Okay this contest was filled with nothing but good stoke and positive vibes. Had a great time. Huge turnout and the Pro Contest was very impressive. Equally impressive was the 15-19 year olds just ripping it up surfing old school with a few new school moves thrown in. Taking photos were Jodi and Robert Little a friend I ran into while heading towards heat. He was in the finals heat last year against myself @ Waikekoa Surf Festival. And placed an impressive 3rd. Will post some of the good ones later. Great time. Great announcer. Great fans(Dave&Linda) (and the two sea gulls). Great bands. Great food, Great expo, etc. (and I happily placed 5th)!
The Lava Report
Okay it's late and I'm tired but quick recap on huge Ironman performance. Ironman and WTC call it a no wetsuit swim morning of race in Boulder Colorado this past Sunday. No Bueno. Bad, bad call. Then they let those who wish to wear suits, do so but not eligible for awards. Fine. But don't frickin start them in the last wave behind the athletes with some moxie going skin. With alll that rubber and buoyancy fly, trample and mow over most all ahead whom started just a few minutes before and ahead. Bad decision. Bad call. It's 2.4 frickin miles. Not 500 yards.
Jodi (like so many wetsuit-less) had a tough go on the swim. Altitude. Water got very cool far out near turnaround and then of course you have all the wetsuit enhanced swimmers coming up and over you. I hear the entire time.
Did not matter too much in the end for Jodi. Results have 30th place out of water.Which is way far back for her. 11th off the bike. Ran herself into 3rd by finish of the marathon. Both other girls ahead are local mountain trained and living. Not bad for a little sea level living mermaid.Great job Jodi.
Dang I mean really DANG time flys. It is late Thurs just before midnight and we fly out of Ontario @ 6 a.m. tomorrow for Boulder. Jodi races Sunday. The race will be live with athlete tracking as they all wear a chip. You can follow her race and cheer!! She should be in for a very good race. Lots of other fast women but she no doubt is one of them. If she has her day many if not most and quite possibly all.......................could be run down during the marathon. I will be there for support. Clapper. Camera Man. Pit boy building her steed as well. Good luck Jodi and enjoy the Rocky Mountain beautiful course!
Raced at Industry Speedway again last night. Was not difficult but came to the conclusion the sports triathlon and speedway have zero, zilch, nada, nothing in common. For one and there are many, if you receive ANY outside assistance on a triathlon course you are disqualified. That means you could have detonated 90% into an Ironman race, flat on your back due to no blood sugar and if accept even a tootsie roll from a kind fan you are DQ'd. Pretty dumb. Very dumb. Lots of doping going on in both professional and amateur ranks of triathlon. Accept a gum drop on race course and you are canned.
Speedway racing on another note one is totally or near totally reliant on their pit crew. Most are speedway riders, previous speedway racers but all passionate, knowledgeable and the help is simply off the hook. I would be even more lost without them. Thank you Doug Greyson. Bobby Campbell. Tom Rishton. Big Jim and Nathan Siegel and......................Buzzzz!!
Jodi again IMO is spot on for a great race in less than 2 weeks in Colorado. 2.4 mile swim:112 mile bike: 26.2 mile run. Yep Ironman. At altitude. Her new Quintana Roo with 700c wheels fits her exceptionally. She looks great on it. She rides it even better. Got caught getting a very wet taste of Hurricane Dolores last weekend while riding back through Camp Pendleton on long training ride. Even the lifeguards were running for cover!!!! Ironman Boulder August 2nd. You can follow Jodi live on Ironman's website race day.
I took a long break from activity in regards to blog. After roughly 10 years just desired to. Work has been busy. Life has been busy. But still training like a nut. Ready for some events.
Something I had not been doing also was speedway. Until last week anyway. Friend and fellow racer Tom Rishton was over the top kind and lent me his bike and his help. Here he is setting me up with the Jawa's kill switch. Yep, wrap this around your wrist and if crash the bike should shut down and not go like a buzz saw on crack into the stands mowing down anything in sight. Fortunately I stayed upright. Great time that speedway racing. Thanks Tom, Buzz, Doug, Travis, Nathan, Dorcey Wingo, Paul and Bruce Flanders and race promoter Kelly Inman for all contributing to the fun had.