fantastic photos from 3athlon.de

~

Shaken to the CORE.

This photo was taken by Kincaid Photo during an aftershock landslide as bikers passed the falling rocks.

What is harder to navigate, falling boulders or the unpredictable movements of other bikers and water bottles in an aid station?

Note: Photos courtesy of The Hawaii Channel

The majority of the world’s media picked up the fact that Kailua, Kona rattled and rolled yesterday, a few of them even mentioned the not-suprising fact that Ironman Triathletes were continuing to train during the aftershocks – while in the back of our minds we were all asking – what if the earthquake happened on the day of the Ironman?

How would 1,500 swimmers and 20,000 spectators evacuate the area in the event of a Tsunami warning? Or more importantly, how would the WTC stop the avid Ironmen and women who would stand their ground and say “I don’t care if there is a Tsunami, bring it on, I’m doing the Ironman.” I do wonder, if you were in the water during an earthquake would it be safer to swim out to sea, to avoid the wave build up, or back to shore?

Natural disasters will strike, and no matter where and when, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York - we’re never going to be fully prepared. As triathletes, living lives of daily preparation and planning, we can assume that most triathletes might just have kept on going, biked around the boulders, swam over large waves, and even tried to keep running if the earth was shaking. Now that would have been a sight for NBC – Ironman, during an earthquake, and the athletes still going. Think of the ratings! Forget the Energizer bunny – that battery complany should have an Ironman athlete as their mascot.

On the week prior to an event people plan their entire lives around – it may be a bit of a philosophical shocker to wake up and realize that the firm ground we find ourselves on is, well, kind of shaky.

The metaphors that we can apply to our lives and to this sport as a result of the quake’s proximity to Ironman are vast. Athletes were up and about training; others were sleeping while most were on there way to the island when suddenly the news appeared.

I’ll end this post with one simple question: Is racing in an Ironman not simply a planned personal disaster for your body, where you shake it and your soul to the core? ~

50 Tips and Secrets for Your Best Ironman Experience

Shhhhhhh.
Where is the secret bathroom for Ironman Race morning?

It's that time again...

Time to help you discover the tips and secrets for your best Ironman experience. From race week activities to race strategy. I will post every night, starting tonight, 10 insider secrets and tips.

Just don't tell anyone.

~

Video from Hawaii Earthquake October 15, 2006

Click here for Video from ABC news covering the earthquake damage.
Commercial first - then the news report will come on.

Lava Java

One of the most beautiful buildings in Kona sustained some quake damage.

Earthquake building standards have improved since the Palace was built.

After the shake rattle and roll, it's back to business, you've got an IRONMAN to do.
Photos once again coutesy of Kai from www.3athlon.de
~

Earthquake Damage Photos from Kona

Source: USGS.gov

Here is a map of Earthquakes, magnitude 6.0 or greater, after the year 1868 on Hawaii.

Photos courtesy of 3athlon.de
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Ironpros Felt the Quake in the Ocean

Pro athletes and agents Wendy Ingraham, Lori Bowdin, Murphy Reinschriebr, Kai Baumgartner, and Heather Fuhr were all swimming in the ocean when the quake hit - According to Kai, the water got rough, and they could tell something was going on. Triathlete Magazine publisher John Duke was just getting in the water when a large surge of water came towards him.

Read about the HISTORY OF HAWAII EARTHQUAKES, much of which is from a private journal by clicking -> here <-

HONOLULU -- An earthquake measuring 6.3 shook the Hawaiian Islands on Sunday morning, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

It happened at 7:07 a.m. off the Waikoloa coast on the Big Island, according to scientists at the PTWC.

Kona appears to have taken the brunt of the quake. Kona Community Hospital reported structural damage and multiple landslides were reported on the Hamakua Highway, officials said.

The quake knocked out power to all of Oahu. Residents reported feeling the shaking for more than a minute in some places. Residents in Niu Valley said the quake made items fall off shelves.

"It was an unusually large magnitude and in an unusual location," one scientist said.

A scientist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said he believed this was the largest earthquake in Hawaii since 1983.

NEWSCREDIT: www.10news.com

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Kona Earthquake 2006 - Tri-eye-witness

"We're staying in our family home built in the 1940s - all wood. I was carrying my daughter and as I was walking into the living room on the second floor the house started shaking violently. A few items immediately crashed to the floor. I instantly knew it was an earthquake, caught my footing, and hurried down the stairs and onto the lawn - the stairs were swaying as I ran down and branches were falling from the trees. We stood in the lawn, looking at the house (the roof split!), the ocean for a tidal wave, and for falling palms. We felt at least two other tremors. Cell phones were temporarily out and the electricity for an hour. Apparently, there were a series of earthquakes - 10 or more - and they registered as high as 4.9 to 6.3. Almost all were along the bike course up to Hawi - it's Pele's newest twist."

