Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3 recap

The headline on IRONMAN.com reads, "Some fast age group racing in Buffalo Springs Lake".

Yes, I'd say so.

About 1,300 athletes came out for this year's race. Being part of the official IRONMAN 70.3 series, which offers qualifying slots to the ultimate IRONMAN event, the Ford IRONMAN HAWAII, in Kona, this race attracts a remarkable group.

Neither the wind, rain, nor hills deterred the leaders in the group from posting some amazing times.

The overall winner was Leon Griffen from Boulder, CO with a time of 3:58:35. The female pro winner was Mirinda Carfrae, also of Boulder, posting a time of 4:23:28.

Mike W. had a great race, despite some hiccups during a somewhat chaotic swim start. The pro wave began the event, and these pros first ran along the shoreline for the first several hundred feet of the swim before diving in to the water. The subsequent waves took this strategic tip and followed suit. In our wave, after Mike began his swim, another athlete dove on top of him, dislodging his swim cap and goggles. Mike, flustered and out of breath from having just run through sand and water, gathered himself, got to shore, and quickly recovered his gear. He still managed to complete the swim in under 32 minutes. Awesome time! The bike and run were as impressive, and strong enough to give Mike a sub-six hour time on very challenging course.

For my part, I scrapped in just under seven hours at 6:50:56. I managed to slightly improve my swim time over the recent Galveston race, but the tough bike course took it's toll on me and highlighted well the areas in which I need to improve: leg strength and core body strength.

Overall, Buffalo Springs Lake is a great race, and within a short days drive in Texas, it will be one I hope to do again. Though since Mike registered for the Coeur d'Alene IRONMAN, which takes place the week prior in 2009, and I'll making a trip to New Orleans for SHRM 2009, next year's not an option for either of us.

That's one commonality with my work and triathlon training: trade shows and IRONMAN racing need to be planned at least a year in advance.

On to Lubbock, Texas

Mike W. and I depart for Lubbock in the morning, about a four hour drive from Fort Worth.

We'll pick up our race packets, scope out the course for the first time, get in a short practice swim, and go over our last gear checks before a 4:30 a.m. rise and shine Sunday morning.

We've to a 6:40 a.m. wave start Sunday morning.

We're both a bit nervous about this race. Mostly just jitters, I think. Wish us luck!

Two Weeks to Buffalo Springs Lake

I swam my race distance, 2,000 meters, this morning.

Tomorrow, I'm planning on a brick workout with a long ride and short run -- before the 101 degree forecasted heat takes over the day.

Mike W. (who really needs a blog I can link to) and I are independently getting ourselves as mentally and physically ready as we can be for Lubbock. And reassuring each other "to just go have some fun" and not to stress what will no doubt be a very challenging event.

This will be the first long course Mike and I have done together. I cheered him on for his first Half Iron at the Texas Man in Denton. He was on hand for my first long course race at the Lone Star in Galveston. We did the Benbrook Sprint Triathlon together in May. I will no doubt be chasing Mike from the start at Buffalo Springs Lake. He's great to train with as he's a menace in the water, a terror on the bike, and pretty mean on the run too. Despite having a new born baby at home and missing many hours of training, I fully expect he'll have a strong finish in Lubbock.

Joseph Jaffe auctions consulting services for TNT

One of my favorite podcasters and authors, Joseph Jaffe has put his own consulting time on the eBay auction block as a fundraiser for his Team in Training campaign.

He's going to run the Nike Woman's Marathon in October.

I'm delighted a favorite cause just got the marketing muscle of a favorite thought-leader.

He's being joined by several peers in truly social endeavor. Best of luck to all of you!

I'll try to post a direct fundraising link here soon.

The Rocky Balboa run

On a recent business trip to Philadelphia, I was grateful for a beautiful cool morning and an hour free for a morning run. My colleague Kevin and I set out from our hotel and headed toward the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the site of the famous steps depicted in the Rocky movies.

We're both uber-dorks in our own unique ways, but on this excursion and it's status as a "must do," we agreed completely.

You'll notice these two snap shots which depict me at the top of the steps in my victory pose.

I had remembered the bronze statue sitting a top the steps (in Rocky III, I thought), but the statue today sits near the foot of the steps at street level.

Philly was a neat city to visit. Between the Rocky run and the refresher course in revolution era America, we had a great time during the few hours we had free to play.