Where have you been?

The blog has been neglected.....it happens. But I'm back and feeling in the posting mood, so look for a lot of catching up and updates. So much has transpired since the last entry, I'll be taking it slow, but it will get done!

Wildflower 2009 Wrap-up

Put away the Accellerade and Cytomax. GU and Clif Shots are not on the menu for a long time to come. Wildflower 2009 is officially over, and what a tremendous year it turned out to be. After a fragmented showing in 2008, Team WK? came back stronger than ever, and had its grandest representation yet. It was exciting to have so many people in camp this year, energy levels were high and the support was incredibly uplifting. We had a year of a few milestones. Two of us tackled the Long course on Saturday, and we also had some first timers race the Olympic distance on Sunday. I think everyone would agree that it was a wonderful experience and I am thankful that we have such a strong crew of competitors to both train and share the excitement of competition with

Now for the weekend recap!







First off I should say that I don’t think tapering is easy to do. On paper it seems like cutting back on volume and resting a lot should be awesome. But as many of you know, it only allows you to think about the race, worry about gaining a bunch of weight and question your fitness levels. In addition to this I now have to add: keeping my body out of dangerous situations. To begin with, during my final week of tapering, I stubbed my toe on a shopping cart wheel?!?! WTF?!?! I hit the thing, looked down and all I saw was a bloody toe! Then a couple of days later Kathy asks me to open a jar of artichoke hearts. Stubborn jar wouldn’t open so I give it one final huge twist and I feel a muscle in my shoulder blade pinch and knot-up!?!?! WTF??!?!? What is happening! Then two days before we are ready to leave, I am walking into our kitchen and I step on the jagged edge of an aluminum foil box!?!?! I look down and see blood dripping out of my foot…….WTF!?!??! That was it, I was done. I sat on the couch with a blank look on my face and fell into a 20 min total depression. It eventually passed, and I laughed it off, but just a reminder that all that training can be wasted on an ill advised trip to Whole Foods, or an obscene sized jar of artichoke hearts from Costco. Thankfully all that drama translated into a good race for me. The Long Course ended up being much more difficult than I expected and I was more than thrilled to just finish upright (6:27). Just so happens that my finishing time this year is also a personal best for me at that distance by a whole minute, so even better.






Shannon came into this weekend with a taper strategy I will call the Euro-shutdown. Basically he trained hard but then didn’t do anything for 2 weeks while he visited his girl in Europe, dined on Hungarian stews, wore turtlenecks, grew a moustache, smoked cigarettes, sipped double espressos and took horse drawn carriages to the opera. He’s all about trying new things, so this race technique was right up his alley. One thing that he didn’t change was his pre-race mystic “alone time”. This is where he disappears into the shadows to center himself, focus, and connect with the universe. I think this year he was surrounded by a family of deer, a couple of squirrels and a jackrabbit. He must have drawn a lot of power from his woodland friends because he ended up having a great race. The Wildflower Long Course is ridiculously hard, and he finished with a very respectable time (6:19).



Matt is our founding father and tribe elder. You can count on a couple of things every year with Matt: 1. He will be at the race and 2. His fitness level can be anywhere from awesome, to just OK. The last few years he has had an interesting strategy of combining snowboarding, volleyball and soccer as his main training vehicles. He didn’t have his fastest race this year (3:07:31), and if you talk to him about it he will blame this on a couple of things: 1. He started a new job this year so it was difficult adjusting to a new schedule and 2. He only got to snowboard once this season. Obviously factor #2 played the largest part in his time falling short of expectations, let’s hope he gets to spend more time at Squaw Valley before next years race.



Brian S was one of the new guys this year and racing for the first time. We didn’t really know what to expect out of him as he wasn’t able to train with us either. I think the odds makers were putting him somewhere just over 3 hours as a finishing time as that would seem pretty reasonable for what we thought his fitness level and relative inexperience would give him. He showed up to camp very low-key and subdued, asking questions, getting some pointers and overall seeming very relaxed. I thought his approach was quite sound, as he didn’t really know many people in the group and was trying to integrate himself and figure out how it all worked. But obviously a confident storm was brewing internally because he unleashed a beat down on the Olympic distance course! Besides Rick D and Chad he was the only racer to break 3 hours this year (2:56:10). I think we all are impressed with his performance and can’t wait to see what he can do next time. Good job Brian and welcome aboard.

