Great Start to 2015

The start to my 2015 season could not have went any better.  After not winning a professional race the first 4 years, I started 2015 with 2 wins in 2 weeks.  The work I have been putting in the last 4 years is finally coming though, and I spent a lot of this off season in the pool and refining my swim stroke.  Either that or I have a new good luck charm. Emily was born at the beginning of my off season last year.

My season started once again with the ITU race in Clermont, FL.  My best result before this year was the first year I did it in 2011, where I finished 3rd.  Even though the water was very choppy this year, in past years I struggled in choppy water, I was able to limit my losses and come out of the water 27 seconds behind the leader but in a pack of 15 chasing a pack of 5.  The new Roka Maverick Pro wetsuit is the fastest thing I have ever worn in the water.  We were not able to get much time back on the bike and I entered T2 18 seconds down to the leader.  Half way through the run I was still about 15 seconds down but I was determined to not let this one slip away so I stayed focused and ran as hard as I could.  Once I got in to 1st I couldn't believe that I was finally going to win a race.  I was able to celebrate a little bit and for the first time in my life I broke the finish tape!!  It was great to have Greg there for my first win, we have had a lot of ups and downs over the last 5+ years.  I big thank you also goes out to Roxie Smith for letting me stay at her house while in Clermont.  I got to sleep in Steve's trophy room, so I had a lot of inspiration to look at before I fell asleep.

My second race of the season was a new non-draft race in Ft Lauderdale, the Las Olas Triathlon.  It had a good prize purse and smaller field so I was very excited for it.  If you are looking for a good early season race, or in the Ft Lauderdale area on vacation I highly recommend the race.  
There was a rip current warning in the ocean for the days leading up to the race but once the sun came up on race day the ocean was calm.  When the horn sounded the Pro men made a dash for the ocean and after the first buoy I found myself on Cam Dye's feet.  This has never happened before in my life.  When I was still there halfway through the swim I couldn't help but smile.  When I was still there at the end of the swim I has probably the happiest person in the world.  Maybe my work in the pool helped, but the Roka Viper Pro speedsuit is a difference maker.  Once I got on the bike I didn't care what happened the rest of the race.  Then the bike started to hurt and I remembered I was there to race.  I stayed on the gas as much as I could.  I knew I had an opportunity to win the race but I would have to put together a good run to do it.  Cam was up the road and I could not see him coming out of T2.  A little after halfway I moved in to 1st but I didn't want to get too comfortable because it looked like there were a few guys running well behind me.  I looked around as I entered the finish chute and could not see anyone so I slowed to a walk and savored the victory.  I am still new to winning and I am not sure how many more I will have so I kissed the tape and held it up as high as I could.  My wife and her mom, sister and cousin were at the race so I dished out some hugs. It was great to have my wife and daughter at the race.  Winning is fun, but having my little family there made it that much sweeter. 

Hopefully I can keep the momentum rolling this season.  I have great sponsors this year and they contribute a lot to make these victories possible. N.B. Properties, Bralin Laser, Bradley Company, Hammer Nutrition, Roka, Garmin, Champion System, Profile Design, Stages Cycling, CompuTrainer, NormaTec, Cobb Cycling, New Balance, ProForm Bike, and Hofferth Chiropractic.

With love and patience, nothing is impossible. ~Daisaku Ikeda

Kaleb

2 WTS Beatdowns and 2 Rebounds

Over the last couple months I have been busy licking my mental wounds from my introduction to WTS racing and then finding a bit of success at a Continental Cup and a non-draft race.  Traveling is not one of my favorite things but having Melissa with me when I do makes a world of difference.

My first experience of WTS racing was a sprint distance in London.  I had to go to Spain a few days early to adjust to the time difference.  It is impossible to train in London so I found myself in Vittoria, Spain leading up to the race.  Once in London it was time to get focused for my first race against an Olympic caliber field.  I was feeling confident during the swim, the whole field was together in a large pack.  Once out on the bike I realized what it truly meant to race a WTS race.  There is no relaxing...ever.  It is a fast paced full out sprint once you dive in to the water.  I exited the water 10 seconds behind Richard Murray, and no one behind him made the front pack.  It was like my first draft legal race I ever did, I was in a pack of 6 guys trying to catch a pack of 55. It didn't happen in my fist race and it was definitely not going to happen in London.  I had a sub par run, but I'm not sure if it was because of the intensity of the race or that I was mentally defeated before I even got off the bike.  I finished a career worst 54th place.  Post race I didn't have the energy to explore London at all, I was ready to be home.

Round 2 of WTS racing took place a mere 103 miles from my house, in Chicago. I was very excited to be racing that close to home.  Not only was traveling there easy, but a large amount of my family were able to come and watch the race.  I knew the bike course would be challenging, but not in the way I enjoy.  I like hills and a few corners.  The course in Chicago had 40 - 180 degree turns over 40km.  Usually a course will have one or two and I previously thought 16 in 40km was crazy.  My swim was ok in the rough water of Lake Michigan and I came out with a small group.  The first couple laps of the bike went well, but then the numerous accelerations out of the 180s caught up with me and I was unable to stay in the bike pack.  It was the first time in my life I got dropped from a bike pack.  Not one of my better moments but I stayed on the gas the best I could while solo and made it to the run.  I had a marginal run, but was happy to move through the field.  I ended up in 32nd.  Better than London, but still not a great outing for me.

After getting roughed up in WTS racing it was nice to have a continental cup on the schedule.  Melissa I drove to Magog, Canada.  We ended up logging over 2,000 total miles of driving on the trip.  Magog offered a hard bike course, but this time it was in the form of large rolling hills.  I felt good before the race and was excited to take on the course. Coming out of the water I was at the trail end of the front pack.  That was the first time I was there since Clermont in 2011 when the 750m swim consisted of about 250m of actual swimming.  I made the front pack out of transition and within 2 miles we caught the 4 leaders off the front.  I forgot what it was like to be in the front pack, it was so nice not chasing anyone! Any chance the pace got conversational up a hill I went to the front to keep it honest, since I knew there were a few good runners in the race.  I exited T2 in 3rd place and ran as hard as could to stay at the front.  Halfway through the run there were about 6 people running together but Kyle Jones was the only one that ever took a turn at the front.  We exchanged leads a few times, but with 500m to go he took charge of the race and never looked back.  Alan Webb also out kicked me so I ended up 3rd.  Normally that would be disappointing for me, but I was just happy to feel good during a race and at least find myself with a chance to win for the first time in a long time. 

