World Record Holder Sammy Wanjiru to Race Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras
‘08 Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist Chooses New Orleans for U.S. Half-Marathon Debut
Half Marathon World Record holder and 2008 Olympic Marathon gold medallist Sammy Wanjiru announced today he will run his first half-marathon in the U.S. at the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon & ½ Marathon on February 28, 2010.
“I’m very happy to be part of the first Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans,” said Wanjiru, who set his first half-marathon world record in 2005 as an 18 year-old in Rotterdam with a time of 59:16.
He subsequently took back the world record in 2007 with a 58:53 time at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirattes, which Haile Gebrselassie had broken at the ‘06 P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona ½ Marathon (58:55). Wanjiru then bettered his record by another 20 seconds on March 17th of that year in the City-Pier-City Loop in The Hague, The Netherlands (58:33).
“The race is perfect timing in my build up to the London Marathon,” explained Wanjiru. “I know it will be very competitive, and should be very fast. I’m coming to do my best and hope for a great performance.”
The first Kenyan to win the Olympic Marathon Gold Medal, Wanjiru, 22, boasts an impressive running resume over such a relatively short career. Having only begun running at age 15, his list of global achievements already include course record wins at both the 2009 London Marathon (2:05:10) and 2009 Chicago Marathon (2:05:41) – both represent the fastest times ever run in the respective nations. With his wins in Beijing, London, and Chicago he earned the 2008-2009 World Marathon Majors championship, and its $500,000 bonus. New Orleans’ history for record road performances coupled with its flat course provides an ideal stage for Wanjiru to assault his own world record.
- Wanjiru owns the fastest marathon time ever recorded in the U.S. Credit: Photorun.net
“Attracting the likes of Sammy Wanjiru to New Orleans was always our goal at the Competitor Group, and it shows our commitment to attracting the biggest names in the world of running,” said Matt Turnbull, Elite Athlete Coordinator. “We’re excited to have the world record holder and Olympic Gold medalist on the start line next month. We are still working hard and hope to bring in more big names and to challenge Sammy over the half-marathon distance.”
It was originally planned for Wanjiru to face American superstar Ryan Hall over the 13.1-mile course, but Hall has unfortunately been forced to pull out of the head-to-head encounter. He recently finished second at the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona ½ Marathon in 64:08.
“We are obviously disappointed to lose Ryan Hall from the field,” added Turnbull, who had hoped to pair the American and World Record holders in New Orleans. “We respect his decision to focus on getting himself in shape for the Boston Marathon. His disappointment was obvious to see with how things went in Arizona, and so we wish him well over the next few months.”
For more information on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras or to register online, please visit http://mardi-gras.competitor.com or call (800) 311-1255.
Three Nutrition Products To Try In 2010
Here are three of the newest nutrition products available in 2010 that may be worth giving a try.
Fortis Vita’s Ocinna $49.95
Fortis Vita’s Ocinna tablets are formulated to fight inflammation naturally by infusing omega-3 fish oil, vitamin D and cinnamomum cassia (concentrated cinnamon) into a single potent tablet. The precise combination of these three ingredients is scientifically formulated to diminish joint inflammation, regulate blood sugar and enhance blood circulation to promote recovery, heart and joint health as well as offset the oxidative stress of intense training. Fortisvita.com
The Right Stuff $26.99 for a pack of 10 capsules
Astronauts face dehydration in space due to microgravity and the physical strain of re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere. Now, the same formula they use to stay properly hydrated is available for endurance athletes. Fifteen years of meticulous testing by NASA laboratories led to the formulation of The Right Stuff, a blend of sea salt and potassium in a sugar- and carbohydrate-free liquid form. The recycled plastic vials can be stowed anywhere—from spacesuits to cycling kits—and provide an on-the-go option for superior rehydration. Therightstuff-usa.com
Clif Shot Roks $2.99 per packet
Clif Bar’s newest product, Clif Shot Roks, offers tasty protein in small, bite-sized pieces. With 2 grams of whey protein in each bite or 20 grams in each 10-piece packet, you can eat as much or as little post-workout protein as you want. Clif Shot Roks come in three delectable flavors: chocolate, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie dough, and each one is coated with a delicious outer shell that keeps them from melting in your pocket while you finish your workout. Clifbar.com
Fastfood Showdown: Chipotle’s Vegetarian Burrito Vs. Baja Fresh’s Grilled Veggie Burrito
Triathlete editor Brad Culp compares two similar options from competing fast food chains and decides which one is overall healthier.