- Glynn Turquand, from Austin, TX who will be racing in Kona for the first time this year

~

EARTHQUAKE of Magnitude 6.3 rocks Kailua Kona Sunday Morning!

Magnitude 6.3 - HAWAII REGION, HAWAII

2006 October 15 17:07:48 UTC

Versíon en Español

• Details
• Summary
• Maps
• Scientific & Technical

Where can I find...?

Earthquake Details

Magnitude	6.3 (Strong)
Date-Time	Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 17:07:48 (UTC) = Coordinated Universal Time Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 7:07:48 AM = local time at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location	19.842°N, 156.059°W
Depth	24 km (14.9 miles)
Region	HAWAII REGION, HAWAII
Distances	14 km (9 miles) NNW (337°) from Kalaoa, HI 23 km (14 miles) NNW (344°) from Kailua, HI 23 km (14 miles) WSW (244°) from Puako, HI 103 km (64 miles) W (279°) from Hilo, HI 246 km (153 miles) SE (131°) from Honolulu, HI
Location Uncertainty	horizontal +/- 5.8 km (3.6 miles); depth +/- 7.6 km (4.7 miles)
Parameters	Nst=205, Nph=205, Dmin=20.9 km, Rmss=1.07 sec, Gp= 36°, M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=6
Source	USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID	ustwbh

Ironman Hawaii 2006 Photo Contest!

It's Ironman week, and we're looking for some great photos from age groupers - so send us your photos! Our editors will pick the best ones and post them here on the Ironmitch blog.

If you know who is in the photo, or if there is a story that goes with the photo, then include that in your e-mail. So get out there and take some great photos of ANYTHING interesting on Ironman week and e-mail us your photo submissions (any size file - jpeg if possible).

Also, we're collecting stories from age groupers and their support crews who are participating in this year's Ironman for publication on this blog, so send your stories and thoughts about this year's race. Tell us about your Ironman journey.

Submit your photos and/or stories by e-mail now to mitchthrower@yahoo.com

~

A Letter from Ironman Participant Christophe Joly

This year in Kona, keep your eye out for a great age grouper who QUALIFIED for the Ironman World Championships in Idaho with a time of 10:08, ranking 40th overall – Christophe Joly. Chris sent me an e-mail a while ago with some links.

He may very well be our sports best electronic scrapbook journalist – check out his scrapbooks from his triathlon journey here – the photos are worth the scroll.

And remember -- we have a responsibility to pass on what we have discovered in this sport of triathlon. Chris also posted a great story from his qualification experience here.

E-Mail From: Christophe Joly
Dear Mitch,

I enjoyed very much reading your Starting Lines article in the February issue of Triathlete Magazine. It was right on; "Success is not defined only by a dollar sign." Living in Silicon Valley, dollars are too often the sign of success, at least on the surface, until you realize that your me-too neighbor is getting a divorce, or selling the house because of debt, or even worst, doesn't connect with his children as they grow up. I have two daughters and a wife. Yes, dollars are important, especially when houses around sell for $1 million on average! But after starting triathlon in 2002, I realized just like you said, there is more to success than just dollars. In 2004, I crashed badly on the Ironman Coeur D'Alene bike course, only to qualify to Ironman Hawaii later this same year with my family supporting me all the time, and of course, making the trip to the Big Island. Nothing, not even money, will ever beat the sense of success and achievement I've got this year.

So thank you again for a great article. But then, and only after reading it, I noticed the guy in the picture looks familiar. Sure, it was me :-) at the Vineman 2005. What a coincidence!!!

Sincerely,
Christophe

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Triathlete Magazine Launches Beta Version of New Web Site

It has been a long time coming, but we've listened to your advice and we're up to some really great things over at Triathlete Magazine, so watch for some exciting new initiatives.

One of them is our new website, which is available for preview now online at www.triathletemag.com. You can see some of what's coming in the left nav bar. It's not fully functional yet, so bear with us. During the next several months, you'll find new features available at Triathlete Magazine Online.

~

The Chris McCormack Story - Ironman 2006

This is worth the click. Note: you may need to hit F11 on your keybord to see the full screen. Click the image above or this link to check it out...

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Ironman 2006 Photo Gallery Part 3

Paula Newby-Fraser and Faris Al-Sultan just arrived at the airport.

Michael Lovato and his wife at Lava Java

The Kona Pier

Jan Sibberson moves so fast,that his image resembles a fox in the water.

Natasha Badmann

A very vascular Normann Stadler
Click his name above to see his website.