I have the goal of qualifying for the 2016 Olympics and in order to do that I have to race draft legal ITU races, but when I get the chance I always enjoy a good non-draft race.  This year I was able to do the NYC triathlon.  I did the race 2 years ago and was happy to get back there again this year.  Other than the Hudson being really dirty the race is awesome.  If you ever get a chance to do the race, I highly recommend it.  The swim is 1500m straight down the river.  If you are looking for a swim PR, you will have no problems getting it there.  I am normally 18-20 min for 1500m and I exited the water in under 12 min.  The bike course is a very honest 40km with a lot of rolling hills, and is completely closed to cars.  This year it was rainy, and not to talk up sponsors too much but having the new Rudy Project Wing57 was fantastic. The lightly tinted visor was not too dark and no water at all disrupted my vision.  I rode most of the bike around a large pack and with the extra competition set a new career PR in average watts for a race.  Coming out of T2 I was with Chris Foster and Taylor Reid who were setting a blistering pace.  It normally takes me a little bit to get my legs going so it was nice to have those guys pushing the pace early.  Once we got in to Central Park (about 1mile in to the race) the hills started and I was able to get some separation from the pack.  At that point I thought I was in 3rd, chasing Cam Dye and Ben Collins.  I knew I was about 2 min down to Ben after the bike, but I never saw Cam towards the end of the bike.  The race was an equalizer format so there were a lot of woman at the front of the race.  In the rain at 25 mph I could not tell if Cam was mixed in with the them somewhere.  At 4 miles Cam was running the wrong way in Central Park, I found out later he flatted 5 miles in to the bike.  I was in 2nd!  That was all I needed to keep the pace high.  I actually had a chance at winning my first race!  With a mile to go I still could not see Ben anywhere but I could see Alicia Kaye.  I could not believe Ben was the far ahead of her, she beat him by about 20 seconds in Minneapolis.  I wasn't sure whether or not to pass Alicia with 100m to go, but I did anyway and the finish volunteers where not ready for me.  They lowered the finish tape they had ready for Alicia and I jumped over it.  I was very happy for the second race in a row.  NYC was probably my most complete triathlon.  I felt good the whole race and finished without a flat tire (there were 3 I know of).  I also set a PR in the doping tent.  For the first time in my life I got out of there in a little over an hour.  I wasn't able to shower before the awards, but the champagne took care of that on the podium.

With a little over a week before the HyVee 5150 Championship I am ready for another race. After the disappointing WTS races I gained a lot of confidence in Magog and NYC.  It's time for another good race, right?

Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.  ~Julie Andrews

-Kaleb

Great Effort, Frustrating Result

At the end of April, just after I turned 30, I headed back to St. Anthony's after not doing it last year. Judging by the title of this blog, it sounds like a race where workouts were going well but the race did not go as planned.  Not at all.  The bike portion of the race did not work out for me, but it had nothing to do with my effort.  I'll get to that in a little bit.

In the swim I was right were I needed to be the first 400m, when the water was calm.  The swim at St Anthony's starts in the water inside a sand bar that was man made to provide the beach with calm water.  After we left the sheltered area of the swim we hit large waves and chop.  I am not a strong swimmer in rough water, but I still came out 1 min behind the front pack.  I'll take that for now.

Once I got on the bike I was happy where I was and ready to chase after the leaders.  I settled in at 325 watts, which is a little high for me but I wanted to place well.  If I could hold it, that would be my highest average for a 40k.  After a few turn arounds I could gather where I was in the race and that a huge pack had formed at the front.  This could be good and/or bad for me.  A large pack means a large number of people for me to pass at once if I catch them on the bike or run.  The bad news ended up being a lot of "legal" drafting. It is unfair for me to be racing by myself on the bike while 20 guys are treating the non draft event like it's the Tour de France.  I stayed focused on what I was doing and did not let the pack get to me.  

I got off the bike determined to catch as many people as I could and have the fastest run split of the day.  I moved my way up to 7th and could see Cam Dye up the road with about a 1/2 mile to go. The only question was if I had enough time to catch him. I very rarely see Cam during a race, let alone beat him.  I caught him before the final turn and ended up in 6th place, less than a minute behind 2nd place.  

I was happy with it until I started talking to some people in the finish area.  There were a number of guys talking about how crazy the front pack was.  Some stated they were riding low watts a lot and sometimes they would not even have to peddle. That is BS!  I was working my butt off while a large number of guys sat in on the bike pack and got pulled around the course.  Drafting is cheating!

The frustration only continued when I started to look at my power profile on the bike and compared it to what I did 2 years ago,  I rode a different bike and rode 59 sec faster. I was 320 watts that year and 325 watts this year.  I should have went faster, instead my bike let me down.  On a side note 2 years ago there were 17 people under 55min for the 40k and the same number rode under 55min this year, so conditions and the course were very similar.

As a whole I was very happy with MY race.  I swam well for conditions and where my swim is right now, I rode my highest average ever for a 40k, and I had the fastest run by 44sec.  I did the best I could with the cards in my hand.

As luck would have it, I landed a sponsorship with Planet X Bikes.  Hopefully at my next race my bike won't be the reason I lose time.  I am very excited and look forward to working with them.

Next up is London WTS on May 31.  It will be my first experience at this level of racing.  I cannot wait to race in an Olympic caliber field.

If you don't like how things are, change it!  You're not a tree. ~Jim Rohn

Kaleb

Two 5ths and a Crash

After winter training I got back in to racing in a hurry, with 3 races in 4 weeks.  It was a little crazy, only magnified by traveling halfway across the world.  I started off my season in Clermont again this year and then went back to the Mooloolaba (Australia) World Cup and finished off my trip with a World Cup in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

I really do enjoy racing in Clermont.  It is in Lake Louisa State Park, which makes the course safe from cars, but requires spectators to travel in to watch.  For triathlons to really take of in America it is going to require more spectators watching.  In foreign countries, they put the races right in front of people, often closing main streets.  Although people love this in most foreign countries, in America this would most likely drive people crazy. Americans don't like to be inconvenienced with road closures.  All this aside, it does seem like there is always a good crowd for the draft legal racing in Clermont.  This year I missed the front pack coming out of the water by about 17 seconds.  That is better than last year, but at a small continental cup, this meant coming off the bike with a large deficit.  After chasing the front pack of about 10 with one other guy, Michael Poole, for 2 laps we went back to the second pack.  Coming off the bike I was down a little over a minute to the front pack and mad at the world.  I ended up having the fastest run on the day and finished in 5th place.  Overall I was happy with how I felt and raced, but the 5th place left a bad taste in my mouth.  On a positive note, Will earned a podium spot by finishing 3rd.  Nice work Will!

A few days after getting home from Clermont I boarded a plane and headed for Oceania. My first stop was Mooloolaba, Australia.  Two years ago I went to the same race only to get sick 2 days before and was unable to race.  This year things went a lot better.  I was 15 seconds off the front pack coming out of the water and luckily the majority of the race came together on the bike.  The first lap and a half on the bike was hard chasing but once I got in to the front pack I was able to catch my breath and get ready for the run.  Knowing how loaded with talent the race was I knew I was going to have to run well to place in the top 10. Coming off the bike I found my run legs faster than I normally do but still found myself just outside the top 15.  After 2 of 4 laps I was moving through the field and could see 3rd-5th.  I was not sure if I could catch them but made every attempt to get there.  I finally caught them with a little less than a lap to go and surged up the hill to get in to 3rd place at the final turnaround.  With not much left in the tank Sven Riederer pulled away down the hill and David Hauss outkicked me at the finish line.  Normally this would upset me a little bit but considering the field as a whole and that Hauss was 4th at the Olympics in 2012 and Riederer was the Bronze medalist in 2004, I was in good company.  I was very happy with 5th!!

After a couple recovery days it was back on an airplane, this time heading to New Zealand.  Atleast New Zealand is a pretty country, because back to back weekend races do not top my favorites list.  New Plymouth was a cool beach town but turned out to be a hard bike course.  Before the race I had to have everything I could packed and ready to go because I was flying out 4.5 hours after the race started.  It was a little stressful but I was happy to know I was heading home soon.  As for the race I had a pretty good swim, only about 15 seconds off the front pack again and again the majority of the race came together.  Only this race was a little different; with about a 1/4 lap to go on the bike I was involved in a crash.  I landed softly but by the time I got up and got my chain back on the pack was gone and I was riding to T2 all by myself.  I caught a couple guys from the pack and finished in 42nd.  Not at all what I was expecting but you can't have things go your way every time you toe the starting line.  Although I encountered some bad luck during the race I had some good luck as far as ITU points go.  I was able to get 25 points for 42nd place and that propelled me in to the top 50 in the world.  So as a whole the trip was a success.  I still have to cross my fingers and hope I get to race Chicago WTS at the end of June.  Not only is an ITU race 2 hours from my house, it is one of the biggest races of the year!!