Healthy Mexican food isn’t easy to come by. One way to make mammoth burritos tip the scales to less than 1,000 calories is to go vegetarian. With so many flavors packed inside a tortilla, even carnivores will hardly notice that the beef, chicken or carnitas are missing. Since eating healthy at Taco Bell is absolutely impossible, this month’s meat-free showdown is between America’s other big burrito joints: Chipotle and Baja Fresh.
Unfortunately, there is no real winner here. Cutting out the sour cream and cheese from either option will save about 200 calories and a whole lot of saturated fat, but doing so will do little save your arteries from all the sodium. Since the burritos are a wash when it comes to nutrition, this showdown turned into a straight taste test with Chipotle coming out on top.
Baja Fresh (with cheese & sour cream)
• Price: $5.69
• Size: About 500g
• Calories: 800
• Protein: 32g
• Fat: 33g (17g saturated fat)
• Carbohydrate: 94g
• Fiber: 16g
• Sodium: 1,880mg
• Pros: Unlike Chipotle’s offering, it’s not overloaded with rice.
• Cons: You need to add a lot of pico de gallo to mask the fact that you’re just eating bland vegetables.
Chipotle (with cheese & sour cream)
• Price: $5.10
• Size: About 550g
• Calories: 800
• Protein: 28g
• Fat: 32g (16g saturated fat)
• Carbohydrate: 100g
• Fiber: 14g
• Sodium: 1,920mg
• Pros: It’s delicious and huge.
• Cons: Chipotle’s tortillas pack almost 300 calories, so a tortilla-less burrito bowl is a better option if you’re looking to drop a few pounds.
VERDICT: Chipotle’s fresher taste wins out.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series Adds Los Angeles Event
Rock ‘n’ Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon Set for October 24, 2010
San Diego, CA – The Competitor Group has announced that it will expand the presence of its Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series in Southern California through an agreement with Grove of Hope to operate and manage an annual fall half marathon in Los Angeles. The newly renamed Rock ‘n’ Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon, scheduled for October 24, 2010, will replace the City of Angels Half Marathon, which has historically been held the first weekend of December since 2006.
“As the second largest media market in the country, Los Angeles has been a critical expansion target of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series,” said Peter Englehart, President and CEO of the Competitor Group. “We were fortunate to connect with Katherine Gluck and Kamal Oudrhiri with Grove of Hope, who have launched and built a successful event we feel is poised for significant growth.”
“The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series has a great reputation for executing well-organized events,” said Katherine Gluck, Treasurer of Grove of Hope. “We look forward to the opportunity to work in partnership with the Competitor Group and continuing to generate funding and awareness for science and technology education.”
Grove of Hope will remain a benefiting charity of the new half marathon, which promises an entertaining destination event for runners and walkers of all abilities. Between 15,000 and 20,000 participants are expected for the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll event in Los Angeles, which will highlight the brand’s unique combination of entertainment on courses that distinctively feature their host cities. The event’s theme will showcase the glamour and entertainment mecca that is Los Angeles.
“We’re excited to host this world-class event, which I believe will become the new flagship half marathon on the west coast,” said Tom LaBonge, Los Angeles City Councilmember, whose district encompasses a majority of the course. “In addition to providing race participants a unique tour of Los Angeles, the event will serve as an outstanding platform to promote health and fitness throughout the city.”
In keeping with the true spirit of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, the Los Angeles half marathon will feature live bands, themed water stations and cheerleaders along the flat and scenic course. The 2010 race will utilize the existing point-to-point course that takes runners from Griffith Park near the Los Angeles Zoo, along the Los Angeles River, down Sunset Boulevard, near the edge of Echo Park Lake and finishes with a scenic view of downtown at the Los Angeles Civic Center.
