Kerrville Triathlon Festival 2019: The Family That Races Together

In all our years in endurance sports, Dad and I have never raced together. We've cheered for each other at running events and triathlons, and he slowed his normal pace to run a couple of 10k races with me at my pace when I was a beginner. He paced me twice up Zombie Hill at the end of Norseman. But we have never entered an event where we were both racing, until this one. It was awesome. 

When I signed up for the Quarter/Olympic/Intermediate distance race at the Kerrville Triathlon Festival this summer, I expected a "just for fun" experience on a borrowed road bike. Of course as soon as the gun went off, all of that went out the window and I went for it, competing at whatever level I could. Swimming in a race at sea level after training at altitude for nearly three years was incredible, and I ran out of the water second in my age group. 

It took about 20 minutes on the bike for the girls in my age group to start catching me, and I'd lose several places during the bike ride to end up 9th at the finish. Even so, I was really happy with my bike split - it felt great, and I told Orissa afterwards that I wanted to keep her bike that she had so graciously let me borrow. I think all the run training I've been doing this summer somehow translated into one good bike ride. 

I went out fast on the run and tried to hold it, but really fell apart towards the end in the heat and humidity that I'm no longer used to, especially running past the finish line for the cruel little out-and-back on the Kerrville River Trail. I'm familiar enough with the course to know at that point that the run was going to be nearly half a mile too long. I left everything out there on the course and I felt really good about my day, finishing in just over 3 hours, which is about 10 minutes slower than the last time I raced here...not too bad! 

Dad's swim wave started 10 minutes behind mine, and Trent had urged him over the phone the day before that it was Dad's turn to to chase and pass me on the bike, like Trent always used to do. It was fun trying to hold Dad off. It was a really fun day, and I have to say that racing a triathlon really makes me want to race triathlons...

Dad was the real star of the show last weekend, earning first place in his age group. I'm so proud and here's his race report in his own words!

Big Sexy Racing on the podium!

Dad's Race Report: 1st Place Male 70+

So, here I am once again, at the start of my second triathlon. My goal is just to finish, but there is also a kick-butt element lurking in the background. Looking at the lake, the morning breeze is whipping up the top-current. The pre-swim the day before had me dreading the headwind. Who knew that wind could create a current like that?

Kristina’s flight had entered the water ten minutes earlier. And I knew she’d make up at least another ten minutes on the swim. Of course, by the end of the day, she would gain on every phase of the event. Go Kris, go!

The water was wonderful, warmer and clearer than last time, but those little waves could spell disaster. I took my first breath of water right after the first buoy. Luckily a kayak was there for me to grab onto to get air flowing again. My second breath of water happened moments later. This was going to be a tough swim. Swimming 1000m in a pool is like a warm-up, but the open water is a totally different story. And to think, I had actually been looking forward to this when I signed up a few weeks ago.

At about 600m my goggles steamed up and I could see just enough to make out the people around me. Hopefully they were leading me in the right direction. Swim-out is elation! The hand grabbing your wrist signifies that you survived once again, without embarassment.

The whole family cheering and high-fiving on the way to T1 is a blast. I took a full minute off my previous T1 time…and I got the whole thing right.

After that swim, climbing onto the bike is like finding an old friend to enjoy the next 29 miles together. The coolish weather made the ride fabulous, and these were my daily-ride roads. We headed out into a strong headwind, and I figured life would be fantastic coming back home downwind. I decided that I would wait until the turn so I could sit up and coast while taking an energy gel. It all worked great, except that we turned into even more wind. How can that happen? We really didn’t get a good tail-wind until the last seven or eight miles. I did plan to ease off the last mile or two - like that was going to happen.

Another chorus of cheers greeted me at T2. I knocked a minute off my T2 time, even though I went to the wrong bike rack. (For a few seconds, I was convinced my bag had been sabotaged.) And then it was off to the run (walk and jog). Six miles is a long way when you’re tired. After a mile, I met Kristina on her way home. She was smiling and looking great, as always. This was the first time we’d ever entered a competitive event together, what a joy to see her on the course.

