Lake Placid Ironman – Jim Dehner

Great location – Tough day –

Race conditions at the start were perfect – Mirror Lake lived up to its namesake and was dead flat – water temps were 74 degrees so it was a wet suit legal race – I think they said there were 2500 age group starters so when the cannon went off it was chaotic – I just stayed to the outside and back and only had to navigate around people – along the buoy line must have been like an MMA bout – I completed the swim about 5 minutes slower than I really wanted.

The bike course at LP is like a rectangle with a 6 mile out and back spur attached to one of the sides – The first, third and forth sides have major climbing sections – in between is a major downhill (Like 9 miles where the brave will hit 50+ MPH – old guys like me not so much). The first climbing section is 7 miles with a steep start followed by a false flat section and rollers – the wind was in our face -the second climbing section is 3-5 miles but really tough – it starts with a short but steep section that turns into a constant upward sloping climb (once again the wind was in our face), the last climbing section is the 10 miles between Wilmington and Lake Placid – At the start you don’t think you are climbing much – then you hit a tough section along the river that is long, steep and includes a couple of switchbacks- it cuts across the base of White Face Mountain (the Olympic skiing site) and the wind is always stronger and in your face there – the section ends with what are know as the cherries and the bears – the cherries are an easy upward slopping roller followed by a more steeply slopping switchback climb – together they lead into mama bear, baby bear and papa bear – mama bear by itself is an moderate climb and it leads into a very easy baby bear that can be treated like a roller – but then there is papa bear which is a steep climb similar to some the aggressive hills coming out of the valley – that’s an out of the saddle effort that really takes it out of the legs – once again the whole section was into the wind – I know it makes no sense but the mountains there create strange patters – Its a 2 loop course so when you get back to Lake Placid you get to do it again –

On the first loop the skies were partly cloudy and the forecast was for rain so I was glad to start the second loop on dry pavement – at least I was glad for a while – the wind picked up and blew the clouds away and the temps sky rocketed to 90 making the second loop on the bike and the run brutal – I got through the bike about 30 min off my plan – went into the T2 changing tent to get into my running gear and it was about that time I started feeling the effects of dehydration (I had stuck to my nutrition/hydration program but the higher temps and wind had dried me out) –

Until the sun went down the run was more a jog/walk effort and hammer all the fluids you could at each aide station – after dark the ambient temp was still high but at least the sun was down –

I made it to the finish about 40 minutes before the midnight cut off – I was pleased – it was not the race I planned but it was the race I ran

Many did not finish – there were ambulances and carts bringing in athlete all night – they told me at the med tent that 1000+ athletes had been treated for dehydration

Now – I would recommend Lake Placid to anyone considering doing and IM – I have done 2 there and would go back without hesitation –

Miltonman Tri

Henry Hauenstein – Olympic distance, 1st age group, 34th overall time 2:32:25

Brenda O`Hara – Sprint distance, 2nd age group, 17th overall time 1:42:45

Wally Schleper – Sprint distance, 5th age group, time 1:38

Monroe Falls Tri – 6-24-2012

Submitted by Ken Frankenbery

Perfect weather and a sold out crowd of over 300 for the annual Monroe Falls Sprint Triathlon (400 meter swim- 12 mile bike-3 mile run)

After a solid 20 minute warm up ( how Henry can start with no warm up is a medical miracle!!), swim went ok,  not as good as I would have liked, but came out of the water in 34th overall,2nd in my age group. Henry had a great swim, was just ahead of me, and had one of his best transitions to hold His lead on the bike

Had a solid Bike- the Trek Tri bike really makes a difference- averaged 21.6 mph, but got edged out by Henry who averaged over 22 mph, so ended up with 2nd fastest bike time in my age group, 21st overall.

The second transition went better, started run and caught Henry (finally!!)just out of transition- run went great, had 14th fastest run time- felt solid for the whole race, ended up winning my age group ( Henry was a solid second)- and ended up 16th overall.