For more information about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, please visit www.runrocknroll.com
About Grove of Hope
Grove of Hope is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization that was founded in Los Angeles, California, to provide science education in our surrounding neighborhoods and around the globe. Grove of Hope believes that science education and innovative scientific solutions provide people with the access to high earning jobs, improved living standards and alternative solutions to many global challenges including but not limited to health, water management, agriculture, energy and climate changes. For more information, please visit www.groveofhope.org.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series Adds Los Angeles Event
Rock ‘n’ Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon Set for October 24, 2010
San Diego, CA – November 19, 2009 – The Competitor Group announced today that it will expand the presence of its Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series in Southern California through an agreement with Grove of Hope to operate and manage an annual fall half marathon in Los Angeles. The newly renamed Rock ‘n’ Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon, scheduled for October 24, 2010, will replace the City of Angles Half Marathon, which has historically been held the first weekend of December since 2006.
“As the second largest media market in the country, Los Angeles has been a critical expansion target of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series,” said Peter Englehart, President and CEO of the Competitor Group. “We were fortunate to connect with Katherine Gluck and Kamal Oudrhiri with Grove of Hope, who have launched and built a successful event we feel is poised for significant growth.”
“The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series has a great reputation for executing well-organized events,” said Katherine Gluck, Treasurer of Grove of Hope. “We look forward to the opportunity to work in partnership with the Competitor Group and continuing to generate funding and awareness for science and technology education.”
Grove of Hope will remain a benefiting charity of the new half marathon, which promises an entertaining destination event for runners and walkers of all abilities. Between 15,000 and 20,000 participants are expected for the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll event in Los Angeles, which will highlight the brand’s unique combination of entertainment on courses that distinctively feature their host cities. The event’s theme will showcase the glamour and entertainment mecca that is Los Angeles.
“We’re excited to host this world-class event, which I believe will become the new flagship half marathon on the west coast,” said Tom LaBonge, Los Angeles City Councilmember, whose district encompasses a majority of the course. “In addition to providing race participants a unique tour of Los Angeles, the event will serve as an outstanding platform to promote health and fitness throughout the city.”
In keeping with the true spirit of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, the Los Angeles half marathon will feature live bands, themed water stations and cheerleaders along the flat and scenic course. The 2010 race will utilize the existing point-to-point course that takes runners from Griffith Park near the Los Angeles Zoo, along the Los Angeles River, down Sunset Boulevard, near the edge of Echo Park Lake and finishes with a scenic view of downtown at the Los Angeles Civic Center.
For more information about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, please visit www.runrocknroll.com
About Grove of Hope
Grove of Hope is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization that was founded in Los Angeles, California, to provide science education in our surrounding neighborhoods and around the globe. Grove of Hope believes that science education and innovative scientific solutions provide people with the access to high earning jobs, improved living standards and alternative solutions to many global challenges including but not limited to health, water management, agriculture, energy and climate changes. For more information, please visit www.groveofhope.org.
Tropical Trick or Treat Tri in Jamaica
The laid-back island life in Montego Bay takes a backseat Saturday as athletes take part in the Rose Hall Triathlon and Wellness Festival.
Saturday will mark the second running of the Wata Rose Hall Triathlon, putting the easygoing Jamacian lifestyle on end as athletes take on a hot, humid Olympic- and sprint-distances course along Montego Bay shoreline.
In the centerpiece Olympic-distance event, The two-loop, 1.5k swim is a triangular course that takes place in the Caribbean Sea off Iberostar Hotel. The bike runs the length of the Montego Bay shoreline past the host Rose Hall Resort and Spa, and is fairly flat by and large.
It’s the run that will be the big challenge. The two-loop 10k run takes place on the cart paths of beautiful Cinnamon Hill Golf Course, where the late Johnny Cash built his home (and which is where an aid station will be set up). Golf courses are often referred to by their terrain; a desert course, a cliffside course. This one ought to be called a “mountain course.” Once racking at T2, athletes are in for a rollercoaster ride that will not let up on the legs. The first lap and finishing final lap will culminate in a 200-meter uphill pitch that is being affectionately (and appropriately) named “The Witch.”
Athletes sign in at Friday night's packet pickup. Photo: Jay Prasuhn
The race also features a wellness festival, and a Halloween post-race party—appropriate timing since T2 is located at Rose Hall Great House, a 1700s old sugar plantation house that is reputedly… haunted. At least that’s how the story goes in the H.G. de Lisser 1928 novel, The White Witch of Rosehall. An 1800s tale of black magician Annie Palmer, who was claimed to have murdered three of her husbands, was also reputedly murdered in her own bed in the house by a voodoo priest from a neighboring plantation, and it’s said her ghost roams the house.