Speaking of Chad, I’m sorry, but I would once again like everyone to recognize the deplorable accommodations that he must suffer through every year. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that was only a 42” external LCD Flat screen that we had to watch the Pay-per-view fight on…..absolutely pitiful, I could hardly see anything! And how could he ever get a good night’s rest inside that bus….with satellite TV and a fully stocked kitchen, who has time to sleep? All kidding aside, thanks again from everyone, to Chad and his Father for hosting Fight Night. It was a real treat having that made available to all of us, and I know everyone enjoyed the distraction. Also congrats to Chad on a great race (2:39:05), it wasn’t his best time but it is still a very impressive showing and worthy of recognition.

I hope you all had a chance to meet Charlie. Charlie has been a friend of mine for some 7 years or so and I think I have tried to convince him to do Wildflower almost every one of those years. Well as everyone knows, he finally has a finishing time by his name….and what a time it was (4:08:43). Four hours on the course with a smile on his face and conversations, with I’m sure, everyone nearby. Charles is such a good sort that it’s impossible for him not to engage those around him and draw them into his world of fun. I only wish I could have been on course with him for a while to experience it all. I hope Charlie continues to race, as he and his guitar will always be welcome in our camp. Next time though, no cell phone calls during T1 or billowy yellow running skirts!

Time to talk about our Benchmark, our First Knight, our Gunslinger, our Pacquiao! Rick D. Once again he brings his A game to Lake San Antonio and challenges all others to take what is rightfully his and what he works so hard for. This year was no exception as he finished in an amazing: 4th place??? 46th overall??? Wait a sec, is that it? Come on Deckert, what are you waiting for already. We’re getting kind of bored with this top 5 crap. We want to be able to say that we have a champion in our camp and for some reason we put all of our hope in you. Useless Miss! Just kidding buddy boy…..you will always be our man and we’ll carry the belts for you even if they say 5th place. Regardless of his finishing place, Rick’s consistent high level of achievement and work ethic provides the rest of us with something to reach for and I know that I would never have achieved what I have already in this sport without his help and encouragement. Thanks brother, we always owe a lot to you.

Next I would like to address what I am going to refer to as “The Splinter Group”. In case some of you didn’t realize, one of our longtime compatriots was brazenly attempting to branch off, leave the group and start his OWN GROUP! The only thing stopping a successful coup was his relative inexperience with providing sound triathlon advice and structured training plans to novice members. But this didn’t stop him from trying. During the year, he scheduled his own group rides (same route but different start time??….hmmmm?!?! interesting…), he scheduled open water swim clinics (only select people invited?!!?! What is this??!!?), and he even managed to transport his new “team” in a private team shuttle to the Lake (Excuse me?!?!.....as if we wouldn’t notice!!?!?). Unfortunately for him, the cord could not be completely severed as he was able to only partially isolate his loyal followers and was forced to stay somewhat close to his old team’s camp. He couldn’t remember how to put on the race numbers, which leg the timing chip went on or how many gels to tape to his bike, so he begrudgingly camped his “team” a few yards away so he could quietly creep over to the old camp to determine proper race number positioning. By now you all know I am talking about Steve, his first lieutenant Mike Fulkerson and sergeant at arms Dan G. All joking aside, I was actually very impressed with Steve this year. He was calm, relaxed, and focused. I think the sheparding of some first time racers helped him tremendously as his triathlon journey continues down some new paths. He didn’t have his best time this year (3:01:56), but I think he will agree that it was one of his best years.

Mike Fulkerson and Dan G (Steve’s protégé’s) were another couple of first time Olympic distance racers who tackled the tough course eagerly. Dan in particular seemed quite relaxed and confident. Perhaps maybe a little too confident? He ended up having an awesome swim split (26:50), great bike split (1:30:39), but admittedly crumbled a bit on the run (1:04:05) (total time 3:08:02). This race is such a tremendous learning experience and I know Dan will be back to use all his newly found knowledge to dominate this course next year. He has the attitude and power, but unfortunately for him he also had the heat cramps. Still a very good first race for Dan, and I know we will be seeing him again.

