We are less than 6 days from the first of three ‘A’ races this season and expectations are high. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s first wrap up May.
May was a busy time and the month has flown by like a blur. It has been a strange weather month and most Minnesotans are scratching their heads wondering if Spring is lost and in some service station asking for directions. Although, we are very thankful in the upper Midwest to have avoided the tragedy that has struck so many in the Midwest and southern states. My prayers go out to all the families affected by these powerful storms.
The month started with the Minnesota Ironman 100 mile Gran Fondo event in Lakeville, MN on Sunday, 01 May.
What is a Gran Fondo you say? A Gran Fondo, meaning Grand Ride, has its roots in Europe and is becoming more and more popular in the US. A Gran Fondo is a mass start, timed bike ride of varying distances. The Minnesota event had two distances in its inaugural year, a 68 mile and 100 mile ride. Click here for a map of this year’s course. This was my third year doing this event. In previous years it has not been a Gran Fondo, but just a 100 mile ride. A Gran Fondo is not a race per se. It is timed, so it definitely has a little different feel than your ordinary 100 mile bike ride. This annual Minnesota early season ride (celebrating its 45th anniversary) is notorious for providing its riders with interesting weather.
One of the riders this year commented that he knew exactly how to make it snow in the middle of July. “It’s easy”, he said. “You just have to hold another Ironman.”
17.5 miles into the ride I went to adjust my Cat’s-eye bike computer only to watch it fly off my bike, bounce, and disappear. I spent a good 20+ minutes searching for the little red device only to give up in frustration and leave it to its hidden resting place. Other than this, the amazing head wind for the first 50 miles, snow, drizzle, and frigid temps (35 F, wind chills in the single digits), the event was uneventful.
Less than 8 hours after completing the ride I was on a plane traveling to the UK and DE for two weeks on business. The weather in Europe during these two weeks was pleasant with plenty of sunshine and warmer than average temps. Actually while in Koln, DE, highs were in the mid 80’s. These trips always have their challenges on the training schedule, and this trip was no exception. I was limited to running but did manage to run most days. I really enjoy exploring new places and running up and down the Rhine river in Koln was very nice.
Another nice surprise while in Koln was meeting up with my brother, his new wife, and my mom. We were only able to spend a few hours together, but I enjoyed every minute.
I returned to Minnesota on Friday, 13 May.Good thing I’m not superstitious. The flight landed at around 17:30 Friday evening. On Saturday, 14 May, at 09:00 I was in Oakdale for the ‘Oakdale Spring Classic Duathlon’. As stated earlier ‘Spring’ was still MIA in Minnesota. When I left the house Saturday morning, the thermometer in my car flashed 35F. It was drizzling, breezy, and the forecast did not promise any major improvement. This was the event’s 7th anniversary; my second. The event consists of a 3 mile run, 14 mile bike, followed by a second 3 mile run. The actual distances fell a little short of what was advertised and the run course was altered slightly from last year so a head to head comparison would not be possible. Considering the transatlantic flight the day before, I was happy with the results.
If you recall, last year we had a similar scenario. We had run a half-marathon, traveled to Europe, and returned to ride the 100 mile Minnesota Ironman. The other coincidence to last year was the eruption of a volcano on the tiny island country of Iceland. Fortunately for me, this year I was on this side of the ocean when the volcano erupted. Apparently, the virgin we sacrificed last year didn’t meet with the Volcano God,s approval…whoops.
Now with only a few days left in May 2011, anticipation starts to build towards this year’s first ‘A’ race, the Buffalo Triathlon. All three of this year’s ‘A’ Races are triathlons; Buffalo (Olympic; 1500M swim, 40K bike, and 10K run), Door County (Half Iron; 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run), and Madison (Full Iron; 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run).
Expectations are high, yet reserved. All anyone can really hope for is to tow the line on race morning injury free, be healthy both physically and mentally, and to be as well prepared as possible to face the challenges that await on that given day. Endurance sports are funny that way. So much time and effort are spent training and preparing for a single event. There are so many factors that go into any given race. For a middle of the pack age-grouper (like me) the focus has to be on the journey not the destination. Do not be afraid of failure; embrace it! It adds flavor…yum!
“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” –Arthur Ashe