I jogged as much as I could, always on the lookout for other 70 year-old guys. When I saw my competition coming towards me on the out-and-back course, I made sure to jog a little faster as we passed each other. I was a good mile ahead of my only rival at that point, but I kept up the pace always trying to maintain a small reserve for the end. Kristina came back to meet me on the way in - she’d finished an age ago.

The cheering squad was there at the finish, (Maria, Adam, Jen, William, Henry, Hazel, and Kristina) how cool is that? After crossing the line, Jen gave me the news that I was first in my age-group. It’s been years since I stood on a podium, and I almost lost my balance getting up there! My times were a minute or two slower than two years ago (even though I felt better at every stage). But I achieved my goal - to finish, with just a dash of kick-butt in there.

Now the only remaining question is…will I have forgotten how terrifying the swim can be before the August 2020 sign-up date?

Yes Dad, of course you'll forget! I can't wait to race with you next year. #familytradition

It was fun to find our names listed on the banner at the expo.

I loved riding Orissa's bike!

Orissa and I got to start the race together, and I love this picture snapped right before we ran into the water. I think we somehow look like Beavis and Butthead!

An added bonus, Adam, Jen and kids came all the way from Louisiana to cheer at this race. It was so great to spend the weekend with my family.

And it was so great to spend time with my friends as well!

Like Father, Like Daughter: Dad's First Tri

I have a guest blogger for you this week: my Dad!

An accomplished runner, Dad has always been my endurance sports inspiration. When he encouraged me to enter my first 10k race 17 years ago, I would never have guessed where that road would lead. After he and Mom spent the last 10 years cheering for me at triathlons and even crewing for me at Norseman, imagine my surprise and delight when Dad announced that he'd like to try a triathlon.

I loved cheering for Dad this weekend as he raced the Olympic distance race at the Kerrville Triathlon Festival! Here's the story of his day - in his own words.

Kerrville Tri Race Report 2017
by John Swann

Here I stand, at the start-line of my very first triathlon. I’ve finally plucked up the courage to be standing here, looking out at the lines of buoys that mark the 1000 meter swim course. My bike, and helmet, and shoes and other stuff are waiting at T1. My running shoes, hat, number belt, drinks, and other stuff are hanging in a bag at T2. I’m wishing I could be at one of those places now.

Everyone says that open-water swimming is a beast to conquer. I’ve been swimming for over two years, going up and down the lap pool, fighting off little old ladies who insist on doing their aqua-bounces in the middle of my lane. My regular training distance is more than double this triathlon swim. So this should be a breeze, right?

I swam in the open sea, in Bali. I swam out to a buoy, perhaps 100 meters offshore. The farther from shore I got, the bigger the imagined sharks became, and the stronger the imaginary rip tide was becoming. I was freaked out. The next day, I did it again and, was it my imagination, or were those sharks just a little less menacing?

A year ago I had done a practice swim to the first buoy of today’s course. I was gasping for breath from the start, and I just wanted to get back to shore, where I could touch bottom.

But also a year ago, I had watched the triathletes on the run part of the course. Some were out of shape, some were barely walking, but I remember thinking that every one of them had done that swim.

I signed up for this event after years of watching Kristina and her friends compete in, and destroy, Ironman courses all over the nation. I always wanted to give it a shot. And the Kerrville Tri is right on our doorstep. Word got out that I was entering, and almost immediately, Kristina and Trent had booked their flights from Denver. Kristina’s San Antonio friends decided to join the festival, And our neighbors were asking about the race. So there was no way to back out.

Kristina had given swim-coaching tips (after watching videos of my stroke), and the coach at the local pool declared that I was a good swimmer. (although his final piece of advice was “if you get into trouble just raise your hand and the kayaks will get you!). The day before the race I had done a practice swim on the first part of the course, with Orissa and Kristina. They had estimated the distance to be about 700 or 800 meters. I was ready.

Start-line thoughts: don’t go out too fast, go easy to the first buoy, stay out of the way of others, follow the shoreline, I’ve got this. Other start-line thoughts: did I get enough to eat, did I drink too much, will my goggles leak, will I get leg cramp and, I hope I didn’t do too much yesterday!

