I can’t think of a better way to end a season, then by doing a race for a worthwhile cause. I was asked if I would like to help raise money for prostate cancer by racing Ironman Canada this year with my running shoe sponsor, Newton Running.  Newton had put together a team of 30 people that consisted of Newton Running employees, retailers, sponsored athletes and friends of the company.  The team raised $100k for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. This fundraiser hit very close to home for two of the members on the team. One was Jerry Lee, the co-founder and owner of Newton, and Winter Vinecki. Jerry is a survivor of prostate cancer and Winter, an 11 year old triathlete in her own right, had recently lost her father to prostate cancer. They met last year at Ironman Canada, and bonded very quickly. Now to make a long story short, Winter made Jerry pinky swear to return to Ironman Canada in 2010 to do not only his first Ironman, but his first triathlon. Winter was there to cheer him on, as he finished in 16 hours on a day where the weather conditions had mercy for no one.

(Winter and I Hanging out )

I was standing at the swim start, reflecting on the great season of racing I had, and how happy it had made me to get to know my teammates better, when BAM! The gun went off, and I was stroke for stoke among the masses. I spent the whole swim working my way up, from the third chase pack, then I bridged up to the second pack, towing the third pack behind me. As I got out of the water, the “Go Timex” cheers put a smile on my face.

            I took the lead at mile 7 of the bike, and stayed at the front of the race until T2. There were some serious headwinds in the final miles of the bike, and I could feel the effort I put into battling them as I headed out on the run. There were a group of 4 of us running a steady pace in the early miles when I was floored by a hamstring cramp at mile 4. The cramp last for 3 or 4 minutes, as I watched the group run off, I pulled myself back together. “Well, here it comes again,” I thought at mile 6 as my other hamstring cramped, this time it took 5 minutes to shake the cramp off.  After that, I spent the rest of the run trying to close the gap on the group.

   Unfortunately, I ran out of real estate before catching the guys up the road, but was happy to finish in 9:21 at one of the best, and definitely hardest, Ironmans around. It was great to share the day with some good friends, sponsors (Timex and Newton- thank you!), and teammates.  The race was full of inspiring moments that I will take with me into the 2011 season: the vision of Jerry finishing minutes before midnight, Victor winning the men’s pro race, Kyle finishing as the top Canadian, Janelle mixing it up with the top women, and many other memorable moments.

(Some of the Newton crew)

Thanks for an awesome season!

Denny

As I sit here trying to recap my race at Roth, I can’t figure out how to put into words the wonderful time I had. The countryside was beautiful, and I can’t forget the people that live there, they are triathlon! I picked this race for many reasons.  The first is I set a goal this year to race an Ironman, and to race it well.  To do this I felt like I needed to do a race that was more then just a 3-hour plane ride away, and something that would test me, not just physically, but mentally as well, with traveling to a different country.

The other reason was that I had friends that have been doing this race for the past few years, and could not stop talking about it (I totally understand now) So my good friend, Chris McDonald AKA “Big Sexy” pulled some strings and got me into the event. Thanks again Big Sexy! 

 Now picture this: they estimate that over 100,000 folks come out to watch this race. I can’t recall a single point in the race when I didn’t see spectators out cheering.  We have all seen the Tour de France when they are climbing some big mountain stage, and the fans are lining the streets yelling and running next to the cyclists, right? Well now that’s what you get when you ride the Solarer berg at Roth.  Not just once! But twice I got to ride my bike up that hill with 8000 screaming fans and guys in jester suits chasing me up the hill. I have never had goose bumps like that before.

The fans were cheering with just as much force on the run.  They had us ran in and out of a few small towns where I found more fans drinking beer and yelling you’re name.

Now at one point I recall thinking that this race was going by very quickly for and ironman Race. With so much to look at and smile about it was hard not to feel that way   then the hurt in my legs at mile 20 of the run stopped that train of thought quickly.    

As I entered the last few miles of the run, the course put us in the downtown area of Roth, running on the cobblestone streets, past old historic buildings.  As I approached the finish line, I could hear the roar of the fans in the grand stands. I hit the red carpet that is about 700 meters long to the finish line, and was handed a bouquet of flower to run in with. As I made my last turn down the red carpet with high fives from all the kids on the side lines, I could see the finish line. It was there that I saw my friend and training partner on the other side of the tape with a big smile, and open arms, yelling ”Denny!”  As I cross she tells me how well that I did, and how happy she is that I finally came and did the race. Then she turns to me and tells me that she chicked me once again.  Thanks Chrissie!   

