QC Triathlon Recap

West Lake Park - Davenport, IA
600 yard swim, 15 mile bike, 3.1 mile run

Prerace:
I had to pick up a rookie first thing, and to his credit, he was ready to Roll at precisely 5:30, just as planned. It's always nice to start things off on the right foot. The great thing about this race is that it's in Davenport. No more 6 hour drives, staying in hotels or being disturbed by cops at 4:00am when you're sleeping in the back of a van. No sir, there is something to be said for sleeping in your own bed. The rookie and I went out west of town to park at the third member of our tri-club, Fortune & Glory. All three of us rode our bikes a grueling one-half mile to the park and got our bodies marked and our transition areas set up. There's always a few SNAFU's. One of us forgot our bike shoes, I didn't bring a phone, and I forgot to bring a Gatorade. After a stranger allowed us some phone usage, all things were righted. It has taken me 11 triathlons to learn this: it is a good idea to use the bathroom BEFORE you get to the race. Finding 25 minutes to stand in line can be a logistical nightmare. Made it with time to spare. Crisis's spared thus far: 2.

The Swim:
The QC Triathlon employed a new starting concept this year, one that I had never had the pleasure of experiencing: a time trial start. This works by people lining up by there estimated swim time, with the fastest going first. People would leave one person at a time, every 3 seconds, from the first person to the last. They had various times posted on chairs and we all organized ourselves accordingly. I figured (generously) that I would do the swim in about 10 minutes flat, so logically I stood right at the sign marked "10 minutes and under". Duh, right? After watching the Elites seemingly swim on top of the water, I was suddenly dangerously close to beginning. I turned and asked the guy next to me what he anticipated for his time. He said "around nine". Panic time. I stood there waving people by until finally I figured it was now or never. I leapt in like it was my job and started after it. The lake was actually quite warm, I want to say in the low 80's, which is unheard of this time of year. If I had my druthers, I'd have it in the mid-70's, but I guess 82 is better than 62. I tried to keep an even pace throughout, and it was nice not to be kicked or grabbed at the start of the race for once. The only part I dislike is the long, uphill run that starts after you leave the lake, and it counts as your time. My official swim time: 10:50.

The Bike:
Going into the race, my buddy and I who did the race last year knew this would be a better bike portion today. Gone was the stiff wind from the south that created havoc at the bike turnaround. 4 miles of gentle incline into a stiff breeze is no picnic, let me tell you. Race day conditions were such that wind was no factor. When I got on my bike to leave, a racer in front of me committed a cardinal sin. He left his bike geared on the small rings, which means it's VERY hard to pedal at a slow speed. He learned the hard way when he snapped his pedals in and then fell to the pavement right in front of me. I narrowly avoided running over his arm. And you thought triathlons were tame? Shame on you. After leaving the park and getting on the main roads, I was resigned to my fate as a slightly above-average swimmer: all of the powerful cyclists "reel in the fish" and blow by me with a seemingly effortless pedal stroke. I just keep telling myself, "Ride YOUR race. Ride YOUR race." The legs were getting a good workout and I managed to better my bike time from last year, all with a grimace on my face. (I have no idea that I do this, but everyone that I know comments on this. It must be like sticking out your tongue when you hammer a nail or play basketball?) My official bike time: 50:56 with a 17.7mph average. Darn you, 18.0! Why can I never achieve you?!?!

The Run:
I'll say it again: if running were my job, I'd gladly take the unemployment. Total and utter exhaustion + heat and humidity = Nick struggling. The first 3/4 of a mile are "cross country", meaning all on grass or through the woods. In the open air it wasn't so bad, but entering the forest was like running in a sauna. It would have been so easy to walk in the woods. It was hot, the air was stale and humid, there was no one that could see you. One of my main goals beyond finishing is to not walk. Somehow I fought through the panting and oxygen debt to get out of the woods in one piece and on my feet running. It was a bit better out in the open air, and I actually got a little protection from the oppressive sun when a few clouds came by. The QC Triathlon has a great feature on the run: water stations with ice cold sponges. These are truly lifesavers, the gift that keeps on giving. They got me to the finish line, albeit two minutes slower than last year. My official run time: 31:19

My overall time was 1:36:17, you can view all of the results here. Even though it was a bit slower than last year, I still had a blast and can't wait to do it again next year. Thanks to everyone who came out to cheer us all on and thanks to all of you for the calls, emails, and text messages. They all help, we all can attest to that! Stay tuned, I'll get some pictures posted soon, and I'll have the amount of money raised so far. Thank you all VERY much for all your help!