Michellie Jones, Heather Fuhr and Lori Bowden
Can you find Normann in this photo above?
Click Heather and Lori's names above to see their web sites.

Photos courtsy of 3athlon.de
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Normann in '06?

Normann is quite fit this year -- here is a photo in which he is looking at the coffee table book of Ironman Memories. As s a part of the collective Ironman consciousness Normann has a very good chance of winning the Ironman - as long as it does not snow on race day.
This photo was from today at Lava Java.

photo thanks to 3athlon.de
~

Triathlete Magazine Meals at Lava Java for Ironman Week 2006

Photo: Layla und Hally from Lava Java - tell them Mitch or Kai Sent you.

Kona Athletes will find the center of Kailua's coffee house living, free wireless access and great healty food including a few special Triathlete Magazine items on the menu at Island Lava Java (75-5799 Alii Dr., Kailua-Kona, HI. 96740).

#1 Triathlete Magazine's "Post-Swim" Vanilla Soymilk Shake -- Get your protein after your morning swim workout with this vegetarian soy-protein Shake with 2 organic and locally grown Bananas. Available in two serving sizes.
#2 Triathlete Magazine's "Pre-Bike" Breakfast -- A big scoop of oatmeal with fresh all-natural plain yogurt, 1 banana and 1/2 papaya (all organic and locally grown) Boost your energy for the day.
#3 Triathlete Magazine's Yogurt & Homemade Granola in 1/2 papapya Breakfast. This is Kaihawaii's favorite.

Lava Java is a central part of the Kona Scene - and should not be missed, you'll see laptops everwhere, professional athletes and some local flavor.

Photos courtesy 3athlon.de

Kona Lava Java LIVE Camera (from Property Networks)

Here is a photo from a LIVE webcam of Ali'i Drive in Kona - check out the patio of Lava Java - right now. To snap another live photo with this web cam, simply hit refresh on your browser.

For your Kona Rental needs click here for the amazing rentals available from Property Network - Live Camera (c) thanks to Property Network, Ltd. 75-5799 B-3 Ali'i Drive, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740

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Hawaii Ironman 2006 Photo Gallery Part 1

Photographers, reporters, athletes have all started to arrive in Kona for the 2006 Hawaii Ironman - here are some photos from Kona this week.
Photos courtesy of Kai Baumgartner from 3athlon.de

An island awaits you, covered with palms and pavement that will change your life.

Two of the newest residents of "Dig Me Beach," showing off their washboards and special needs bag.

Tourists rush quickly back to the cruise ship after sighting triathletes in Rippedville.

A sunset in Kona
~

The Chrissie Evans Story

Christine Evans is a Nutrition Consultant and Executive Coach with offices located in New York and Sydney. Her clients include the likes of McCann Erikson, Nestle Asia, Chengwei Venture Capital, as well as several top restaurants and resorts. When Chrissie is not busy with her consulting and coaching she competes in triathlons, open water swims, such as the 28.7 mile marathon swim around Manhattan Island, and ultramarathon adventure races, such as The Sahara Race and Gobi March 2006.

Chrissie has been featured in WE Channel, Runner's World Australia, travelingfit.com, Fortune, Runner's World US, South China Morning Post, US Triathlete, and several top Asian business magazines. She is also a regular columnist with Shanghai's premier magazine, ShanghaiTalk.

Chrissie’s passion for sport goes beyond her desire to compete – She plans to make an impact in the global community by raising awareness of the value of sport as an athlete involved with Project Active. Project Active is a forward-thinking mission which hopes to diffuse world tensions through introducing sport in areas of poverty and war.

Chrissie is committed to communicating the vital message of Project Active at events like the Gobi March. She affirms, “There's a total synergy with Project Active's mission to diffuse world tensions through sport. Project Active ( www.projectactive.org ) is great because they have simple yet powerful initiatives. Sport and physical activity can cross any land border, reminding us of our universality or simply creating some much needed fun and laughter.” Racing provides the perfect avenue to highlight everything Chrissie loves: constant activity, travel, working with fun and diverse people, and raising awareness for sport to the global community.

Chrissie’s most recent accomplishment was the Gobi March 2006 in China. She described this as the fastest and toughest of the 4Desert events she had yet participated in, and she is nothing short of ecstatic about her overall performance. Chrissie kept steady pace with the boys, and came in the top 10 overall as the first female to rank 9th after Stage 4 and most of Stage 5. Due to leg injuries, Chrissie was taken by car to the last checkpoint of Stage 5 and through the 6 mile distance on the last day. However, despite her self-described “usual perfectionism”, Chrissie did not feel disappointment when she took the ride.


