Submitted by Ken Frankenbery

Headed back to Versailles Indiana for an Xterra off road Tri. Like last year, it was roasting (even hotter this year!)- Pre rode bike loop Friday- was almost 100.

Race day was mid 90’s- I think it was the first time I ever worked up a sweat in the water – water temp was over 90 degrees, and it was almost uncomfortably warm.

1k swim went ok, came out 23rd out of 90, used a speed suit- and took 1 minute off my 2010 time, so maybe it helps, but my swim still sucks- had a solid transition, and hit 13 mile mountain bike, picking off the people who had passed me on swim. Worked into top ten, had another solid transition, and hit the run with the temp now in the upper 90’s. Run course is a hard 5 miles- up and down hills, 3 stream crossings ( which were dry river beds!), and the heat was stifling. I managed to pass 2 more people, ended up 8th overall-1st in my class, with a 4+ minute improvement in my time for 2010 and beating 2nd in my age group by over an hour.

I know I need to work on my swim, gearing up for National Championships in Sept- will have some real solid completion there, so can’t give them a big head start!

The week before the Xterra, I did the T- Con memorial 5k at Goodyear Park in Akron on July 16th.

This is a fund raiser, run by the family of Teresa Conti, a High school runner who was killed in a traffic accident in 2002. The family puts on the race, and uses funds to help other runners with scholarship grants.

This was my first “cross country” running race- and having never run in high school, was clueless on how it would go.

I got there early to sign up, and do a warm up to get familiar with the loop. Well it’s a big field, with a really big hill, and cones laid out all over- they had a map, which I tried to follow, but spent 30 minutes running around having no idea where course would go. Was freaking out thinking gun would go off and I would not know where to go.

Well, I had nothing to worry about, because when the gun went off for race start- I had plenty of people to follow. Many of the kids on high school track team where there- and they took off like rabbits. Unlike other races, this went back and forth, up hills, tight 180 degree grass corners and rocky trails.

It was a great workout, but rather humbling getting beat by so many kids, many ½ my size!

I got 21st overall, first in my age group- with a 21:21, slowest 5 k time I have had in years, but with all the corners, hills and heat-was not too disappointed.

Interesting note was passing a couple girls who seemed to have started out to fast, when suddenly one pulls over and starts heaving- crossing the finish line, I could see a few other kids doing the same thing. Not something you see a lot (or want to see when your over heated) – but people tell me it’s not unusual at cross country races- maybe those kids ate at McDonalds before the race?

Ken