I discovered a few things on the trip.   Racing back to back ITU races at a high level is a tough task for me.  And being away form my wife for almost 3 weeks stinks!  One week is too much!

Time for a break from the draft legal racing, I am heading to St Anthony's this year.  I am excited to race a non draft race again.  We will see what happens.

The hardships that I encountered in the past will help me succeed in the future. ~Philip Emeagwali

Kaleb

"Off" Season

I am not sure how much of an off season other triathletes have, or what other sports enjoy, but for me I did not have much of an off season this year.  I had a forced 1 week completely off after having sinus surgery.  I was able to get back to light training one week after the surgery and was able to swim another week later.  The surgery was well worth the pain and time off, since I believe I am training better than I ever have.  With less than a week until my racing season starts, I will find out soon enough how fit I am.

As for my off season from racing, I had a lot to get done in the winter months.  With the next Olympics 2 years away and my swim not where it needs to be I have embraced the dry skin and hair bleaching with open arms; I can tell exactly where my cap stops on the back of my head.  I have been working hard and have seen small gains in the pool.  I am excited to see where that gets me out of the water in a race.  

I have set monthly PRs for total yards and total hours on the bike in the month of January.  It is crazy to think that I rode more on a trainer in January than I have in any month outdoors.  It is a good thing I have real course videos and ErgVideos to look at while on the CompuTrainer.  A lot of people believe quality training can only be done outdoors.  If Andy Potts can train daily on a CompuTrainer and only ride outside when he races, I believe I can gain fitness riding inside for 4 months.  I had a chance to be in Las Vegas for 3 months, but I chose to stay in South Bend and build a base indoors.  I ran outside as much as I could, but like most of the country South Bend has had one of the worst winters in a long time.  It has been bitterly cold and there has been at least a foot of snow on the ground since early January.  Why did I not go to Vegas??  I got married in the summer last year and I could not leave my wife for that long.  Plus I will be traveling a lot this season for races outside the country, so I wanted to maximize my time with my wife while I could.  We will see if I gained enough fitness this winter. 

I am a little nervous about riding in a draft pack after not riding outside all winter, but I have the day before the race to get comfortable again.  Clermont is the season opener and I am using it as a warm up race to prepare for two world cups in Australia and New Zealand in the middle of March. I am excited to get out of the cold for a little bit and to start racing again.

Always do your best.  What you plant now, you will harvest later.  ~Og Mandino

Kaleb

2014 Update

After a long delay, I will just dive in with a 2014 update. Our elite team has grown and you can see an updated roster at Innovativeendurance.com. We are sad that some athletes have moved on and gone back to school, but we are excited that we have some great new athletes. This year I secured two condos in Las Vegas for a 3 month training environment to be sure that the team had access to every resource they needed while also enjoying a bit nicer weather. LV didn’t let us down, after 3 years of exploring the US, I found our spot. The weather is consistently in the 60’s and we have everything we need here. You can follow our adventure @teamietriathlon twitter. We have 6 full time pros living in Vegas and we have seen profound improvement from everyone. It is that day to day environment and being face to face with your coach that has proven to make the difference.

Our elite team raced through October which meant a November break and then right back to rebuilding base. This year our elite team is working with Erg Video which you can find at http://www.ergvideo.com/default.aspx#/Home. ErgVideo is completely different to other video training simulations. Rather than simulate just a course profile, it presents the actual power profile of the riders shown in the video. You configure the difficulty of the ride by entering their unique threshold power (FTP). Each rider in a group session will set a different FTP.  The CompuTrainer automatically adjusts the load presented by each unit, so that all riders will execute the same workout at the same time, watching the same video display. Each rider feels like the hero in the video, the point-of-view cameraman. This coupled with our full computrainer system has proven to be the difference. Several of our guys were riding as many as 12 hours a week indoors with this system. After a few easy rides to understand the system we hit our first 20 min test. This gave us our actual FTP or individual fitness so we could calculate specific zones. From there you enter the zones into the software and it implements your workout by creating appropriate resistance against you. This allows you to focus on smooth pedaling and it “forces” you to do that workout. The quality of the video is amazing and the choices for world-wide courses are very cool. We climbed mountains in Switzerland, and time trialed in Canada. It added to the experience, entertainment and quality of workout. The most important piece was that we were able to show up in the mountains of Vegas and have fitness to get actual work done. If you have never experienced this video system, I highly suggest that you contact us through the website and stop by one of classes to see what it is all about.

With January coming to a close the athletes are finally getting into the specifics of race preparation. We have 6 pros racing in Florida the first week of March, and then 4 more races in March in Florida, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. Time goes by fast out here and we have a saying that every day is Saturday. I guess because everyone is doing what they love every day. We look forward to working with Profile Design, Champions Systems and Cobb saddles again in 2014. Thanks for keeping up with the team!

Coach G

Life Moves Fast

Six weeks ago I had just finished my first World Cup.  I was helping Melissa with last minute wedding details, and getting ready to race again the following weekend. Since that race, I have raced 2 additional times, gotten married, had a fabulous week long honeymoon in Maui, and attended another wedding.  It has been a crazy month and a half.  Fun, but crazy.

The World Cup took place in Edmonton, Alberta.  It was only my third time making the trek north in to Canada.  It seems odd that Canada is close to were I live and have only made it there 3 times in 29 years.  And each time has been for a race. Edmonton is a very nice area with loads of pine trees surrounding a busy city center.  The sprint distance race featured the swim and transitions taking place in a park on the outskirts of the city.  The weather was nice and after a month of working on my swim, I was ready for a race.  Out of the water I was 15 seconds from the front pack.  This is the closest I have been to the front pack after a legitimate swim.  I made the front pack at Clermont two times, but those swims included a lot of running in the water during the swim. With a pack of 4 guys we were able to catch the front group halfway through the bike.  The bike course and run were very hilly and hard.  There were a few great runners at the race and I knew I had my work cut out for me.  Especially since I had used a lot of energy catching the front pack.  I had plans of getting off the bike at the front of the group, but my body had a different idea when I tried to get around everyone.  I came in towards the back of the pack and went after it in the run.  Halfway through the run I was just outside the top 10. After a grueling second lap of the run I was able to cross the finish line in 5th place.  I'll take that on any day!

The second race I did, which happened to be one week before the wedding, was a half hour west of St. Louis. It was a 5150 race and I was counting on a good performance there as well as one more race to compile enough points to get into HyVee.  I had no idea how hilly the area was before I got to the race site.  The run course turned out to be one of the hardest run courses I have ever competed on.  The only other course that might be harder was an Xterra race in Ogden, Utah that took place at a ski resort where the first mile was up the bunny hill. I had a good swim and came out of the water about 1 min behind the race leader.  My bike was not outstanding but considering I had raced the week before and had not been working on the bike very much over the last month, I was happy with what I was able to do.  The run course was very hilly and on gravel roads for the majority.  At one point I considered walking because the hill was very steep and I was wondering if I could walk faster than I was running.  I ended up with the fastest run split and a very respectable 2nd place.  I did as much as I could to get points.