Mike Fulkerson had a very similar race to Dan, just backwards (hmmmm…..could these similar results have anything to do with suspect coaching?!?!). Mike had an admittedly tough swim (33:37), a great bike split (1:29:53), but a blazing 10k! (55:02) (total time 3:04:09). Mike started shaky, but finished strong….congrats on a good race. He is another racer who has potential to do really good on this course with some experience under his belt, and I think we all look forward to see what he can do in the years to come.

In my opinion B Hirai is the top story of this year’s trip. Training up in No Cal, in relative isolation from the rest of the group, we normally are forced to hear how he is doing from sporadic email correspondence or from the sprinkling of visits he makes back to the South Bay. This year was no exception, so when he showed up at camp none of us really knew how he would do. Sunday morning his face looked tense and showed pure concentration. As the morning moved along, Shannon and I noticed that he was rubbing his neck a lot. After a little sleuthing, we uncovered that he had pinched a muscle in his neck during a controversial and somewhat risky, pre-race face washing maneuver. You can imagine how flabbergasted and dumbfounded we were to hear that he would attempt something so dangerous and unheard of on race day. His concern was evident and he made his way down to the race early to have someone work on it for him. We didn’t really see him again until the race was underway…..but when we did, it seemed that his clean face and stiff neck were the key elements to vault him to a personal best!! He passed Shannon and Debbie after the swim on his way out onto the bike course screaming “I don’t know what’s happening…..but I’m on FIRE!!” B crossed the finish line with the trademark smile on his face and a PB (3:08:04), taking an astounding 13 minutes off of his 2007 time! A huge congratulations goes out to B for an outstanding race this year.

Guess who’s back!! That’s right, you all saw him, it wasn’t a mirage, illusion or hoax. That was our team captain, morale leader, mascot, and namesake......MIKE KANTOR. After a one year sabbatical during which he explored portions of the South Bay few dare to venture into, ate bizarre processed foods, traveled extensively by beach cruiser, and invested countless hours to become a true Guitar Hero…. The Prodigal Son returns!! I think I speak for everyone when I say that it is so nice to have you back buddy. Things are just so much better when Kantor is around. The camp is livelier, the mood is upbeat, food tastes better, and the sun always seems to be shining. What I’ve come to realize is that you don’t really ask Mike if he is back to stay…..because he never really leaves. He might race next year, he might not. He may show up 2 years down the road or it could be 3…..but he will show, no doubt in my mind. He’s like Sasquatch, the Lochness monster, or the LA Clippers…just when you don’t think they’re going to show and you’ve given up all hope….they are there, in full glory ready to go. He is our own living myth, a story to tell your kids at night: “If you eat all your broccoli and brush your teeth, Kantor will show up at Wildflower”. His time this year you ask?….not important. He was there, I saw him, that’s all that really matters.

Last but not least, a quick shout out to Bubba. He didn’t camp with us but I saw him coming down the finishing chute. He had a smile on his face and ended with a great first race time (3:10:01). Let’s hope he comes back again next year to challenge himself on the hills around Lake San Antonio.

Thanks again to everyone for such a great year at Wildflower. Let’s not forget that we couldn’t do it without all the support of our family and loved ones. Kathy, Jules, Taylor, Debbie, Katy, Lauren, Don, Jude and Chad’s Father, it was so nice having you all up there and believe me, it makes a difference seeing your faces and hearing you cheer during the race. I am so pleased that our group is growing and I am hoping that we can have even more competitors next year. Training and racing is best when it is shared and experienced with friends, and I am forever thankful to have you all around to enjoy it with. Have a great summer……that’s a wrap.

Laurence
Manager-Team WK?