After losing her shoes and socks to knee-deep mud, running barefoot on squelching grounds for over 1.5 hours, surviving extreme weather conditions (such as rain in the desert!), and enduring severe leg pain; Chrissie was simply delighted by her perseverance, pleased to be surrounded by incredible people from all over the world in her favorite Chinese province of Xinjiang, and optimistic that her mission of awareness for sport was heard.

Article by Allison Briggs~

Bob Rebello - A Man With a Mission

Bob Rebello is a man with a mission - the 70 year old Management Consultant, motivational speaker, political cartoonist, and former Marine plans to raise $100k for kidney cancer research by running worldwide marathons on 6 continents by December 31, 2008 in memory of his brother and best friend, John, who lost his battle with kidney cancer on February 27, 1999. Since he started running the worldwide marathons in 1999, at the young age of 63, he has developed a very successful kidney cancer research fundraising program and has raised a total of $40,851.22 (100% went to kidney cancer research) by finishing 7 worldwide marathons on 3 continents. To ensure that 100% of all donations go directly to kidney cancer research Bob pays for all of the fundraising expenses and does all of the work himself - he also pays 100% of donor’s fees when they donate on-line.

His next worldwide marathon will be in Bangkok, Thailand on November 26th. This will be his 8th worldwide marathon and 4th continent. To prepare for the marathon, Bob recently started his seventeen-week training program of 700 miles running and 400 miles biking. To date, Bob has finished the following 7 worldwide marathons on 3 continents: USMC [1999], Ireland [2000], France [2001], Monaco [2002], Hungary [2003], Switzerland [2004], and Australia [2005]. Overall Bob has finished a total of 13 marathons, but he still calls himself a “rookie.” Bob’s kidney cancer research fundraising program has been a very humbling experience because of the caring and generosity of so many people who have donated their hard-earned money to kidney cancer research. During the last eight years Bob has had the pleasure and privilege of meeting a great number of people from around the world who have given him their support, encouragement, and friendship. To capture and share his experiences he is writing a book about his adventures while running marathons around the world, in which he will share tales of his “senior moments.” Bob’s next challenge is to do a Triathlon in 2007 at age 71. As he says, “you’re never too old.”

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to kidney cancer research, you can do so by going to Bob’s website www.bobrebello.com - You can also get in touch with Bob at rjreb@aol.com

We Make 2500 Choices Every Day

Traveling can be draining. The planes, the trains, the different food, the strange beds - and the extra difficulty working out. Travel can also be good mental training, e.g. the endurance challenge of 12 hours in a small seat.

I’m glad to be on my way back to La Jolla, but it is always good to look at your life, yourself and your home from somewhere far away. I’m drinking water from Maine right now. In the last 24 hours, I had bottled water from Italy for dinner, France for breakfast, and on the plane I was served bottled water from both the UK with my in-flight meal and Ireland with my in-flight snack (in the little plastic peel-away cup).

We can find a new perspective if we stop and think about all the different places around the world that we consume food and water from on a daily basis. It has been said that we make 2,000 to 3,000 choices every day. Some are big choices, some small. They all are cumulative and offer us a different life at the end of each day, each week and each year. If you eat healthy for a year, you will radically alter your biochemistry.

Taking the Heathrow Express train back to the airport early this morning, I snapped this photo in one of the walkways of an advertisement. We have all the information to make the right choices every day – it’s often very clear what is good and bad for us.

Plan your diet, workouts, travel and your daily schedule with diligence. Optimize your decisions with your daily choices for the maximum positive outcome. If you do this, your opportunities and dreams will surround you.

It's not just the food choices we make that change our lives, it is the sum of the 2,500 choices we make per day multiplied by the cumulative days of our existence that powerfully impact who we are.

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The London Blog

In London for board meetings, La Jolla Holding Group board members, Mitch Thrower, Matt Barger and Steve Gintowt.

No fog in London -- in fact it's very sunny and mild. I am here for meetings and of course a run or two in Hyde Park. We ran into someone on a street with a bike you could put in your backpack. You could also grab a few for the back of you SUV in case you need to get somewhere quickly. The company is called A-Bike and you can get more information by clicking here. They hope to launch in the USA, contact them if you are interested in helping, or picking up a few.

An excellent concept - this bike was really light.

Sunrise before a long run in Hyde Park.

Standing under landing gear from a A340 Jet affords one perspective on the size of Continental 19" 700cc bike tires.
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United Airlines Flight to London

I am on a United Airlines Flight to London - catching up on e-mails, and writing a letter to my girlfriend. If this is to continue to be a real blog, then I need to share private moments, right? So here is a letter...
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Dear XXXXXX,

I have to share this very special mo