It has been a month since Melissa and I got married and it still feels like a dream.  I get to hang out with my best friend every day and sleep next to her every night.  It really is amazing.  We took a week long honeymoon to Maui.  It was very beautiful and we were able to relax a lot...although a few swim workouts and runs cut in to our relaxing time.  It was nice swimming outside and Hawaii's public pools are free to go to.  That was the only cheap thing in Hawaii! After a week of what felt like heaven we made our way back home and it was back to the grind for me.  At the end of July I had my final chance to garner as many 5150 points as I could.

The last weekend of July turned out to be an interesting one.  Melissa and I headed to Columbus for one of her friend's wedding as well as 5150 Giant Eagle.  Normally when I travel to a race the weekend consists of relaxation and focusing on the task at hand.  That weekend I had to be a husband of a bride's maid and a professional triathlete.  We went out with with the bridal party on Thursday, had rehearsal and dinner on Friday, and the wedding and reception on Saturday.  I was able to get in my usual day before workouts on Saturday but had to attend the pro meeting in my suit.  The meeting was at 4:30, I had to set up T2 and then get to the wedding at 5:30.  Somehow I pulled it all off.  I had to set up T2 the night before because Giant Eagle has two separate transitions.  I enjoy the race a lot and this was the 3rd year I did it.  I had another good swim for me, although it was a little short. Things might finally be getting better in the water, the last 3 races have produced favorable swims.  This time I was 40 seconds behind the leader out of the water.  I knew I needed points for HyVee so I was on mission on the bike and during the run.  I had possibly my best bike ever and it couldn't have come at a better time.  I felt a little sluggish on the bike, but I was able to generate good power, for me, and respectable speeds.  As I approached the mount line I could see second place leaving transition.  I knew what I had to do on the run and just went after it.  Once I made it in to 2nd i just kept pushing, hoping Ben Collins was having a bad day on the run course, but the only time I saw him was on the out and back part of the course.  I handed out some high fives to my mom and Melissa coming in to the finish line and took 2nd place for the second straight race and for the third time at Giant Eagle.  I was very happy with my race and once again did all I could to gain as many 5150 points possible.

Just a few days ago the final points race for HyVee finished and I ended up in the last earned spot in to the race!  25 athletes make it in to the race on points and 5 more are invited by the race director.  What a relief. I am excited to race HyVee again this year!  But before I head there I have some solid training ahead of me as well as a race in the Wisconsin Dells.

What you do today can improve all your tomorrows. ~Ralph Marston

Kaleb

Columbia Tri

Nothing about this race went as planned.  I was fighting a lot of fatigue going into the race and then I crashed on the day before for the second race in a row.  This time I hurt both wrists and landed hard on my chest.  I ended up 9th.  Not at all the result I was looking for.  I did have a good weekend with my mom.  I did not get to see her on Mother's Day, so it was nice spending the weekend with her.  I feel bad that I was in such a bad mood after the crash and poor performance.

The only thing worse than losing, is training harder and going slower.

Kaleb

Cold and Rainy

This year was my third time racing Rev3 Knoxville in its four years.  I did the race as an amateur the first year they had it and returned back to the race last year.  I love doing Rev3 races because they always put on the best events, and Knoxville is a fun course that is within driving distance from my house.  I was excited for the race this year!

I am going to start with the day before the race this time.  Most of the time this is a boring day with not much to talk about, but this race was different.  It was raining with temps in the mid 50s.  The forecast was calling for this weather the whole weekend.  I was not excited about this because usually I struggle in cold conditions.  My muscles just don't fire properly when it is cold.  I kept my head up and went about my business as usual.  I had a good run in the morning and got ready for an afternoon session of riding and swimming based around an open swim from 12-2.  The pro meeting was at 2:30 so I had to ride before the swim.  With 1 min left in my ride I went to cross a treacherous set of railroad tracks, angled at about 30 degrees across the road and soaking wet from the rain, for the 4th and last time.  I was not successful on this attempt!  As I went to angle across the tracks a car came up beside me limiting my space to only a small shoulder.  I went down hard on my left hip. I got up as fast as I could and tried to assess the damage.  I looked my bike over, no damage! I did a body scan, my hip and left pinkie were sore.  I got back to the car and pulled down my bibs to check out my hip, busted open.  My day was done...I was not going in a dirty river with a new open wound.  As the day progressed, my hip tightened up and my pinkie swelled up.  I am no doctor, but the limited mobility and swelling in my pinkie led me to believe it was broken. Good thing I don't need that finger!

Race morning was a struggle. I did not want to warm up too much on the bike or swim because of the conditions and my hip did not want to get going.  I am so glad transition was out of the rain in a parking garage.  It was the saving grace for the day that consisted of temps in the low 50s and constant rain.  The water temp of the river was also well below 60.  I did a 10 min ride to get the legs going, and that was enough of the rain on the bike.  I set up transition and went out for a run.  I did an extended run warmup because the rain was not bothering me on the run and it took a lot longer to get my hip loose enough to feel semi normal. I did swim cords to warm up and jumped in the water 1 min before the race started.

Finally!  A good swim!!  I lost about a minute and half to Cam and less than a minute to the majority of the group.  Ultimately I need to swim better, but I will take it for now.  I wore arm warmers under my wetsuit and threw on my thermal vest to get through the ride.  Overall the conditions were not as bad as I was expecting but it was definitely an epic race.  By about 15 miles I was shivering and I having a hard time pushing the pedals, but I was in good position so I had to keep going with all I had.  I lost a few precious seconds over the last 3 miles due to the technical nature of the course and a frozen brain.  In T2 I had a hard time getting on my running shoes and almost asked someone in the crowd to unbuckle my helmet for me.  I have never had a problem unbuckling my helmet, but at this race my fingers on my right hand were too numb to apply enough pressure.  Finally I got up enough strength in my left hand to get out of my helmet. Once out on the run, the front half of my feet were numb and made it feel like I was running on stumps.  It took about 2 miles for my legs to warm up and get going.  There were deep puddles forming everywhere so as the run went along I had to decide how deep a puddle was and determine whether to run though it or around it.  A couple time I chose poorly and wound up in water up to my ankle.  I ended up finishing 3rd.  I have never been happier with 3rd place.  The conditions made it more about survival than racing.  I hope I never have to race in similar conditions, but if I do I will be ready!

A big thank you goes out to my grandpa.  He traveled with me to and from the race, and along the way did about 90% of the driving.  He was also a great spectator even though if I were him I would have been in the car with the heat on during the race!  Thank you to my coach, Greg Mueller, and all my sponsors, N.B. Properties, Bralin Laser, Profile Design, Rudy Project, Champion System, BH Bikes, Stages Power, CompuTrainer, Normatec, Cobb Cycling, Hofferth Chiropractic, Proform, and Express Press. Without them I would not be able to train and race with the best.  I also would not have made it through this race without their gear to keep me warm.  

Never complain and never explain. ~Benjamin Disraeli

Kaleb

Frustration In The Water

My first two races were draft legal races in Florida.  I like to start my season with the ITU race in Clermont.  It is a sprint race and it is a fast/fun way to kick the season off.  This year they had another ITU race the following week in Sarasota.  I stayed in Florida for the week between for some warm weather training.  The Sarasota race took place at a new park they are developing just outside Sarasota.  The plan is for the park to be a world class facility for rowing and triathlons.  Their ultimate goal is to host world class races in both sports. Both races unfolded in similar fashions.  I had mediocre swims that forced me to ride hard to keep the race as close as possible.  In both cases I made it into the second pack off the bike.  I then ran through a few people from the front pack, but both races yielded sub par results. It was nice having my mom there as well as Greg, the Huffmans, and the Deckards.  It always makes racing easier having a large cheering section.