Taper Time

Hard to believe, but it is time to start tapering for Wildflower. Taper strategy is an ongoing learning process year after year, and is very different for each athlete. I’m all about trying new things each time, hopefully remembering the things that work and learning from the things that don’t. This year I think that my training for the Wildflower long course has gone pretty much according to my overall plan. I feel like I’m probably where I need to be to have a decent race on the course, and it’s just a matter of getting the taper right. Some people don’t put too much thought into these final weeks until a race, while others analyze every minute detail. I’m somewhere in the middle. I don’t agonize over decisions, but I also try to come up with a thoughtful strategy that has a good amount of structure. This year I am cutting back on volume about 20% every week for three weeks, but trying to add in a little more intensity to my taper workouts than I have in the past. We’ll see how this goes, the truth of it all will be found in the results.

Welcoming Winter

Winter brings with it: shortened days, cooler temperatures, cold’s and flu’s, and the Holiday season. But winter also signals the beginning of training, and committing to Wildflower. At this point, all you can see ahead is a long road of training. Long sets in the pool, cold mornings on the bike and trying to get up the energy for a 10 mile run. But there is also a sense of comfort in embracing the routine, knowing that the next few months have been somewhat mapped out for you. The schedule keeps you focused, and as the weeks go by, the fitness gains keep you motivated. So as winter blows in, so does a familiar feeling of excitement as we prepare ourselves for another training season and another Wildflower.

I am looking forward to this training season with eager anticipation, as Shannon and I missed participating in Wildflower last year. But we will be making our return in 2009 in grand fashion. It will be our first opportunity to do battle with the infamous Long Course, and it will take discipline and commitment along with well structured and executed training to have a successful race. Welcome in winter and welcome in Wildflower.

Positively Optimistic

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."- Winston Churchill

Steve and I recently had a conversation about positive thinking, and it sparked some interesting thoughts and discussion. There have been all types of studies done on the power of the mind, and most everyone is convinced that attitude can go a long way towards achievement. Some people have a naturally optimistic attitude, and for me, it is easy to be around these individuals as they are forever uplifting and generally have a good natured presence.

The challenge becomes when we are presented with pessimistic energy. This type of energy can be draining and obviously negative. My feeling is that pessimistic/negative energy is the stronger of the two. It seems to take a lot less effort to discourage rather than encourage, finding fault instead of providing compliments. To be encouraging is to give hope, discouragement feeds doubt. Pessimism has the advantage in the battle, and it is much easier to be drawn in towards the “dark side”.

Anyone can find fault in a situation, it is the gifted individual that can turn your thinking and make you see the positive. These are the kind of people we should recognize and need to keep around.

Eat like a caveman

Evolutionary health/medicine and Paleo-themed diet plans are by no means new ideas. They just appear to be at the forefront of what I have been immersed in lately and thus have been absorbing a considerable amount of my "free-thinking" time.

I encourage you all to familiarize yourselves with the topic, not because it may be the gospel on health and nutrition, but because it is interesting theory based a lot on the work Darwin presented in "Origin of Species".

I find that my quest to obtain nutritional balance thus far has actually led to more confusion than answers. As I read these new Paleo-style books I continue to ask the questions: Is this the right way to eat and live......is this how the human body is meant to exist? So far, these evolutionary ideas make the most sense to me and I am encouraged by the methodology behind them.

Regardless....I remain discouraged about the way Americans approach health and how short minded most thinking is. Eating like a caveman may not be the answer for everyone, but the idea of lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and nuts being the main products of subsistence can't be all that bad. I will always feel that preventative nutritional measures combined with an active lifestyle, is by far the most pro-active device we can use against problems caused by disease and aging, and I will continue to bombard those that will listen.

Here is a link for an interesting book on Evolutionary Health:

http://www.amazon.com/Evolving-Health-Origins-Illness-Modern/dp/0471352616/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219159713&sr=1-1

A bit technically composed, but interesting theories on how our biological structure has yet to catch-up with our cultural advances.

Fits right in with the Paleo-diet system that I am trying to gravitate towards:

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/

The basis of the diet plan presupposes that the human body of today has not evolved significantly from that of our paleolithic ancestors, and we should be eating much the same as they did to achieve nutritional efficiency.

Dr. Nutrition

“The physician of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” – Thomas A Edison

I read this quote the other day, and thought it was a very prophetic statement for a person during the late 1800’s.