We inched toward the start-line and timing mat. An announcement “and now at the start-line, in his first triathlon, at age 69….” Even the competitors behind me wished me well! And then I was swimming. “Go easy, get your stroke going.” The first two kayaks along the course already had competitors hanging from them. The water was choppy and murky, and I couldn’t even see my hand at the bottom of the stroke. After rounding the first turn, it was time to just swim parallel to the shore for about 500 meters, each stroke taking me farther away from the start-line. My swim stroke was horrible, my breathing was ragged, and more than once I took on water. But I had a crowd waiting at the swim-out, so I couldn’t stop.

The farthest point on the course was marked by a red triangle buoy. Reaching it took forever, but when I got there, it turned out to be the most beautiful red buoy I’ve ever set eyes on. And, once I got around it, something magical happened. I was now swimming towards the finish line. My breathing evened out, my stroke became more confident. Now, I really had got this!

At swim-out, another announcement “in his first triathlon at age 69, lets have a cheer for…”. It was great to be done with the swim. There were lots of high fives on the way to T1. Just a wonderful feeling.

I love to ride a bike. I love my bike with aero-bars fitted. And I love the Big Sexy Racing tri-suit that Kristina had given to me. I know all the roads around here like the back of my hand. What could go wrong? Well, from the first pedal stroke my quads tried to cramp up. Now that was a new experience on a bike. I suppose that’s a post-swim phenomenon. It took two miles of easy riding, and some coaxing, for things to get back to normal.

Riding through Kerrville’s main streets with police stopping all other traffic was awesome. Then the rain started, and I love riding in the rain! The outward ride was into the wind, which is how I always plan my training rides. Fellow competitors were courteous, no-one drafted, many had kind words as we passed each other. Several people had flats along the way, and there was one crash at the top of the only hill on the course. But for me, the ride was perfect. I used up the last of my onboard fluids with a mile to go. Everything was going according to plan. And the cheering crew was in full voice.

After trading my bike for running shoes at T2, it was time to walk/jog 6.5 miles. Those were long miles. And the sun made them hot and humid after all the rain. My pre-race goal was to get to the finish line. But it’s so frustrating not to be able to run and compete anymore. So I walked and jogged the whole way. It was tough even so.

At the finish line, a final announcement “and now crossing the line, in his first triathlon, at age 69, from Big Sexy Racing,…..”

Hugs and high fives all round. And Kristina took me immediately to the food area “drink this coke, drink all that water, you need protein, chips, something sweet, a beer…”

So that was it. I now have a whole new perspective on triathlons. Swimming 1000 meters is pretty straight forward (especially in hind-sight), biking 29 miles is easy, and walking/jogging 6.5 miles is a piece of cake. But put all those things back-to-back-to-back and it gets tough.

Now, its even harder for me to fathom how Kristina and her Ironman buddies do what they do. And how do you jump into a darkened fjord and swim two and a half miles to shore?

What a great day, start to finish. A huge thank you to all the folks who came out to Kerrville. Kristina’s triathlon buddies (Aixa, Orissa, Shelly, and Linda), and their families. Thank you Kristina for all the pointers, advice, coaching, and for the Big Sexy Racing suit. It meant a lot to have you and Trent on the sideline.

And an even bigger thank you to Maria for her support and encouragement all along the way. Thanks for taking those swim videos, for encouraging me to get that beautiful neon-green bike, and for always being there in the cheering crew. And finally, I’m in a new age-group next year…woohoo!

Practice swim on Saturday

Triumphant coming out of the water!

I'm so proud of Dad's matchy matchy here - bike, kit, helmet!

On the run!

Family and friends came out to cheer: Lisa, Mom, Me, Shelly and Avery, Harper, Trent, and Miles

Pre-race pic: Mom and Dad

Kerrville Tri Race Report 2016: Choosing the Right Goals

Goals can be a dangerous thing. A quote that I read years ago from motivational speaker Harvey MacKay has stayed with me: “A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.” At the time, it was the call to action that I needed. What’s the point in just sitting around dreaming about something you want? Get out there and work towards it!

The problem is that there are some things you can’t set goals for. Like black t-shirts. Six weeks ago, after I realized that I wouldn’t reach the goal of a mountaintop finish in Norway, I stopped smiling. I gave up. This resulted in a slow, miserable marathon experience on one of the most beautiful courses in the world.