The first weekend in April was my first non-draft race of the year, Nautica South Beach.  This race was the first leg of the Lifetime triathlon series.  This is the third year I have done this race.  I enjoy the race, but Miami Beach does not get any cleaner as the years pass.  Once again I had a rough swim. This time was a little different than the first two races though.  The swim took place in the ocean, as it usually does, but this year the sea was angry.  It was the first time in a long time that I did not know what I was doing in a race.  The harder I tried to swim the slower I went.  Once the group pulled away from me I settled in to a hard tempo pace that kept me moving forward at what I thought was the fastest rate possible.  I did not have a terrible swim as far as time comparison goes, I lost 2:36 to the first person out of the water.  Considering the circumstances, that was not too bad.  But I was 20 out of 22 out of the water and 1:07 behind 19.  That made the race harder that I wanted it to be. After chasing hard on the bike and run, I made it into 7th place as I crossed the finish line. It was a great start to the season as far as the bike and run go.  I had the 3rd fastest bike/run combo, behind Ben Collins, who laid down a 51:54 bike split (2:36 faster than the second fastest bike split) and Richard Murray, who is an outstanding athlete from South Africa.  I had the fastest run split of the day, which gives a little bright side to the race.  It was great having Melissa with me.  She did a great job at giving me updates as well as words of encouragement.  We had a good weekend together and it was nice being in the sun and warm weather.


I have been working out well in the water, but it is not translating into strong swims in races.  I understand there is a difference between open water and pool swimming, but it is frustrating to lose huge chunks of time in the water.  I have accepted the fact that my current location is not the best place to swim open water, so hopefully it will warm up soon and I can get outside.
 It is a long season, and I look forward to racing again!

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.  ~Norman Vincent Peale

Kaleb

Information is Key

Over the past few months I have been attempting to change my swim stroke while building a solid base in all three sports for the upcoming season.  During these months I have struggled with adapting my new stroke in the water and unusual fatigue.  Neither one has derailed my training but they have made the last few months a little interesting.  Greg and I have had a few days where we struggle to communicate how I am feeling and what type of workouts I should be doing. We keep moving forward but sometimes at a very slow rate.  Hopefully with our new information better days or on the way.

Greg and I had an amazing opportunity to spend a few days at the Olympic Training Center.  I had some testing done and we gathered information in other areas of my training and life to maximize my athletic potential.  I met with the strength and conditioning coach at the OTC, had my blood test results analyzed, had my swim stroke analyzed by Dr. G, had a movement screening, met with a nutritionalist, and met with an offsite allergist.

We knew going in that my swim stroke needed work, but we were curious to find out to what extent.  The power profile and video that Dr. G is able to capture is amazing. The biggest corrections I need to make are:
1. Keep my head "down."  In-line with my body.
2. Develop a better catch.  I slow myself down a little instead of accelerating during that phase.
3. Kick more.  This will help me go faster by providing more forward propulsion as well as keep my feet from falling down and causing additional drag.

Aside from the visit with the offsite allergist, the rest of the information was mostly positive.  Overall my strength, blood profile, and functional movement is good.  As with everything in life, there are always items that could use improving.  I discovered my glutes were a little weak, but that can be fixed with additional strengthening.  Living in South Bend does have its negatives; with the lack of sunshine my Vitamin D levels were still within range but a little low for an athlete.  This can be adjusted by taking a simple Vitamin D supplement, which I suggest to anyone living in an area with few sunny days.  The nutritionalist gave me a few pointers to help keep my energy up during and after a long or hard workout.  I have to think about eating for today, as well as fueling for tomorrow.

The best news of the trip came when we went to the offsite allergist.  I have been to the doctor recently and even met with two doctors, counting the allergist, while in Colorado Springs.  No one saw any major problems until I received a CT scan of my sinuses.  It showed a polyp as well as a major sinus infection. Why is this good news you ask?  Because knowing this is a huge relief.  Greg and I now know what was causing my unusual fatigue. My body was fighting a massive sinus infection while trying to train at a high level.  After a 3 week course of antibiotics, I am feeling better and my training is improving.  I know have a better understanding as to why Greg is always hounding me about information and trying to gather as much as possible.

As I head off to Clermont this weekend for my first race of the season, I look forward to racing again and hopefully it can be a great start to the season.

"Always desire to learn something useful." ~ Sophocles

Kaleb

Half Distance Duathlon?

The Rev3 series finale was a half distance triathlon in Venice, FL. The winds were very strong and caused dangerous rip currents in the gulf, so the swim was canceled and replaced with a 1.5 mile run. I was a little disappointed, because I do triathlons to compete in all 3 sports, but swimming is my weakest, so I knew it would not hurt me to replace the swim with another run. It has been a long season and I was excited for a solid taper going in to this race.  I was feeling good the last couple weeks, but I am still a little weary of the half distance...this was only going to be my second race.

It was very windy, as I stated before, so there was no way I was going to lead! I was glad when there were 2 guys that wanted to be in the front on the way back.  I sat behind them and let them fight the head wind.  I was 4th into T1 and 3rd out...perfect position for me at that point in the race.  Once out on the bike I started watching my watts.  I knew where I had to be to have a good run, and the line I did not want to cross.  I have never been that close to the front at the beginning of the bike, usually I am 1-3 min down coming out of the water.  It was a strange feeling, and I liked being there, but it was a long race so I had to chill and relax early, so I let the pack go.  It was a crazy tailwind going out so I knew the wind was going to punch me in the face all the way home.  I rode a steady pace for the first half of the race and then really tried to ramp it up with 11 miles to go, I wanted to be as close to the front as I could.  I got as far back as 13th place and then started to pass people as they began to fade.  I knew by the end of the bike that I rode a little too hard, but I did what I thought I had to. My quads were jello coming off the bike, and I figured the run would get interesting.  I got in to T2 in 7th and did what I could to move at the beginning of the run. I probably went out a little too hard but I thought if I could pass guys early, then I would be able to stay away.  Well I passed guys early, then the wheels fell off the train.  I moved up into 3rd place at the halfway mark.  I did all I could to keep moving, but I stopped sweating at 3 miles, so I tried my best to hang on.  When Viktor went around me I tried to stay with him, but my body did not respond...I was in survival mode.  Then I heard Ben coming up behind me, I tried to dig deep, but there was nothing I could do.  I was dead on the road, I had to hope for the finish line to get here before someone else passed me.  I was able to hold on for 5th place.  That ended up being just good enough to sneak into 4th place in the series.  So even though my legs still hurt 3 days later, and am hobbling around, it was all worth it.  It was my last race of the season and now I have two weeks to relax and recover before I start building for next year.

It was a hard race, but it fit well as the end to this season. I went through a few rough patches, but just kept going forward with the guidance from Greg.  I would not be where I am without him!  I would also not be able to compete week in and week out without the help of my sponsors: N.B Properties, Bralin Laser, Champion System, Profile Design, Rudy Project, BH Bicycles, Cobb Cycling, Scott Shoes, CompuTrainer, Hofferth Chiropractic, Pro-Form Bike shop, and Express Press.