We are only recently becoming more accepting towards alternative approaches and holistic remedies in treating health and health related disease. In this age of instant information and constant technological breakthroughs, we are actually behind in the way we approach health in the U.S. The American diet has been biased towards grains for hundreds of years. In fact it was only in April of 2005 that the USDA changed the complexion of the food pyramid to be more balanced within the food groups instead of structured on a foundation of bread and grains. Diabetics are very aware of the Glycemic index and the Glycemic load that food carries. This is information that everyone should be aware of, since it ranks a food source on how quickly it breaks down to it’s most simple component: Sugar. For more information on the Glycemic index and the Glycemic load of foods:

http://www.nutritiondata.com/topics/glycemic-index

I think it is crucial for everyone to nutritionally educate themselves and gather as much information as possible in order to make thoughtful dietary decisions. It is important to arm ourselves with this knowledge in order to fight the constant battle against aging and disease......much more to follow.

Surf Festival 2008

Another 6-man has come and gone. Although we are all getting older, this event continues to be one of the most enjoyable weekends of the summer. Our team’s combination of personalities and spirit is a great blend, and is a consistent crowd pleaser. The weekend provides the opportunity to reminisce and reacquaint with old friends, and of course make some new ones. Surf-Festival 6 man will always be the major highlight of the Manhattan Beach Summer.

This year’s squad:

TP- Hulk
Kantor- Ultimate Warrior
Rick D- Sgt. Slaughter
J Rod- British Bulldog
B Hirai- Mr. Fuji
J Hughes- Tito Santana
Duff- Chyna
Ryan- Randy Savage
Rick R- Rick Flair
Zimm- Andre the Giant
Matt- Nikolai
Labella- Piper
Jake- Jake the Snake
Shannon- CoCo Beware
Eric- Iron Shiek
Chief- Junk Yard Dog
Yours truly- Snuka

Complacency is not contentment

Complacency can become one of our biggest hurdles to overcome. Often we are mired in a situation or hindered at an impasse, but without proper perspective, don't even realize we have been wallowing and churning. One of my newer goals is to try to recognize these situations sooner. The awareness itself, while not a solution, can at least assist in pushing you in the direction of change.

This quote sometimes helps to remind me of this need:

Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it -- but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor.- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Loren Leonard

I have had the privilege of getting to know Loren Leonard this year. I originally heard about him through Rick D, and took an opportunity to introduce myself to him one day. For those of you who do not know or have not heard of him, Loren is a triathlete who raced with us in the Hawaii 70.3 2008. He has raced in the Kona Ironman World Championships 10 times, and is 79.

He was using the Hawaii 70.3 to try and qualify for the 2008 Kona Ironman. Because he was the only one in his age group, he needed to make the cut-off times, and finish the race. This would provide him with his qualification slot and allow him to race in the World Championships in October 2008.

I am happy to say that Loren met his goal. He finished in 8:25:39 just beating the 8:30 cutoff. He told me some time after the race that he would have finished sooner, but he went a bit off-course on the run.

Loren is a regular fixture at Spectrum Club MB. Please introduce yourself to him if you are given the opportunity, and wish him luck this year in Kona. He is an amazing person, and is truly inspirational.

The Wu Wei of life

While we were in Hawaii for the race, I introduced a Taoist principle that became the mantra of our trip.

Wu Wei (Non-Interference)

Wu Wei as described by Ted Kardash of Jadedragon.com:

“Wu-wei refers to behavior that arises from a sense of oneself as connected to others and to one's environment. It is not motivated by a sense of separateness. It is action that is spontaneous and effortless. At the same time it is not to be considered inertia, laziness, or mere passivity. Rather, it is the experience of going with the grain or swimming with the current. Our contemporary expression, "going with the flow," is a direct expression of this fundamental Taoist principle, which in its most basic form refers to behavior occurring in response to the flow of the Tao.”

This idea became increasingly pertinent throughout our journey. Not only during preparation for the race, but also during the race itself. My feeling is that you can utilize the Wu Wei principal throughout your training, along with your daily life. Many of us already practice Wu Wei during our everyday lives without knowing it, but it helps to recognize situations and opportunities where you might be battling against the natural order of the world, and it may benefit you to reevaluate and try to “flow” instead of “fight”. Your frustrations will quickly extinguish if you can acknowledge the dilemma and use that realization to apply a little Wu Wei as the perfect remedy.

