The Lava Report

2011 is done. The majority of people I know believe 2012 will bring good things. Myself included. If it works for you I wish a personally successful active year. I have been fortunate to have enjoyed this multi sport lifestyle for many decades. It has been very good to me. Physically, spiritually and emotionally. Of course I have my trying times of hardship, loss, sadness. I thank God I have Him (or Her) to help me walk(or run, bike, surf, etc.) through it.
I have my own personal goals for 2012. Stay connected. Spiritually to that higher power that has miraculously allowed me to get this far. Physically to continue to rock and roll. Party like a rock star. On the bike. On the run. In the water.
Life is short. Take care of yourself. And those around you. And if possible maybe even some not so close.. or as fortunate. Make 2012 a great one. Beginning today........

The Tinsel Triathlon has been going on for over 25 years. I can remember racing it back in the 1980's when it was at Chaffey College. It is now at Hemet High School. They limit it to 1000 people. And they expect that. Unreal. I have not competed in one of these sprint reverse tri's since last April. I like doing them. They hurt. Balls out 5K run then immediate 12 mile time trial pain fest on the bike. Oh and then jump in their jacuzzi or pool which then qualifies it as a triathlon. Word is Alex Yanez as seen here with his very swank steed will be there. And he just turned 32. Good. Because now I'm 52. He will need that extra year come Sunday. (by the way great birthday party Sat. Alex!)

Hooray! They just posted race results from Sundays mud bath. We left right after finish to begin the really difficult part:De-mudding. With beginners and sport classes starting after and doing fewer laps, there was no way of telling how I placed. I rode(schlepped) up front for a few laps then it got all crazy with other groups tossed in the mud fest. The results have me 2nd in Expert 35+. Cool. Jodi gets the credit on this one for lending me (and then cleaning)!!! her bike.

If you have not done the Palm Springs Tram race. You should. Record breaking 900+ participants signed up this year. As race director Greg Klein commented: People coming from everywhere: All over California out of state and some (probably snow birds)from out of the country. It has grown big over the years. It is kind of like the Mt. Baldy race. You always remember how tough it is/was so it's easy to convince yourself to skip a year. Or two. Or five. This venue is a challenge. Less than 40 runners went sub 40 minutes on this course. There is zero, zilch, nada flat section on this uphill beast of a run. It begins hard, gets harder. Then gets crazy steep. It was fun dicing it up back and forth up front with the top ten. That and painful. But this is thee kind of training we do here in our backyard: Steep grinds. Jodi(1st division) suggested on skipping the school bus ride provided back down for us runners. We ran down but after one mile I was real tempted to display my hitch hiking talent. Feeling it in the quads today. But what's new. Great race. Great time. Great competition. Great camaraderie. Can't wait until I forget how hard it was so I can return.

That's my friend Jeff Henley on the course at last weekends race. His team of the Black Scorpions just rocked the FC 508 missing the podium by minutes. 508 miles and just minutes. Against a strong and solid field of competition.
What's even more impressive is Jeff got his employer to donate a buck for every mile ridden/raced towards The Kevin Unck Foundation. And brought Kevin along as his image was screened on all of their jerseys. Podium finishes come and go. Raising funds for a good cause ongoing memory do not. And then learning Monday night from Jeff himself that he had never even met Kevin. Jeff Henley, his employer and the Black Scorpions are: Bad ass.

The Furnace Creek 508 in many ways is like an Ironman triathlon IMO. It takes a huge commitment just to enter and get accepted. Then even bigger to show up. Still larger than that: Doing it.
I see the comparison that they are both just so down right demanding. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Maybe the two of most demanding competitions on earth. Again IMO. But then I can't be 100% on that because I have never done the Furnace Creek 508. But my sister Sherry Newsham has. She is 63 years young, president and member of the San Diego Cyclo-Vets Team(oh and a Phd in sports psychology) and just finished it with her team of four all women this morning (30+ hours racing NON STOP from Valencia torching through Death Valley, Kelso, Amboy, onward finishing in the lavish town of 29 Palms under the black sky). I believe winning their category too. Congratulations Sherry. I hope I am just like you when I grow up. I always have.