As soon as race was over, jumped on road bike, and got in a solid 30 mile ride through the valley- a great day and great workout!!

X terra 3 Indiana PA 8-7-2011

XTERRA Appalachia Sun, Aug 07, 2011 – Indiana, PA
Submitted by Ken Frankenbery

X Terra in Indiana PA Ken Frankenbery Team ERWent from extreme heat, to extreme rain.

Got to race site on Saturday, big storms had hit there and trails were pretty muddy. I brought 2 bikes, and decided I wanted to get in the ride time, so did a lap on bike course. It was a long muddy ride – but felt good to know what to expect Sunday.

Rained all night – and was off and on during race. The swim was longer than normal – one thing on Xterra’s- they may say 800 meter swim, but if guy taking markers out feels like it-He can set them short (last year it took me 15 minutes was not even 600 meters) – this year He went all the way to other side of lake – most likely closer to 1000+ meters, took me 21 minutes, and top guys did it in under 16.

My swim was miserable – I think I came out of the water in 30th place or so, hit the bike and rain started again. I was ready for a muddy ride, and started picking off people left and right. People were crashing, and having trouble with conditions. There is a river crossing, and with added rain, it had a strong current, so I was ready, got across clean ( you have to carry bike over your head, slippery rocks you can’t see with current makes it challenging- a guy fell 2 years ago and His bike got swept down stream!!) and ended up bike in 6th overall, with 5th place 40+ seconds in front of me .

Had a fantastic run, caught the guy in 5th, and as I blew past Him, heard Him curse (I assume He saw my age on my calf- and wasn’t happy having a old guy blow past Him) did the 4 miles in 26:36, which was 3rd fastest run of the day, ended up 5th overall, and won my age group by over 25 minutes.

One more Xterra this weekend in Indiana – then focus on Nationals in September!

 Ken

Rev 3 Triathlon – Knoxville Tennessee

Submitted by Ken Frankenbery 5-15-2011

Henry and I traveled to Knoxville, for the Olympic distance Rev 3 Tri (1 mile swim/ 24 mile bike- 10 k run)

I have been focusing on off road Tri’s for the last few years, and have done some local conventional Tri’s- this was the first big time national level event I have raced at.

Wanted to get in a early season tune up race, before the off road Tri’s start in June- and with cold weather here- wanted to get in a open water swim.

The difference was obvious as soon as we arrived- everyone had high end equipment, lots of National teams there, and as Henry said, when you pay $160+ to enter a race- you’re serious!

The Race was held in downtown, the swim was in the Tennessee river- swim upstream, turn around, and back. I didn’t like the start- there was no warm up; they let you jump in, tread water for a minute, then go. We did a open swim on Saturday, and water was shockingly cold. The current was not that bad, but river was running very high.

Weather looked bad, rain, and a cold front moved in with highs only in the 50’s.

We got lucky on race day, rain held off, and temp in low 50’s and over cast.

Swim – I started off slow, not used to not warming up, but tried to work into a rhythm. Got passed by what seemed like most people in my wave, but was far from last. The course seemed long to me, much longer than a mile, but maybe that’s because I was weaving back and forth most of the way.

I hit the dock, and shot through the transition like a rocket, passing quit a few people along the way.

The bike started out down a closed interstate in the city- and things were clicking right off the bat. I was passing people, feeling solid, and after 5 miles caught Henry, who had a great swim. From there we headed out to suburbs, with some decent hills, and fast downhill’s. I was in a zone, and passing people in groups- averaged over 20 mph for entire 24 miles. It was one of best bikes I have had.

I hit the run hard, and in transition did not see any bikes from people in my class, so felt I had a solid shot at winning.

Run went very well, felt very strong the whole way, and just like bike, passed groups of people.

I finished strong, I won with a 2:31, a racer from Canada was 7 minutes behind in second, and Henry had a solid race to finish 3rd with 17 people in our age group.

A great event and a great showing for Team ER!

Ken Frankenbery