Hawaii 70.3 2008 slideshow

Hawaii 70.3 2008

Hawaii 70.3 (May 31, 2008) was an experience like no other. It was our (Shannon, Barry, myself) first race at the ½ Ironman distance. We really didn’t know what to expect, and trained for a difficult race. Being on the Big Island was magical. I hadn’t been back for quite a few years, and just landing and departing the plane was a bit emotional.

The first couple of days were actually a bit hectic. Since this was our first experience with an Ironman sponsored event, we didn’t realize how much needed to be done pre-race. The bike to run transition (T2) bag needed to be ready to go when we registered. Then we had to pick up our bikes and ride them back to our condo. The next day we had to drop our bikes off at the swim to bike transition (T1). Then we had to prepare another bag with our actual swim to bike transition gear. It was all new and honestly a bit stressful, but we got through it perfect, and nobody forgot anything (thankfully). Even with all the prep work, we were still able to get in a couple of pre-race swims, one at the swim site, Hapuna Beach Park. This is a beautiful white sand beach in a partial cove a few miles north of Waikaloa. We also drove the bike course, which ended up being very helpful, as it gave everyone a mental picture of the route and it made the ride psychologically easier.

We woke up the morning of race day to windy Big Island conditions. The alarm went off at 4:15am, as we needed to eat, get to Hapuna beach to check our bikes, set up our transition, get body marked, and get ready for the start cannon which was scheduled to fire at 7:00am. Once we were at the beach and finished our preparations, we had a little time to soak in the atmosphere and meditate on the day. Everyone around looked very fit and focused, and I was a bit tense to say the least. The swim start was in open/deep water, and Shannon and Barry decided to battle the masses and line up towards the front. I had a different plan, and stayed a little further back in the second group. Once the cannon went off the chaos began. 1200 athletes all swimming for the first buoy, and no one wanting to swim a meter longer than they had to. It was hectic and frantic, but I felt really relaxed, that was my plan for the day, comfortable consistent effort. The ocean swim was awesome, the water was warm and crystal clear. Although there was a current and some chop it was still quite enjoyable to be out there swimming in the Hawaiian waters.

Fresh water showers after the swim exit, a little more sunscreen, a quick Clif Bar, and out on the bike course. I knew Shannon and Barry were ahead of me, and I was hoping that they were feeling good and getting into the race. We had quite a few discussions about race strategy, and I felt that everyone had a good idea on how best to approach the day. The bike course was windy, with a lot of small rolling climbs but nothing too bad. I noticed quite a few competitors at the side of the road with flats, and was hoping it wouldn’t happen to any of us. I ended up having a small mechanical (chain fell off) but was able to fix and recover in about 5 min.

Run course was rolling over various terrain. We ran through the Mauna Lani golf course out along the beach and out in the lava fields. The heat and humidity were a factor, but there were aid stations on the course every mile or so, and they were a welcomed relief. There were also many out and back type sections, so we were able to see each other during the run which helped with motivation. Overall, the race was an unbelievable experience and we were all pretty confident that we would be back to the Big Island to tackle the course once again in the future.

Shannon 6:09:33
Barry 6:28:00
Laurence 6:28:08

Wildflower 2007

In 2007 the group grew in size. Once again couldn't find any photos, so if anyone has them send them to me so I can post.
This year can be summed up best in the "race report" that I sent out:

With the Wildflower group growing and getting so much larger, I thought it would be nice to write up a summary of the weekends events so that everyone could get a little flavor and perspective on the results and interesting episodes that some might have missed.

First off I want to thank and congratulate everyone who came out and competed, and those of you who made the journey for support. I can honestly say that I am enjoying the experience more and more every year. We have such a wonderful group of people that are involved and I really feel a sense of Ohana (Family) between us all. I know that for me, the combination of competition, camaraderie, and sense of accomplishment provide the ingredients for a very special weekend.