No telling if any bikes will disappear from T2 at the foot of the house.
Back to the 21st century… One athlete who figures to not only win the visually impared category but may well make a run at a top overall finish is Aaron Scheides. The distorted, blurred vision that Scheides suffers with is called Stargardt’s Disease, and qualifies him for a cane. Instead he uses guides, those of whom in the past years have included pro triathletes Matt Lieto, Luke McKenzie Joe Gambles and Ben Collins and top age grouper Matt Miller.
Saturday, his guide will be rookie rookie pro Andy Starykowicz, A 2:05:45 bike at Ironman 70.3 Steelhead put eventual race winner Andy Potts on the defensive then when he scored a runner-up finish, and puts the Scheides/Starykowicz tandem in the drivers seat for a top finish in Montego Bay.
The race also has at least one high-profile name on the start list: triathlete and Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, who looks to improve on the 2:17:54 PR he set at the Nation’s Triathlon in D.C. this June. Race organizers said that they also leave the door open for former heavyweight boxing champion and area resident Lennox Lewis to drop in and do the race in whole or as a relay.
Stay tuned to triathlete,competitor.com for a complete race report and photo gallery.
Denver Marathon to Join Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series
Denver will Rock 'n' Roll in 2010
Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon and Half marathon to Debut in Colorado in 2010
Denver, CO – The Competitor Group (CGI) today announced that the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series will officially add the Denver Marathon to its schedule of races for next year. The event, which will celebrate its fourth running this Sunday, October 18, 2009, will host the Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon, ½ Marathon and the ING Marathon Relay in the fall of 2010.
“We are very excited that the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon is coming to Denver,” said Richard Scharf, President of VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Denver is the perfect city to be hosting the Marathon, with 300 days of sunshine, a great love of sports and outdoor activities, world-class cultural offerings, and natural beauty from the Rocky Mountains backdrop. We look forward to welcoming thousands of runners from around the world next fall.”
The largest marathon in the state of Colorado, the race is known as the premier distance running event in the Rocky Mountain Region. The marathon was founded four years ago by several people including CGI’s Anton Villatoro, who saw an opportunity based on the fact that Denver has one of the largest numbers of runners per capita of any city in the U.S. The event provides participants with a unique running tour of the city and last year was named one of 10 “Marathons You Should Do in 2008” by Runner’s World magazine.
“Denver is an outstanding destination to run a marathon and we are excited to offer runners a flat, scenic course set against the backdrop of the breathtaking Rocky Mountains that give Colorado its gorgeous panoramas,” said Peter Englehart, President and CEO of CGI. “The Rock ‘n’ Roll format will help this event increase its visibility on a national scale and attract participants from across the U.S. and abroad.”
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, which began in San Diego in 1998, is organized by CGI and held in markets across the nation including Phoenix, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Antonio. The series of marathons and half-marathons will attract over 300,000 participants nationwide, and by incorporating the Denver event in 2010, more participants will travel from outside of the Rocky Mountain Region for the race, increasing the event’s annual economic impact for the City of Denver.
“Denver has always been a great city for sporting events and our community consistently shows its support to professional and amateur athletes alike,” said KieAnn Brownell, President of Denver Sports. “We are very pleased to bring this premier event to Denver and we consider this another example of the positive economic impact world class sports events can create for a city and its surrounding communities.”
With the addition of the Denver event, there will now be 13 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathons and Half Marathons in 2010. Each event creates a running block party with live bands performing at every mile, cheerleaders encouraging runners throughout the race, themed water stations, and a post-event concert featuring a headlining act. The events’ festive atmospheres, which combine entertainment and running, all maintain the unique aspects of the regions in which they are held.
The 2010 event will utilize the existing race course that begins in front of the State Capitol, and travels past many of Denver’s major landmarks including the Denver Public Library, Art Museum, Larimer Square, the Pepsi Center, Union Station and Coors Field, as well as City, Cheesman and Washington Parks. The course has little to no elevation change and is certified by USA Track & Field as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.