Melissa as well as her aunt and uncle, Katie and Ryan, came down to Florida with me.  It was great to have them there cheering as well as someone to hang out with post race/end of season!!  It was a fun weekend and am glad I did the race. The Rev3 crew puts on the best races and series in the US.  I am glad to have something that great in the sport of triathlon.

"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." ~Thomas Jefferson

Kaleb

REV3 Series Title!!! and 2nd at REV3 FL!

http://rev3tri.com/series/

Before and Now.

Yesterday, I had the biggest race of my career. REV3 Florida was the season finale and the decisive race for the Pro REV3 Series Title. Before the race, people kept asking me how I was dealing with the pressure. There was the title and 30+K on the line- and the title race was all coming down to whether Lauren Goss or I had a better race on that single day.  Lauren has been having a really great year and I knew the day was going to be tough. However, I am not sure I felt that much pressure.  I have everything I really need in life right now.  Greg and I set the goal of winning the REV3 Series way back in January and it was something that I really wanted- but I knew I would be ok, more than ok, if it didn’t happen either. I have been overwhelmed this year with the support and love I have received from people in Charlottesville, people connected with the Ulman Cancer Fund and REV3 and other folks around the country. It has been humbling and deeply satisfying to connect with people over triathlon and to be given so much from these people all the time.   I have been given so much this year.   My sponsors have really stepped up to support me this year, and I am so thankful for that.  Thank you Profile Design and Rudy Project, thank you- I am so lucky to have these superior products (ie: Altair Wheels, Wingspan helmet, Wahoo wetsuit, best sunglasses EVER, profile drink systems, ect..) and so thankful to be associated with two companies so deeply dedicated to the sport of triathlon. Also deepest thanks to Quintana Roo for my super speedy CD 0.1, Hammer, Champion System and Computrainer.  I have an amazing local team in the Ragged Mountain Racing Team.  They are a rock in my life and have supported me in everything I have done this year. Dana Thiele and Mark Lorenzoni have created a great community of serious athletes that has been so important in so many lives, including mine.   I am so grateful to REV3 and their sponsors for making the sport of professional triathlon possible. I am so proud to be associated with REV3 this year.  REV3 treats the professional like real professionals; they are absolutely great to us, and to all of their athletes. They do things the right way for the right reasons and I am continuingly impressed by their commitment and conviction to do the right thing by all of their athletes.  Lastly and, most importantly, I am so thankful to Greg Mueller (and Lisa, his better half =) ). His passion and drive to be the best triathlon coach in the world and to make his athletes the best in the world is contagious.  He really has a gift- and it is mostly his passion for what he does and the love and dedication he gives to his athletes.  I trust him for advice in so many areas of my life and I know he is committed to helping me achieve my dreams, both in sport and in life. He is a different kind of elite triathlon coach, he makes you love the sport more- never any less.  Thank you, Greg, for getting me here!!

I didn’t feel pressure this weekend because I really have so much already, never did I think I would have so much in life.  I have lost a lot in thirty years of life so far with losing people I love and some other really tough challenges- but I seem to be getting it all back in different ways now. How could I have felt that much pressure on Sunday? I have what I need; more than I could ever want- to even think of it is crushing.   I have had nothing to lose this year and, for that, I have been given even more.

Sunday, The Race.

                                                               Photo by Eric Wynn/REV3

Due to Hurricane Sandy and a Riptide warning, the swim was cancelled. We started the race with a 1.5 mile run. Like most of the group, I went out conservatively and just tried to tuck in from the wind and relax. I knew the day was going to be long enough.  Coming into T1, Lauren had about a 10 second lead on the field but I had a quick transition and was with her pretty quickly on the bike. Alicia Kaye and Becky Lavelle rode by us hard and eventually Malaika Homo made her way by us as well.   I rode with Lauren until about mile 30, when we made a sharp left hand turn directly into the headwind (did I mention the winds were 25-28mph).  I had an instinct that this would be a good time to try to put a move on and I committed to riding hard for the next 10-15 miles. I put my head down, hammered on the pedals and tried not to look at my watt meter.  At mile 45 there was an out and back so I could see that my move had worked and I had  put something of a gap back to Lauren. At mile 50, I started to suffer really really badly. I have never suffered so badly on the bike and it took every ounce of my will to make it to mile 56, the pain was really really bad. Coming into T2 I was very concerned about having to run a half marathon. My legs were so shot that I had a hard time standing out of the saddle on the last rise over a drawbridge on the bike. I couldn’t imagine being able to run at that point, nevermind race. I grabbed my run gear and tried not to think about it. I started the run very conservatively (not that I had a choice) and started running at 620-630 pace, instead of the usual 555-605 that I have been starting out at.  I tried to keep my miles in the 620 range for as long as I could and I just hoped that it would be enough to hold Lauren off.  Then, interestingly, I found myself in second place all of a sudden. It seems as though maybe I wasn’t the only one suffering the consequences of such a hard bike in the wind.  I came within about 30 seconds of first place with 3 miles to go but I was suffering so bad at that point. I didn’t want to make any moves that might cause me to walk or cramp and risk the series title win. Becky (in first) pulled away from me pretty hard after she saw me at the last turnaround and put some time into me in the last 3 miles. I finished second, sealing the series title, and was thrilled. I was very happy for Becky, she is such a great athlete and a true professional through and through.  I was, and still am, overwhelmed by winning the series and still not sure it has sunk in yet. 

Something I did well on Sunday was being able to focus on the race in front of me the whole time. Anytime a thought about the series or what winning would mean or the amount of money came into my head, I tried to block it immediately and just focus on exactly what I needed to do at that moment in the race.  This is something that Greg takes about a lot- being in the moment. The idea is to not think about what you still have left to do or in the next 7 miles or winning or anything like that.  Just think about the moment in front of you and what you are doing in that moment. If you can do that at all points in the race, you will have done all you could. I think the same probably applies to life- what can I do in this moment, right now, that will move me in the right direction? Do that and just that, without worry for the rest of it.

After the race, I talked in the car with a friend who came down from Charlottesville to watch me (again, I am the luckiest.)  We talked about the fear of failure and I think that is a big piece of why I have been able to win 4 races and the series this year. This goes back to the beginning of this story but I think I am becoming less afraid to fail- which is an easy thing to say but is actually very difficult to move toward in my core (I imagine I am not alone here.)  Having so much unconditional love and support right now from people around me and having my health and a future I look forward to makes it hard for me to feel like I have anything to loose; I have it all already.  Certainly I can lose these things, but it is not going to be from failing to win a triathlon series title.  Somehow that frees me. For that, I am thankful.

Thank you everyone again, time to party!

                                                                Photo by REV3 Photography

Toyota US Open Triathlon (Dallas)

The final stop of the Lifetime triathlon series is the Toyota US Open Triathlon in Rockwall, TX (just east of Dallas).  I won the elite amateur race here two years ago.  I enjoy the race as a whole, but I still have mixed feelings about the Lifetime series.  I decided to do this race for my sponsors...BH and Champion System are large supporters of the Lifetime series.

I knew going into the race that it was going to be a chilly weekend.  I was prepared for it but at the same time I was not.  I do not have the amount of body fat necessary to perform well in cold temperatures.  As much as I want to mentally, my muscles lose too much of the elasticity to perform at the level I would like to.  I remember one time when the heater was broken at the pool where I workout.  As much as I tried, after 30 min I could no longer swim hard in the cold water.  I knew it was something I was just going to have to deal with.