Enough of the cheesy sentimentality, let’s get started on the details of the weekend:

What can we possibly say about the amazing Rick D. Even with the addition of little Taylor, a small detour during the swim leg, and the distraction of a possible Golden State/Phoenix Western Conference Finals match-up he managed to crush the field and get 8th in his age group and 37th overall! Becoming a daddy certainly hasn’t slowed him down, and his consistency and peak performance is always an inspiration to us all.

TP was a nice addition to the squad this year. It’s always fun to have someone you know competing on Saturday, and what a great race he had. He swam, biked and ran his way right to a lobster dinner (courtesy of B), with no wetsuit, an “interesting” bike, and no prior training whatsoever. His technical skills were showcased as he rode up the campground hill, negotiated the Bud Light hand-off, drained it, chucked the can and continued riding without missing a pedal stroke. 9th in his age group and 48th overall, very impressive TP, hope to see you next year.

Matt had a lot more than the race to worry about this year, and showed some real courage by competing on Sunday after being violently ill on Friday night. He certainly didn’t have his best race, but he finished which was an accomplishment in itself. I think he might have been a bit delirious on Sunday after the race though because I saw him breaking down Brian’s camp instead of his own, not sure about that. Well, unfortunately because he wasn’t feeling too good we didn’t get to see Matt much this year, but to tell you the truth we really didn’t miss him, and Cammy was more fun to talk to. Kidding Matt, you know we love you and hope you are feeling better.

Mike “The Hammer” Tonsing mashed it out again this year and muscled his way to another great finish. I think it must have been the pre-race, Triple decker Peanut butter sandwich I saw him stuffing down. He wasn’t actually able to tell me his finishing time after the race because he was wearing some regular dial watch with a second hand instead of his digital one. The small hand was on the 12 and the big one was on 3 when he finished so I think that was good.

Newcomer Barry Hill seemed to really enjoy the experience and had one of the great quotes of the weekend: “I wish someone had told me that I was going to cramp!”. I wasn’t too worried about E-Barry after I saw his iMobile interactive setup with video conferencing, DVD playback and WiFi all accessible through his steering wheel. I wouldn’t let him race with his bluetooth earpiece in though, I think he was upset. Barry had the most “inventive” breakfast that I have ever seen. The combination of Acai, granola, blackberries and Myoplex seemed very “aggressive” and one that I would never have thought of, but seemed to work great for him. I think the importance of the race hit home for Barry when he was overheard just before the swim start saying: “Laurence just gave me a hug…….this must be serious.”

Steve Labella had a Sunday peppered with obstacles. After the always interesting swim start, he managed to swim himself into the floating gas dock. Riding down Lynch Hill, he sucked down a pebble. He convinced himself that the pebble was lodged in his lung and had to finish the race with this dreaded “pebble-lung” condition. While on the run he started experiencing leg cramps. His painful screams were overheard by Challenged Athlete star Sarah Reinertsen, who proceeded to give him a questionable “nutritional supplement” to help him finish the race. I need to check the rulebook, but I’m pretty sure that was “illegal assistance”.

Brian “B” had an awesome race. I think most of that was due to the fact that he refused to ride his bike 1 mile further than the required race distance for the entire weekend. His conservation of energy and strength help to propel him to a great first time finish. It wasn’t without a few nervous moments though, and I’m not sure he would have made it to the swim start without some gentle nudging and the pre-race “intervention” that we all had to take part in. He eventually came across the finish with a huge smile on his face and the astonishing statement of “That was fun!”.

Big congrats go out to Chad for having an outstanding first time race. 2:38:58 is huge, and is even more unbelievable when you think about the sub-par camping conditions he had to put up with all weekend. I heard that he was only able to receive 125 out of the 158 available channels on Direct TV, and also that someone forgot to pack the microwave popcorn. Don’t worry Chad, I’m sure you will have all those problems ironed out by next year and will have an even better race.