“This is wonderful news for Downtown Denver,” said Tami Door, President & CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. “As one of the healthiest cities in the nation, we are proud to support this kind of activity and a population of people who value wellness. Downtown Denver will make a beautiful landscape for the event and is positioned well to accompany this influx of people.”
The 2009 Denver Marathon event weekend kicks off with a free two-day Target Health & Fitness Expo at the Colorado Convention Center on Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17. The Expo, where all participants pick up their race number, t-shirt and goodie bag, will feature up to 100 exhibitors with samples, the latest in running gear and sports apparel, as well as a full schedule of interactive clinics. Race registration for both Sunday’s marathon and half-marathon races is available at the Expo.
For more information about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon, please visit www.runrocknroll.com.
Interbike’s Dirt Demo: A dust-up to Vegas Showtime
It may have been a boring start of the week for you, but for the bike industry, Monday and Tuesday were days to turn the cranks in the dry, dusty (and somewhat windy) air of Bootleg Canyon, a 25-minute drive southeast of Las Vegas, for Interbike’s 2009 Outdoor Dirt Demo. Busloads of bike industry dealers and media descended on the tiny hillside town to ride a variety of new 2010 bikes before the show starts in earnest Wednesday at the Sands Convention Center.
And a treat they had. Garmin’s Dave Zabriskie, Christian Vande Velde and Will Frishkorn were on hand to sign autographs and ride with the press on a Garmin test ride, and legends, from Ned Overend to Thomas Frischknecht were cruising around.
The throngs brave the (dry) heat of Bootleg Canyon Tuesday to turn the cranks at Interbike's Dirt Demo
We even spied a pre-production product from Shimano, on the bike of Shimano’s Wayne Stetina; carbon fiber Dura-Ace pedals. Shimano marketing manger Devin Walton could give us no details on a release date, or whether it will even be placed into production. But the pedal, which uses the same catch claw on the existing alloy Dura-Ace pedal saves about 35 grams over that same pedal due to the use of carbon. An alloy place is placed at the center of the platform to eliminate pedal wear due to cleat interface. As with anything, Shimano doesn’t go into production with a product just because carbon fiber is de rigeur. We shall wait and see.
A close-up look at the prototype carbon fiber Shimano Dura-Ace pedal.
Triathlete found it a great chance to catch up with several industry folks in a relaxed, tan-friendly venue. One such visit was with Steve Smith of Castelli apparel. We met Smith in February in San Diego when the Cervelo TestTeam, which Castelli sponsors, made a visit to the San Diego Wind Tunnel for some testing with 2008 Tour de France champ Carlos Sastre, and now reigning Tour green jersey winner Thor Hushovd. Smith, a marketing and design manager was present in San Diego to test some aero garments on the athletes, with pieces that saw light of day at the Tour de France.
One of those pieces, tested by Sastre at the Tour, was a bibshort called BodyPaint. Pretty risqué marketing to be sure; the last bodypaint we saw was at Eurobike, and it was on two models at the Kellys booth. But today when I bumped into fellow industry journalist Zapata Espinoza, who had just done a test run in the kit and said “I had to look to make sure I was still wearing something,” there must’ve been something to it.
Former Xterra World Champ (and all-round nice guy) Ned Overend, with one of Specialized's new S-Works 29er hardtails.
“We started working on this in 2006 and saw some emerging technologies that weren’t being used in fabrics,” Smith said of the company’s Rosso Corsa, or top shelf short. “We wanted to take what the status quo was for high-end cycling shorts, and take away from the stitching, which is the number one area for failures. We wanted to engineer a high tech fabric that was different than anything else out there.
Smith took me on a tour of this truly unique bib, which goes counter to what the industry contends to be optimal apparel design. While many brands hype the fact that they have upwards of eight panels, Castelli goes 180 degrees, and hypes that BodyPaint has just one panel. The entire front is comprised of one piece of Power Stretch Lycra, wrapping around the thigh, with the sole seam existing at the back. , At the leg grippers, Castelli eliminates the use of silicone, the bottom of the thigh has the leg gripper infused into the fabric. The bib shoulder straps, comprised of Giro++ elastic fabric, extend outward from the inner hips to the shoulders, then curve around the chest, instead of coming straight up the torso.
The author get his first Body Paint experience at the Castelli booth.
