Panicked message from Peter N.: “I’m in western Canada for business this week, and was innocently spinning (coach note: can one spin guiltily?) this AM and came upon the message in attached photo which totally freaked me out. Coincidence? I think not You guys get around!”
Yes, Peter, with Ironman Lake Placid so near, your coaches are monitoring you and your teammates especially close now. This is our job. You were trying to squeeze 120 mile loop with two mountain passes – we needed to warn you away. And do you think we did not see last Saturday Lake Placid team’s “Candy Man”/Ben & Jerry’s sequential Brick? And right now: Ken – recharging battery in your bike frame? Mandy – adjust your shorts. Nicole – put your running shoes down… we know you are trying to sneak in 10 miler. Damn Renee – fishing again? Crissy – corporal punishment was abolished, let go of the ruler and that kid. Becs – watching reruns of Flight of the Conchords at work is not productive. Arnel, oh, Arnel… shame on you.
Some characteristics of TriLife coach are obvious, some are more complex… Here is an example, some of our coaches also work with assorted non-profit organizations (as Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s “Team in Training” programs, for example) that rely of their endurance training programs to raise funds. Once a while our coaches get to shape up and prepare some “celebrity” grade person within these program. Celebrities attract media (or is it media that makes celebrities)… the point is that eventually media cycles such into news content, and coaches end up on TV, in magazines, etc… So why are TriLife coaches so media shy that even other colleagues find about such occasions via back channel (from athletes that happened to catch such occasions)? Is it humility of spirit (or humidity that destroys their hairstyles)?
So here is recently spied series of promo pieces from Fox TV on Team in Training, Fox “Good Day New York Weather Authority” Mike Woods training for the Nautica New York City Triathlon and some of the TriLife coaches he has been working with to get ready. (Hint, they both love swimming)
Oh Lenny… how far have you come in one year. From tri-geek bike and (very adequate) nutritional supplies for 100 mile training rides to “I’m jumping through holes 12 inches wide just to stay with my lead out and fighting for every inch of real estate. We hit Cat’s Paw… I veer right and I shoot up the gutter on the right, one rider tries to squeeze me into the curb I start yelling ‘coming through’ hoping he will give way. He does. Now approaching the top I can see the front of the peloton to my left with about 6 riders across. After cresting… I drop the hammer and hope for the best. Next thing I know I’m crossing the line first.”
Congratulations – your first race after upgrade from Cat. 5 and overall win!
For those whose dreams were crashed that race… where are you every Tuesday at 5:00 am when I greet Lenny before his sprint practice and I see noone else training with him?
Grace’s X-ray is on the left. Hmmm… so this is how she looks under her race kit and her skin… Titanium hardware and large thumb?
Story background is the usual narrative about triathlete, you have seen these movies before: one female rider… training ride… lonely road… a pick up truck… that blew a stop sign… a healthy amount of road rash and a broken left collar bone… couple weeks before her race “A” (Ironman Coeur d’Alene) she had been training for months.
Gracefully, she thanked her teammates for help after the accident, and counted her positives, “it could have been worse.”
I just can not commit to believing that one can be that calm, thoughtful, rational, nice and sweet… Anyone wants to volunteer to teach her how to curse and rage?
Yes, some triathletes can swim. Here are AB, Deanne, Wendy-Lynn, and Cat AFTER their Manhattan Island Marathon Swim relay. We still not sure “why?” but we will take this as another inspirational proof that once you decide that some goal is a good idea, with motivation and planning it can actually happen.
Since they ONLY had to swim, let’s recognize “little people” who crewed for them (like G-man, who got to paddle kayak for 9 hours straight) and cheered and gave them snippy comments
Mr. Consistency, Mike Farrell, got enough dignity to get 18th overall in New Jersey Devilman Half Lite 50 race.
Celeste traveled to Knoxville to race Rev3 Half series and was rudely crashed by a volunteer at the bike aid station, got back into the race and took 2nd in her age group with 5:14:46.
Training race on May 16th (Toga Duathlon at Rockland Lake) resulted in almost complete sweep of the AG spots by Lifers – too many to list… since it was a training event, and we do not publicly celebrate training successes, you know who you are. OK, OK… first places in AG were takes by Michelle McGuire, Aly Gindi, and David Wagner (4th overall), other AG “top 3″ spots went to Krissy Finn, Mandy Wong, Nicole Mermet, Diane Zinn, Brian Korb, Salah Tanlay, Tim Walton (6th overall), Phil Brewster.