Nick Swanson

P.S. A big "hurrah" to my swim coach, Jen Foley, for taking first place by a nail-biting TWO seconds. Way to go, Jen!! I heard she attributed the success to our Triathlon Club, Fortune and Glory, but I cannot confirm that as of yet. I guess you could say we're just a champion mill. We crank them out one after another...as long as it's Jen every time!

Here's a nice write-up courtesy of The Quad City Times. They even have some video posted. Somehow I managed to elude to the throng of reporters and photographers.

Next up: Big Creek Triathlon in August. Keep checking back at the progress.

Pigman Race Recap

Pleasant Creek State Park - Palo, IA
550 yard swim, 15.5 mile bike, 3.1 mile run

Prerace:
The 5:00am drive up there worried me as we drove into ominous clouds the whole way. After heading north on I-380, it seemed that all the dark clouds were hovering over Cedar Rapids. I've never competed in a triathlon that had rain as an element to deal with, and I sure as heck didn't want to start that today. Luckily, by the time we reached Palo, the clouds had broken up and it looked like it would be a rain-free race. We pulled into the race site at 6:30 to find that the parking lot was already full, so they directed us into a field.

The race didn't start until 7:30, and there was a race meeting at 7:15. I swear time moves at warp speed when you're setting up your transition area, getting a stretch in, and making one last bathroom trip to get rid of prerace jitters. It was 7:15 before I knew it, and I made my way down to the beach with "503" donned on both arms and both calves. You may not be able to tell from the pictures, but when you have super skinny arms and legs, your race numbers look HUGE! I was in the "Male 25-29" age group and we were the 8th wave to go, and that allowed me some time to warm up in the lake. It also allowed for the ever-present prerace nerves to creep into my system.


The Swim:

"10 second warning for Heat 8 - Males 25-29, take your marks, get set, GO!" After hearing that it sent me dashing into the water with about 45 other guys hell-bent on having a good swim. As is par for the course, the first 150 yards were a free-for-all. I was kicked, grabbed, ran into - just like everyone else is in the Sea of Arms and Legs that is the swim. I managed to get on the inside of the out-and-back swim course and found some room to work. I reached the halfway buoy and turned around to head back to shore. The lake was a perfect temperature to swim in: not freezing cold, but just cool enough that you don't worry about overheating. I swam my heart out until finally my hand hit the sandy bottom, and I wobbly ran out of the lake. I saw my mom, dad, and uncle cheering me on which is always encouraging. I'd have loved to stop and chat, but I was in the middle of a race, and I'm sure with my heavy breathing/panting I would not have been the best conversationalist. (9:02 swim time)


The Bike:

After putting my shirt, helmet, shoes and specs on, I headed off on my two wheels. The day was quite pleasant for riding and racing: low 60's, overcast, little to no wind. I took it easy leaving the park, trying to get my heartrate and breathing back under control. Once that was accomplished after about 1 mile, I tried to settle into a comfortable, yet challenging pace. I would say 2/3 of the course is flat, so on those areas I tried to keep a consistent speed. On the big descents I took short breathers and allowed gravity to do the work. Going up the hills was slow going, but I managed to do pretty well, and it helped that there were only two big hills. I managed to do the same route as last year one minute faster. (52:48 - 17.7mph)


The Run:

After switching shoes and losing the helmet, it was off to do some running, or slow jogging, depending on if you're a glass-is-half-full type of person or not. For those who've never tried an hour of hard biking and then immediately running, you may not understand the unique feeling you get. Uh, you're legs don't work so well, they only want to act like spaghetti with lead at the bottom. I make no secret to anyone who asks or listens that running is not something I like or am good at. I treat it more an unavoidable, necessary evil. Where most people take pride on how fast they can do a course, I take pride in not walking at all. This course is not exactly an easy run either. There are no flat sections, only rolling hills, but for some reason it seemed more uphill than downhill. Curiously, it must be the same route that my grandparents walked to school. Hmm, I'll have to ask them. As I sprinted down the finishing stretch, I experienced an eerie sensation that I usually get at the end of races: tunnel vision that is hazy around the edges, and lack of productive breaths. The finish line feels really good to cross. Somehow I did this run a minute faster than last year. (31:58 run time)

Overall I had a two minute improvement from last year, so I'll chalk this up as a success. My overall time was 1:38:58, which includes my transition (times between the 3 events) times as well. Thanks for reading!

- Nick

P.S. I wanted to say thanks again to all of you who called or emailed me to wish me good luck. Every bit helps, that's for sure!

Welcome!

Hello! Hopefully you've made your way here via my emails or by a letter I sent you. Thank you very much for stopping by and I hope you continue to check this page out and see the progress of my triathlon season, but more importantly, the progress of the fundraiser! Tomorrow is the big day -- the first race of the season in Palo, IA for The Pigman Sprint Triathlon. I have posted the links on the side of the page (to your right) so you can see when and where they are. Stop on out if you get a chance, IT'S FREE TO WATCH. Thanks again for stopping by!

- Nick

The Manifesto

June 1st, 2007

Hello everyone!

I know it's been awhile for some of you. As you can tell from the accompanying page, I'm trying to raise money for The Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City. I feel very strongly about this and feel that we have an obligation to help others who are not as fortunate. The Ronald McDonald House of Iowa City is a “home away from home” for families with children receiving critical medical treatment in Iowa City. It provides a haven where families can support each other, cook a meal, do laundry, relax, share a laugh, and find comfort during stressful times.

I have never done anything like this before but I am confident that we can all make this a successful undertaking. As you may or may not know, I've been involved in triathlons for the last few years. I'm not going to kid you, I still feel funny telling people that. After reading amazing stories about other people who have raised money to help people in the past (and feeling kind of guilty), I felt that I could be part of that team as well, and use triathlons as a vehicle to make the team successful. I am asking you to pledge money for each mile that I undertake in my races this summer. (Of course a one-time donation is great, too) Out of the five races that I will be doing this summer, four are a “Sprint Distance” races, which typically entails a quarter mile swim, a 10-15 mile bike, and a 3 mile run. The other race is an “Olympic Distance” race which consists of a 1 mile swim, a 25 mile bike, and a 6 mile run (I just got really exhausted thinking about that one!). For the summer, the total mileage will be 101 ½ miles of racing. Whatever amount of tax-deductible donation you can spare will be greatly appreciated by the children and families who use this. My last race is on Saturday, September 15th in Devil's Lake, Wisconsin. I'm setting an ambitious goal of $2,000 and I know we can make it. Please have your check (Payable to "RMHC of Eastern Iowa") sent to me in the envelope provided no later than September 22nd.

By all means, take this opportunity to get as interactive as you want. You want to know what it's like to train with a triathlete (albeit a very slow one)? Come along on a bike ride with me. Tag along on a run, but please promise to wait for me. Dust off those goggles and your Speedo and hop in the pool with me for some laps (we can always retreat to pool basketball at the Y). If that sounds like too much, come on out and watch one of the races. You can yell encouragement or crack jokes, I can appreciate both of them. Laugh at my body shape as I emerge from the lake, tell me how fast I make Lance Armstrong look on the bike, question whether my jogging pace should actually be considered as a “brisk walk”. Or you can just follow along online. I have a website created specifically for this at http://tri-charity.blogspot.com/ that I will update regularly, keeping you posted on the events I'm competing in, complete with race photos and recaps, and of course how the fund raising is progressing.

Thank you very much for your support, I look forward to having you as a team member! Please contact me with any questions or concerns at (563)529-2862 or nick_swanson@hotmail.com .

Nick Swanson