The white bib portion of the short, like the leg, is not laser cut, but is rather a fine stitched end, meaning the suit won’t unravel. A breathable mesh holds the kit complete in back. The reflective branding down the thigh is integrated into the fabric, so as not to interfere with fabric flexibility.
With just a short ride, it was easy to see how Espinoza could make such a remark; the lack of stitches, we think, actually enhances the mobility of this suit. Like another Italian-ish brand, the bib pulls as you stand up. But cyclists don’t ride standing up. Bent over the bars, this thing is just amazing. The bib straps are so thin and slight, it is easy to forget they’re there. And there really is something to this fabric and its single-seam build, as it moves, dare I say, seamlessly, over the body contours through the pedal stroke. It’s worth the premium. You can skimp in a lot of areas, but I have always contended that a good short is something you should never skimp on.
The Progetto X2 chamois is also quite unique; marrying the two elements a rider desires in a pad—padding and skin comfort, Castelli employs two layers. The cushioning pad is comprised of variable thicknesses of foam, with gel inserts at the sitbones and perineum. The actual contact portion of the chamois has four-way stretch. The cushioning pad is installed under the comfortable, stretchy chamois contact layer, and stitched just once down its length, allowing it to float freely for greater mobility in saddle.
A women’s version will be available as well, absent the bib element.
Felt Racing namesake Jim Felt signs a dealer's personal bike Tuesday.
Why does this matter to triathletes? Well, for one, all of us should be in proper bike shorts while training. If you see triathletes training on the weekend up and down the coast highway in their race kit, as I do, you’ll understand why. A proper bike short will do wonders for your riding experience.
Second, this is one of the first companies to make aerodynamic considerations in apparel. It’s one thing to tailor the cut to be more form-fitting. But Castelli’s use of this material, with its lack of stitches, makes this short super aero. Heck, they moved the shoulder stitch in the TestTeam’s time trial skinsuit around to the back, so that the seam was out of the wind. Can you see where this is going? Can you say “Castelli tri kits coming soon?”
“Ever since our work with Cervelo TestTeam in the wind tunnel, we have had some professional triathletes email us and ask us when we’re going to be doing triathlon apparel like this,” said Soren Jensen, Castelli’s global communications manager. Add to that the fact that Smith is taking part in his first Ironman next summer at Ironman Germany, and one can see the impetus to develop a highly technical triathlon apparel line that follows the premise of Body Paint is there.
Bob Parlee of Parlee Bikes, watching over a fleet of his 2010-painted TT rigs.
“We already know what we are capable of aerodynamically,” Smith said. “We’re going to be doing some prototyping, testing fabric properties in the water. So yes, we have some cool technologies for triathlon and we’re working hard on that right now.”
Countdown To Kona: Ironwar (1989)
With the Ironman World Championship set to take place 21 days from today, we take a look at back at each race from the past three decades. Today, we go back to 1989 and the year Dave Scott and Mark Allen swam, rode and ran shoulder to shoulder. All of the following photos and text are taken from the book, “30 Years of The Ironman Triathlon World Championship” by Bob Babbitt.
With the black nothingness of the Big Island’s lava fields as a backdrop and an entourage of spectators on mopeds and bicycles hovering behind, Mark Allen and Dave Scott moved swiftly through the third act of the three-part Ironman play. Their swim times for 2.4 miles were 51:17 and 51:16 respectively. Bike splits? 4:37:52 and 4:37:53.
They began the 26.2-mile marathon in tandem, under a muggy haze – ideal conditions when compared to the usual blast-furnace-from-hell marathon heat the Hawaiian Triathlon Gods are famous for. The two made their bike-to-run transition at the Kona Surf Hotel, headed up the “what-joker-decided-to-put-this-sucker-here?” hill and settled into a little more one-on-one as they strung together sub-six-minute miles down Alii Drive.
“Dave set a really good pace through town,” recalls Mark Allen. “I remember thinking, ‘I don’t know, 26 miles at this pace is going to be pretty tough.”
Throughout the bike ride, Allen’s focus was totally on Scott. He ignored Wolfgang Dittrich of West Germany, who put two minutes between himself and the chase pack during the swim. Dittrich then rode off the front for 112 miles, his lead hovering around three minutes early, but dwindling down to less than two by the time he reached the Kona Surf and the bike-to-run transition. Behind him was a pack of riders that included Kenny Glah, Mike Pigg, Rob Mackle, Scott and Allen. Allen was in a zone of his own, lurking in the shadows, monitoring every move Scott would make.