Big thanks go out to my friends that made this a race I will never forget, and thanks to Timex for your unwavering support.

Thanks,

Denny

Packing is not one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday afternoon. But it had to be done.  Now I have packed for many of races over the years. And I would have to say that I have never forgot any thing I needed! But I would also have to say that I packed more then I needed most of the time.

So as I run done the list of items to make sure I have all that I need for my long journey

I open my bike box that I haven’t used since Memphis in May. And what do I find?

Thanks Tingle. Now some big dude in a 4×4 truck with a gun rack is out looking for

 His plastic deer head that was taken from his truck. Ok  back to packing.  Now almost 4 hours later and three beers I have everything packed. I hope?

                                                                               “Not bad for a 2 week trip I would have to say”

I will be posting photos and updating my Timex blog along with facebook from Ironman Roth as the week unfolds. 

Wish me luck!

Denny

Not to be confused with Kurt Cobain’s “Teen Spirit.”  There were eight of us that made the trek to Lubbock, Texas for the Buffalo Springs 70.3. We were all prepared for  a hot and windy race day, and we were not let down. Despite the conditions, spirits were high, and we persevered for Kona slots, Clearwater spots, and ceramic buffalo awards. Even more rewarding than ceramic Buffalo’s, and Kona slots was the privilege of racing with my teammates. Please read this post with a Texas accent, so it is more authentic.  

This was the first time in my Timex career that I have raced with Chris Thomas and Tim Hola, I consider them to be the best age group triathletes in the sport. Our Timex trifecta made up the fastest age group at Buffalo Springs this year. Chris was not only first in our age group, he was first overall. Tim “Is that Lance Armstrong?’” Hola was second, and I rounded out the podium in third with a PR for this race course.

I am wishing Chris and Tim the best of luck in Kona this year…not that either of them need luck. Good wishes also go to Cindi Bannick, who dominated the women’s 30-34 age group, and took her slot to the big show on the Big Island.I turned down my Kona slot because I will be racing Roth in 3 weeks, and Ironman Canada five weeks after that. I hope to return to the Big Island in the near future. 

Thanks to all of my teammates for the great weekend, especially Barry “I totally exceeded my expectations for the race” Siff for driving Tingle and I down in the Flex, and to Alex and Andrew who followed up their solid race days with an afternoon drinking beers at the pool with me. I feel like I am so much closer to all of these misfits who I call teammates.

Denny

So I made my way back down to Memphis in May for the third year in a row to get the legs ready for some hard racing coming up in the next month. Oh, and the BBQ also, for sure!!
In the past, we have been pretty lucky with the weather for this event. Instead of the low 80s we had in 2008 and 2009, the temperature was 97 when I got off the bike to start the run this year. It was a bit of a shock for the racers from the rocky mountain region .Up until the week before I headed down to Memphis we were still in leg and arm warmers in Boulder. I made this year’s trip with my Timex teammate Laura Tingle and some other training partners from Boulder.
For some of you that don’t know about this race it is done as a “time trial” start.
So the younger you are the earlier you go. They start with bib number 1 (the youngest racer) and send each racer off in 3 second intervals. Being bib number 885 I had some waiting on my hands. So I kept myself in the shade and stayed out of the wetsuit until the very last moment.
Swim went ok. Check! Bike was right on track. Check! Off the bike onto the run, Check!

About 5k into the 10k run, I felt like I was running on the Queen K.  “Ok, hang in there!” I kept telling myself, “it’s just a 10k, you will be just fine”… NOT! I was grabbing fluids at the aid stations like I was a fish out of water. I kept telling myself to just think of all the BBQ you can eat when you get done.  Well I made it to the finish line a bit slower than years past, but had a blast doing so.

As for my Teammate Tingle, she rocked out a forth place finish in the pro women’s field.

After the race we made our way over to thank one of our team sponsors, Shimano, for all the support they have given the team.

So I had one more race before the day was over.  And that was the buffet line.

I would have to say that I won that race!  See you next year Memphis in May!

Denny