We can’t mention Shannon Phillips without first thanking him for arranging our special guest speaker: Motivational guru and Triathlon coach Ian Murray. I think I speak for everyone when I say what an unbelievable experience that was to listen to him talk for the afternoon…..for free even. Once again thanks for that Miss, it was a real treat. (On a side note, I think the talk might have exhausted poor Ian as Rick D cruised past him during the race on the Lynch Hill climb never to see Ian again. See ya Miss!!). Shannon himself also had a superb first showing, clocking in with a 2:52. What makes this even more of a miraculous feat of will and courage was that he managed to finish the race after ingesting only 10 Gels, 15 Salt Tablets, and 4 bottles of Cytomax. I’m still amazed he had enough calories and electrolytes to carry himself across the line…..truly astonishing. I also have to attribute some of his success to his Saturday night “vision-quest”, where he separated from the group to center himself and gain strength through “metaphysical” methods I can only dare to imagine. I hear that next year he is going to bring along his Shaman, construct a crude sweat lodge and really go “within”.

I myself had an interesting race. After swimming horribly off course I had a nice chat with a race official while holding onto her kayak. Feeling confused and disoriented I appreciated the rest stop and conversation, as it helped me gather myself and cruise to a blazing 36 min swim split. I felt very good on the bike, but then came the interesting run leg. I learn a lot about myself every year during this race, and this year was no exception. I realized that although I am not eating any meat, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I can eat whatever I want. I came in 7 or 8 lbs heavier than my race weight from last year, and I could really notice it on the run. I can honestly say that I suffered a little bit more for every Thin Mint and Samoa from those genius girl scout chefs, as well as the delicious lemon bars and sugar cookies from Corner Bakery. I think next year I will have to adjust my dessert strategy a bit to reveal the slim triathlete that is lurking underneath my currently over-muscular exterior.

Finally, lets get to Kantor. As many of you already know, “Where’s Kantor?” has become the question/statement of this year and can almost be considered as an explanation for many things, one of them being performance. Never in my three years of racing have I seen someone on the side of the road stretching out a tight hammy before the turn-around on the bike leg. As Rick D was running down Lynch Hill to finish the race, Kantor came riding past him on his bike to get to T2 and start his run. Unfortunately Kantor’s finishing time of 3:46 wasn’t good enough to place him ahead of any of the 3 male competitors in the 70-74 age group (3:22, 3:30, 3:41), but he was just able to nose out 60 year old Pauline Higgins who posted a brisk 3:49. I am thinking that next year he may have to adjust his training schedule and maybe cut back on the Baskin-Robbins Chocolate-chip/Jamoca Almond Fudge weekday brick workouts. I may poke fun at Kantor’s results this year, but he is an integral part of the team and we would never have our team name- WK? without him. We all appreciate Mike for his great spirit, support and enthusiasm. Even with his difficult race day he was still able to find the humor in it all and was there for everyone with congratulations and celebration. You are definitely our Captain?

Once again congratulations to everyone for participating this year and as always it was so enjoyable getting together and spending the weekend with you all. I look forward to hearing comments or other stories I may have missed, and also to seeing you all again soon.

Thanks for another great Wildflower weekend.

Laurence
Manager - Team WK?

Wildflower 2006

2006 was the first year that B Hirai, jumped into the fray and competed in the Mt. Bike sprint. He was hooked, and predicted that he would try the Olympic course in 2007. Me, Rick D, Steve, Matt and Kantor all raced the Olympic distance.

Wildflower 2006 Photos

Wildflower 2006 Photos

Wildflower 2005

Couldn't round up any pictures from 2005. Maybe someone can send me some so I can post them. This was the first year that Steve and I competed in the Olympic distance race. It was also the first year that Kantor came on the scene.

Wildflower 2004

2004 marked my initial foray into triathlon. Steve and I did the Mt. Bike sprint up at Wildflower, and Matt and Rick D did the Olympic course. Kathy and I rented a motorhome, it was a blast, and the experience would forever change my life. We will always have Rick D and Matt to thank for blazing the trail and getting us involved.

Welcome to Where's Kantor?

Hello friends

With the growing number of people involved and the interest level expanding, I decided to start a blog to help chronicle our experiences. It will be a place where we can post comments, photos and memories. Hope you all participate and help add to the experience. I will start by posting some historical data including some photos from activities in years past.

ENJOY!!