“I never saw his face during the bike,” says Scott. There was no need for Allen to show his face. Scott KNEW he was there. After blowing up every time he’d tried to pull away from Scott in previous years, Allen was taking absolutely no chances.
“It was really difficult for me at first reconciling to the fact that I was going to have to run with him for 18-26 miles,” says Allen. But he knew there was no other way.
The two ran wordlessly along, the mobile spectators sensing the enormity of the performances they were witnessing. The best marathon ever at the Ironman was Scott’s 2:49. Allen had a best of 2:55. Both were running well under that pace as they reached the 17-mile turnaround at the inflatable Bud Light beer can. Nine miles to go, both athletes still in synch, only the sound of their breathing and of their shoes skidding every faster across the pavement breaking the silence.
The fans that followed the leaders did so like they were watching a horror file or awaiting a storm. Something was going to happen, but what would it be, and when?
Who would make the first move?
As Allen and Scott moved closer and closer to downtown Kona, the thought of a sprint to the tape must have must have been going through their heads, too. Their gap over the fast-closing Aussie Greg Welch was an insurmountable 20 minutes. The only game in town was the one they were playing. But who would make the first move? And when?
“Mark had the inside track at the aid stations,” remembers Scott. “Mark would get aid and I’d have to slow down to get it. At mile 23 it happened again and Mark picked up the pace and opened up 20 feet on me. He looked over his should and could see he had a gap. I told myself that I had to come back. But it hurt to come back. Once I got up to him again I thought, ‘Okay, I’m back in the race.’ Psychologically, I did that to say, ‘Okay Mark, It’s not yours yet, you’ve got to earn it.”
Just at the base of the long hill into town, 24 miles into the run, Allen decided to earn it. Allen had decided beforehand that if the race was tight, if he was still with Scott at mile 24, the last grade would be his spot to make a move.
“He’d always be a little behind me on the uphills, so I thought, ‘All right, where’s the best uphill?’ I thought the best one was the last one into town. I started to push a little bit before the hill so see how he was feeling,” says Allen. “Right at the mile 99 highway marker I thought, ‘Okay this is it, man!’ I felt good. I felt that I could go hard for two miles.”
Hard enough to put 58 seconds between himself and the Lord of the Lava in the last two miles. And fast enough to erase a lot of past Ironman disappointment. He hammered down Pay and Save Hill, turned left and headed for home.
Allen needed an incredible 2:40:04 marathon to hold off Dave “Never-Say-Die” Scott, who turned in a 2:41:03 – 18 minutes off his own course record – and, somehow, someway came up short.
Andersson, Williams Lead Savage Attack at Savageman Sunday
The self-proclaimed toughest tri in the world benefitting Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation, features defending champs Bjorn Anderson and Susan Williams—and that insidious Westernport Wall.
I don’t think there has been a race that has been as challenge-hyped as the one Triathlete is covering this weekend—the third-annual Savageman Triathlon.
I used the term ‘covering” loosely; most races are happy to have us there, sit us on the back of a moto, shoot photos and write a story. For race organizers Kyle and Greg Safko, they didn’t want that. While the event, located in Eastern Maryland on the border with Pennsylvania and West Virginia hosts a half Ironman-distance event and Olympic distance event Sunday, they wanted the writer to take part.
Defending Savageman champ Bjorn Andersson surveys his path for tomorrow's ascent of the Westernport Wall.
Interestingly, I was Option 2 to cover the race. Option 1 was colleague Brad Culp, who graciously declined, replying to Greg Safko with this quote:
“Sounds like an awful race! I’ve done Auburn and if it’s indeed tougher than that, I can promise you I’ll never do your event! Let us know if there’s anything else we can help you out with.”
So that left me. The guy who has been to Madison, Dublin, San Diego, Zurich, Friedrichshafen, Milan, Bassano and Venice in the span of three weeks, will be doing a half Ironman distance race, on sporadic training… an 80-mile ride here, a 2,400-mile flight there, a four-minute run there. Me and my compression socks (flying, not training) are a familiar pair.