The air temperature at the start of the race was 48 degrees, by far the coldest triathlon I have ever been a part of. The water was the warmest part of the race, but still not cold enough for a wetsuit.  It would have been nice to come out of the water a little overheated before getting on the bike.  I knew I would have to overdress to survive the bike and in turn the race.  After a very lackluster swim I took my sweet time in T1.  I wanted to put on a long sleeve and knee warmers so my body would make it through the bike.  The stretchy material of the long sleeve led to the slowest T1 of my life and one of the slowest of the day.  Oh well!  I had a pretty good bike ride, but the leaders were riding at tremendous speeds.  Cam and Ben rode 3 min faster than the rest of the field.  I had a good T2, all things considered.  I took off my knee warmers and long sleeve, because I knew I would get warmer on the run, and still had a middle of the pack transition.  The hardest part of the day to swallow was missing the fastest run split.  Chris Foster out ran me by 15 sec.  I'm not mad about Chris outrunning me, he is a solid runner and triathlete, and I was training through the race to get ready for Rev3 Florida.  It hurt because the pay day at Lifetime races is terrible if you are not in the top 4.  So instead of coming out comfortably ahead on the trip, I lost money on it.

I did this race for my sponsors and I am glad I went, it just wasn't a great investment for me.  It was nice to chat with Brien from BH and Ronnie from Champion System.  I look forward to long partnerships with both companies, they both make top of the line products.  A big thanks goes out to Melissa for coming with me.  She was a trooper and hung in there during the race.  She was freezing but still able to give me split updates, words of encouragement, and a warm smile while I was racing.

Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there. ~Bo Jackson

Kaleb

REV3 South Carolina and REV3 Maryland Race Reports

 

This past weekend I won REV3 South Carolina.  It was such an awesome experience and a wonderful follow up to winning REV3 Maryland, The Half Full Triathlon, the weekend before.  (BTW- ALL the profits from the Half Full Triathlon go to the Ulman Cancer Fund for young adults. It is a really special race and everyone should think about it for their race calendars next year. There were 29 cancer survivors competing and 92 % of all competitors raced in memory/honor of someone. It is a special atmosphere and a real celebration of life and hope.  It should be on everyone’s radar for next year!!) 

South Carolina was such a great experience, mostly because of the awesome competition (awesome as competitors and buddies). It was great to catch up with my Canadian friend Tenille Hoogland- but I knew she was going to bring the heat - that is what she does. She is such a fierce competitor and someone who is not afraid to ride the bike all out- it was going to be a hard day with her there.  Malaika Homo has also decided that she is going to dominate everyone on the bike in the late season races and I think both Tenille and I were surprised by how much time she put in on us during the bike course- wow- I was impressed with that.  As a recap of the race, basically I had a good swim for me. This put me about 2 minutes down from the leaders coming out of T1. I caught 2 girls on the bike and was sitting in third at mile 35ish of the bike- a position that I was not surprised to be in at that point considering the strong swim/bike combos of both Tenille and Malaika.  Starting the run, I was about 4 minutes down from Malaika and about three down from Tenille. I knew my run has been going well recently so I thought that I had a shot at the win if I just focused and ran smart. I found myself in the lead at mile 7 and from there I just tried to run as comfortably home as I could (although I have realized that the last few miles of that half marathon are never comfortable not matter what.)

Right now I am sitting in the lead of the REV3 Point Series Race, which is a $25,000 prize to first place.  That, coupled with an additional $12,000 on the line for the win in Florida next weekend means that there is quite a bit at stake, to say the least, for this upcoming decisive race. When I think about the situation though, I just feel so blessed to be where I am right now in general and have this awesome opportunity going into next weekend.

The thing is, I have pretty much already won. Not the money, but in general. I have an incredible coach who is unmatched in his dedication, care and investment in me as both an athlete and, more importantly, as a person. I have people from Charlottesville flying down to Florida with me to see the race that care about me, no matter how I do. I have sponsors that have been with me since the beginning of my professional career and have supported me long before I ever started winning races. Profile Design and Rudy Project, in particular, have supported me with the best products on the planet and really believe in me.  These sponsors do anything they can do to help me succeed- which says a lot about their dedication to this sport as well as their dedication to their customers.  Quintana Roo, Hammer, Champion System and Computrainer have stepped up this year to help me in any way they can, also enabling me to use the best products on the planet (it feels good to believe so strongly in the products of my sponsors). I am so thankful to REV3 and their sponsors like Pilot, who make it possible to pursue a career in professional triathlon.  We are so blessed in triathlon that the money is there to make a living. I have friends who are dominant professional runners and swimmers who struggle, so I know we are lucky.  It is all thanks to organizations like REV3 and their sponsors that support the pursuit of professional endurance athletes and a quest to expand the limits of human performance.   Mostly I have won because I am healthy, happy and living a great life right now. It may sound nauseatingly cheesy, but that is how I feel. I have a great future, no matter what I decide to do, and I have the freedom and support to pursue it.  To be toeing the start line next Sunday in the position I am in right now- it would be insane for me not to realize that I already have it all.  Of course I am going to turn myself inside out on the course next Sunday, but no matter what happens, I am loved, supported and blessed beyond anything I ever imagined- the rest is just gravy…and it is going to be fun....

 Can’t wait.

Life as a pro triathlete and medical student- thank goodness for a great coach and some amazing sponsors!!

Life as a pro triathlete and medical student- thank goodness for a great coach and some amazing sponsors!!

 

I finally just started my second break from medical school for the year and I will get the next month off while I finish my triathlon racing season!  I am excited and back to rest and recovery as a major factor in my training. The key elements to my ability to be able to race as this level and be in medical school at the same time have definitely been both a superb coach and fantastic sponsors. Greg’s approach to rest, recovery and not overtraining has really kept me healthy and not burnt out through a very difficult stretch of full time pro training and full time medical school clinical rotations.  Sometimes less is so much more and with the stress and decreased sleep of medical school we have come through the other side injury free, fresh and ready to rock the end of the season! I was even able to pick up a win at REV3 Wisconsin during my med school stent and a 3^rd place at REV3 Maine, so Greg definitely had me doing something right! The right coach makes all the difference- couldn’t be more true in my situation.

The other folks I would like to thank are our sponsors. Profile Design has supported us with absolutely everything we could possibly need and at any moment in time. They have never said no, they always make it happen and they are a true support to professionals in this sport.  There is absolutely zero possibility that any of us could race professionally without sponsors like Profile Design.  Their wheels, wetsuits, stems, bottles…the list goes one….have kept us going all season and we are thrilled to be with them because they have, hands down, the best products. Rudy Project is another sponsor that has always shone a deep commitment to the pro triathlon community. If you ever see a pro race, you will see that almost every pro in the field is racing with a Rudy Project Wingspan helmet.  This is simply because it is the fastest helmet on the market (tunnel tested by John Cobb) and your helmet matters, a lot. Quintana Roo has helped me with the fastest bike I could ever dream up, the CD0.1. I just received my Computrainer, which will be an absolutely essential piece to being able to train full time and pursue a medical career at that same time (I would said this is a “must have” training tool for anyone who works full time and has a little cash to spend on getting faster).  Thanks also to Hammer for the best nutrition products in the world and Champion System racing gear that stands in a class alone.  It would be impossible for me to do triathlon and med school without this help from these amazing companies and the people behind them. Thank you so much for everything.