At Norseman, I had set a goal that I wasn't in control of. Other factors were at play, like the weather conditions and the talent of the other athletes who showed up that day. It took me a while to understand what Emily was talking about when she told me to focus on process rather than results. She asked me my goals for Louisville, and I gave her numbers. Emily said instead to focus on process - what can I work on that didn't go well at previous races? She was asking me to set attainable goals and not random numbers.

I figured out last week what the goal would be for Louisville. Smile no matter what. Always find a way to enjoy the experience. After all, this is supposed to be fun! That can be easier said than done, and it takes practice. The Kerrville tri this weekend would be my chance to practice smiling all day before being tested again at Ironman Louisville.

I had two goals for the Olympic-ish distance race (1000 meter swim, 29 mile bike, 6.4 mile run). I wanted to gain some confidence by having a good swim in a wetsuit at a race, and I wanted to keep smiling and pushing forward no matter what.

But...for the first time in 5 years, the race in Kerrville was not wetsuit legal. Goal number one went out the window. Luckily, goal number two was to keep smiling and pushing forward no matter what. Take what the day throws at you: today would not be my day to build confidence in a wetsuit, but it could still be a day to have a great swim.

When the race started, I was in such a hurry to get in the water and begin swimming that I forgot to start my watch. Whoops! This mistake turned out to be a blessing. I swam strong and felt powerful in the water. When I ran out of the river, I didn’t have to analyze my swim time: I had only my feelings to go by. And it felt like a great swim. There's some built-in swim amnesia for you: just don’t start your watch! This is a technique I’ll take with me to Kentucky.

That's the smile of someone who forgot to start her watch.

At this race, my age group was in the unique position of starting in the first wave with a time trial start: athletes started one at a time with 3-5 seconds between them. I started maybe 6th in my age group. Being a strong swimmer and a reasonably strong cyclist, I spent the first 55 minutes of the bike race riding alone. I was passing competitors from the half-ironman race that had started earlier in the morning, but nobody was passing me. It was surreal. I made a game of it: how far could I get before people from the Olympic distance race caught and passed me?

It started to rain 20 minutes into the bike. At one point it rained so hard I thought it was hailing.

Trent’s wave started 12 minutes behind mine. When races start this way, I love to see how far I can get on the bike before he catches me. This time, we discussed beforehand that due to the short distance of the race, he might not catch me until the run. I wanted to see if I could make that happen. Approaching T2, I still hadn't seen him.

I flew into T2 and found an open field full of run bags: only a couple of bikes were there ahead of me. I took off running and vowed to hold a smile and a strong pace. The course was out and back – 3 miles out, 3 miles back, then another little out-and-back in the opposite direction before the finish. I started the run by myself, and as the miles went by, people started to pass me. And - at every aid station I passed, the volunteers complimented my smile. After I turned around and headed back, around mile 4, I saw Trent for the first time; we high-fived and he warned me not to let him catch me. This put extra pep in my step and although I was fading, I ran as fast as I could, still smiling. Having fun. Yippee!

I reached the finish line a couple of minutes before Trent. As our friends started to pour across the line, we all celebrated, taking photos and telling stories about the day. Mom and Dad were there, along with several Big Sexy teammates who were racing the half, and nearly all of our triathlete friends from San Antonio. It was so much fun to be surrounded by friends after the race. It made me remember what fun it is to race locally, and I think there will be more shorter local races on my calendar next year.

What a fantastic day. I had a great race and earned 3rd place in my age group. Perhaps when you focus on process, the results take care of themselves. I know it’s easy to keep smiling and moving forward when things are going well. It’s something else when you have to struggle. But, if you practice being positive when you’re feeling good, hopefully it will translate and help you through a day that isn’t going as planned. I’ll be smiling at Louisville no matter what. Less than two weeks to go!

After the race, we got caught in a ridiculous storm with flash floods. The half ironman participants were still running in this weather.

Another thing that made my day - this guy picked a flower and gave it to me before the swim. I carried it with me during the race and I swear it gave me superpowers.

The beautiful San Antonio Smash girls.

Big Sexy Racing - "We're the shit." So much fun racing with teammates!