So this weekend, I go into the Savageman Triathlon, a Half Ironman-distance race, with no expectations. I spent a day looking over the course details, vacillating between whether to take my road bike or tri bike (went with road bike). The bike course features over 5,700 feet of climbing as it goes up the Eastern Continental Divide, dotted by seven climbs with an average pitch of 15 percent.
Then I spent half a day watching the several YouTube videos of the Westernport Wall, a section of road that event organizers claim to be the steepest ascent in all of triathlon. So say that the videos are shocking is a bit of an understatement.
For those unfamiliar with this particular parcel of roadway, here, goes: envision your worst local climb—then double its pitch. It’s a few blocks of hard climbing (15-20 percent grade, capped by one block of stupid verticality; a 25-percent climb, with a 31-percent kicker. It’s a graveyard of toppled athletes who brave it, either gunning like a bullet for the top or “paperboying” it, snaking across the road from left to right, prolonging the agony. Some make it, many don’t.
TeamTBB pro Zach Ruble paints a pretty picture: “As you’re coming into Westernport you make a left and…. it’s just a big wall—I guess that’s where it got its name. But it’s deceiving, once you get over that climb, you’ve got some more climbing.
For those who climb the pitted, cement-broken, fan-lined ascent without falling or dabbing, they earn a brick with their name etched, which is then cemented into the Westernport Wall. Triathlon immortality. Me? I am happy that SRAM offers an 11-28 Red cassette. I’m bent on getting a brick. Beyond that grade, there’s several more ascends, including a pass over Big Savage Mountain and the Eastern Continental Divide. Never mind that the day is preceded by a brisk swim in Deep Creek Lake, and that the insidious bike is chased by a rolling half marathon along Deep Creek Lake.
The growing legend of this event has drawn a solid field. In the pro race, Swedish bike power Bjorn Andersson faces a field of men that includes Zach Ruble of TeamTBB, Josh Beck and Billy Edwards.
The women’s field is headed by defending champion and Athens Olympics Bronze Medalist Susan Williams of Colorado. Canadian Tara Norton makes the start as well, as does D.C.-area pro Margaret Shapiro.
One name on the pro list caught our eye: Lynn Bessette. The former pro cyclist and recent cyclo-cross star has a storied racing career in the past decade, with two appearances at the Olympic Games representing Canada and has twice won the Tour de l’Aude Feminin. Returning to racing after a layoff, Bessette is making her run at triathlon. If her swim is solid, expect Bessette to certainly make a run to the front of the race during the bike.
With races popping up and becoming somewhat homogenized, truly challenging courses these days are hard to come by. Which makes it a draw for athletes looking for something representative of what the sport was borne of: challenge.
“It’s good to see races with real, tough course,” Ruble said. “Hopefully more of the big races will shift to courses like this.”
“To me, Savageman has an old-school feel,” says Andersson. “It’s very different from the run of the mill races. Actually, I don’t know if the course really suits me—I’m a bit heavy for all this climbing. The main thing is it’s different from everything else out there.”
And what of this bike course? Is there honestly anything they’ve seen out there tougher? “For halfs, this is it,” Andersson said. “Most races you do, you can have an even effort, but here, you have to extend yourself on the climbs, and recover on technical downhills. It makes for a different kind of race. I’ve seen nothing harder.”
Drawing a full field of athletes, organizers have a long-established beneficiary: the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation. Last year, the race raised over $35,000 for the foundation, which seeks to find new methods of melanoma detection, prevention and cure. The goal with the 2009 race is $50,000, with many athletes, including Ruble, creating web pages and links to an Active.com foundation donation page.
“It’s good to give the fight of this type of cancer some support,” said Ruble, who has been raising money from a page that links off his TeamTBB website page and personal blog. “Since we’re out training every day, endurance athletes are probably the most in need of awareness about skin cancer.”
The weather for Sunday’s race is favorable, but not totally predicable. Temps during the day have been and are expected to be around the mid-70s F on race day. But the mornings are quite cool in the low to mid 50s F. Forecast models predict a 20 percent chance of rain and partly cloudy skies for Sunday. Water temps in Deep Creek Lake have been brisk but pleasant, around the lower to mid 70s F.
Check back at triathlon.competitor.com for a full post-race report.