 

USAT Nationals

Last year I happened to be the runner-up at USAT Nationals and 3rd overall at the race.  This year I wanted to do well, but with it being my 3rd race in 4 weeks, I was not sure how it was going to go.  Going into the race I was battling some fatigue but once the horn sounded I felt surprisingly well.

Swim - It was not a wetsuit swim, but the water and the air were chilly so I decided to warm-up in my wetsuit.  In the first 200m I was repeatedly smashed into and took another "punch" to the eye.  The physicality of the swims seems to happen to me a lot, so I am starting to wonder if all swims are like this or if I just happen to be the one that swerves all over and causes the contact.  But at any rate I was tired of it so I did what I normally do in this situation: I grabbed the hip of the person to my right and pushed him under me to the left so I could be on the outside.  I felt good in the water and I knew I was swimming well, because I was with William at the first buoy. I maintained contact with the people around me and for the first time in as long as I can remember I got out of the water in a good position and I still had some energy.

Bike - Once on the bike there were single people strewn out on the road and I could see a pack about 15 seconds ahead.  I rode as hard as I could to catch William, he got on the bike about 5 seconds before me.  I knew if I caught him, we could catch the pack within sight.  Once we caught that pack I realized there was another pack about 50 seconds up the road.  Darn it!!  I had a good swim but I was afraid this was going to happen...Ben Kanute is a great swimmer and a very strong cyclist. If he had a pack with him, I knew it was going to be a long day.  There were only about 4 guys in my pack that wanted to/could do any work.  I spent a lot of time pushing hard at the front and after 3 laps of maintaining or losing 5 seconds I had to start thinking about the run.  Not what I wanted to do but with minimal help and a strong cyclist at the head of the front pack I had to cut my loses, keep it close, and wait for the run.  I still spent a lot of time at the front of the bike pack, but it was more to keep my pack going than to catch up.  I also spent some time drifting back to yell "words of encouragement" at the rest of the guys with me.  At the end of the 40k we were 2 min down.  I had a lot of ground to make up on the run.

Run - My transition was a lot better this year!  Although, I still struggle to get my feet in my shoes occasionally. I was off and running with a lot of lonely ground to make up.  Finally after 2 laps I caught someone.  Then I caught Ben Kanute.  It was frustrating to lose time on the bike, but after seeing him death march the run, I knew I made the right decision to not go all in and try to catch the front pack.  On the last lap I could see 3 guys 25 seconds up.  I tried all I could to go faster and run them down, but I ran out of road.  I finished in 7th.  Not a stellar place, but I was happy with how I raced and how I felt during the race.  It just wasn't in the cards to have a repeat of last year.

Thanks to my mom for driving me to and from Buffalo, NY and for getting me where I needed to go.  And thank you to my amazing fiancee!!  Melissa, her mother, and her sister, Kristyn, made the 7 hour trip Saturday morning.  It was great to have them there for the race.  It was also nice to have Greg and William's family there to cheer on Team IE!!  And thanks again to all my sponsors.  This life would not be possible without them!

Never complain and never explain.  ~Benjamin Disraeli

Kaleb

Back-to-Back with BH

For the second time this season and the second time in my life I raced on back-to-back weekends.  What I learned, the second time around is not any easier.  I raced at Rev3 Maine on August 26 and then Hy-Vee US Championship this past weekend.  I debuted my new BH bike at Rev3 Maine and I couldn't be happier.

It is not only the lightest bike I have ever rode, it is very aerodynamic and incredibly rigid.  All the power I put into the pedals goes straight to the rear wheel.  Thank you BH!!

Rev3 Maine -  Another incredible race put on by Rev3! I like doing their races, but they become more fun each time out. I truly feel they are the best race series in the country.  The swim was in the ocean and although I felt like I was swimming well, I found out when I exited the water that I lost a lot of time.  Not sure what went wrong, but sometimes I seem to lose loads of time in the water.  Once on the bike, I felt good and was moving well.  The age group half distance athletes went off first so it was a little crazy riding through them for the first 6 miles.  At the halfway point I was in about 6th and felt like I could make up a spot or two before getting off the bike.  On the way back I was feeling the hard pace and slowed down a little bit.  I was able to catch one more person and get off the bike in 5th.  I felt good starting out on the run and could see 3rd and 4th place.  I caught Dave Thompson at around 2 miles and had my sights set on Richie Cunningham up the road.  He won the previous 3 races, so I knew I was having a pretty good race to see him on the run.  I kept up an honest pace, but wanted to shut it down a little bit with Hy-Vee coming up the next weekend.  With a mile to go I could see Conrad Stoltz up the road but had no idea how far ahead he was.  I was torn on what to do, do I throw it down with all I have to try and catch him or do I keep the current pace and live to race hard the next week?  I could not make up my mind and before I knew it I was half a mile from the finish with no chance of catching Conrad.  I finally shut it down and cruised into the line in 3rd.  It was a good result and got me into 4th in the season series, 10 points out of 3rd.

I made the trip to Old Orchard Beach, Maine with my sister who was 32 weeks pregnant.  It was a great trip and race, but I discovered I live my life eerily similar to a pregnant lady.  My sister and I had similar schedules when it came to eating, napping, going to bed, and having to pee.  Thanks to her for coming with me and being a trooper all weekend. 

Hy-Vee US Championship - With it being the largest prize purse in the sport everyone wants to get in, and do well once they get there.  It is the most fun race of the season too, having such a strong field doing laps around large crowds in Des Moine, IA.  Although I achieved a good result for me, I did not have a particularly great race.  I had a good swim, but my race went down hill on the bike.  Greg and I have lengthy discussions all the time on what happens in races.  Some people blame bad results on random things or terrible excuses instead of their poor decisions made during the race, whether it's riding too hard and having a poor run or choosing to drink a certain "sports" drink.  Post race I always try to determine what went wrong and how to fix it.  This one was a head scratcher though.  There were to many factors to determine what exactly went wrong; back-to-back weekends, heat (average temp of 92 during the race), or swimming too hard.  It seems that I always struggle on the bike when I lay it all out in the swim.  It is something I wanted to do in this race though, I wanted a good swim to set up a great race.  I felt good for about two laps on the bike, but struggled to find my legs the final two laps.  Macca and I had a little chat in the last 2 miles of the bike about how we both did not have the legs on the bike.  Once the run started I wanted to make up some ground but the struggles on the bike leaked their way into my run.  I did what I could to move through the field, but I was not passing many people.  It was a death march on the road and one guy actually started walking. The crowds were amazing and I kept pushing until I crossed the finish line.  I finished in 13th place, one spot better than last year.  I will take it, at the beginning of the season I did not think I would even make it into the race!

Thanks to my beautiful fiancee (Melissa), my mom, my grandparents, Greg, Lisa, the Deckards (John and Robbie), the Bachmans (Aaron and Lindsey), and Jake Rhyner for their words of encouragement on the bike and run.  It was a hot, hard day and you all got me across the finish line.  Thanks to Greg for getting me ready for the race.  Thanks to my mom for driving the group to the race.  And thank you to all my sponsors (Team IE, N.B. Properties, Bralin Laser, Champion System, Profile Design, Scott Shoes, Cobb Cycling, Rudy Project, Computrainer, Express Press, Enzyme Research Laboratories, Pro-Form Bike Shop, Hofferth Chiropractic and now BH Bikes) for helping me compete at the highest level.

Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: NOW.   ~ Denis Waitley

Kaleb (@VanOrt_Tri)