Cycling
Jennifer Gott was leading this weekend Giro Del Cielo in the Cat 4 women’s field with 37 points, winning Montagna di Sole ITT and finishing well in the Cielo crit. Sadly she was not able to get to the start of the Sunday’s Veloce Circuit Race.
Lenny Galati wins his first first place in a sprint finish in Prospect Park series on May 8.
Too early for triathlons, open water swimming and paddling but too warm for skiing and snowshoe races, so what is left? Cycling and running and speed eating, of course. Here are some recent reminders that at least some of us are fit already and racing away:
Dennis Ball – 2nd overall (3:49:01) in Queens 50K running race on 3/28/10.
Cynthia “C-Lo” – 3rd overall in her field at the NYC Spring Series race at Floyd Bennett Field on 3/20/10. Race director race report: ” The women’s race was run as a handicap race with the Cat 4’s starting 2 minutes ahead of the Cat 1-2-3’s. In theory, the 123’s should have caught the 4’s or come very close to catching. Instead, we witnessed some of the best Cat 4 women’s racing we have seen in awhile. Like seasoned pro’s, they quickly organized a super smooth paceline and instead of losing time they actually started gaining time and by the end they had a 2:10 gap. In the end, Kissena’s Kelsey Crew took the win over her teammate BrittLee Bowman with Cynthia Lo rounding out the podium in third.”
Bill W. and Lenny G. – 4th and 5th respectively in their field at the NYC Spring Series on 3/14/10 in Central Park.
Here are 10 examples from actual Lifer’s life on how his holiday season is similar to citizens’ lives.
1. Received holiday cards, at least two from sports medicine specialists.
2. Amazon.com wish-list includes a new bike saddle, Powertap, and running shoes.
3. Holiday party circuit includes a stop at the primary PT’s party.
4. Observed your running coach riding a bike in a Santa suit in Central Park… more than once.
5. Every time you have a chip/dip/cookie, a Russian voice chimes “PWR” in your head.
6. More than 75% of the guests at your own holiday party will have completed a marathon or Ironman.
7. Already recorder location and operation hours of swimming pool where you are traveling for holidays.
8. Race medal(s) utilized as X-mas tree ornaments.
9. Completed more than one race with “holiday” or “jingle bell” in the name in a 7 day period
10. More than 50% of conversations at office holiday party begin with “So, what are you training for now?”
As weekend cycling training for New York athletes still depends on the NJ roads after the GWB, consider yourself warned. There’s a testy police officer in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, that seems to have a special “attraction” to bike riders in his patrol area. Over time, several rational and respected members of our local road racing community noticed a common experience on Route 9W and other roads after the GWB. It seems that this police officer periodically stops cyclists for riding two abreast and similar “crimes”, tickets riders (or worst) while providing a variety of abuse.
Reports indicate that his name sounds like Haggerty. There are recollections of his actions going as far back as 15 years ago (that case was brought by the cyclist to the local NJ court, challenged it in court and case was immediately tossed out by the judge). His patrol vehicle is the unmarked car (could be a black Mustang).
Here is a recollection from another cyclist: “The man went ballistic on us. He threatened to throw our bikes in his trunk and take us down to HQ, but there was no way, no how I was getting in a car with such a lunatic, even if he was a cop. Others at the time had similar stories. I filed a complaint with internal affairs, but of course, he was absolved. BTW, he was driving an unmarked car.”
You guys get around!”
Oh Lenny… how far have you come in one year. From tri-geek bike and (very adequate) nutritional supplies for 100 mile training rides to “I’m jumping through holes 12 inches wide just to stay with my lead out and fighting for every inch of real estate. We hit Cat’s Paw… I veer right and I shoot up the gutter on the right, one rider tries to squeeze me into the curb I start yelling ‘coming through’ hoping he will give way. He does. Now approaching the top I can see the front of the peloton to my left with about 6 riders across. After cresting… I drop the hammer and hope for the best. Next thing I know I’m crossing the line first.”
Grace’s X-ray is on the left. Hmmm… so this is how she looks under her race kit and her skin… Titanium hardware and large thumb?
Yes, some triathletes can swim. Here are AB, Deanne, Wendy-Lynn, and Cat AFTER their Manhattan Island Marathon Swim relay. We still not sure “why?” but we will take this as another inspirational proof that once you decide that some goal is a good idea, with motivation and planning it can actually happen.
Too many successes, too little time to list them…
Happy holiday season everyone!
