This weekend is the Chesapeakeman Ultra Triathlon and Aqua Velo in Cambridge, Maryland and EN has a few athletes competing as there ‘A’ race and a couple racing the Aqua Velo in prep for IM Florida. This is the 5th run of the full distance triathlon by race director Rob Vigorito and the Columbia Triathlon Association who will have their hands full as a tropical storm pattern in the Atlantic heads toward to the coast. Gail force winds and coastal flooding is expected from Cape Hattteras, NC up through the New Jersey shore line Friday and Saturday. Rob Vigorito is also the RD of another familiar triathlon in this area, The Eagleman 70.3, a Kona qualifier event in June. Typically the Chesapeakeman is a 2.4 mile point to point swim in the Choptank River finishing at Great Marsh Park (site of the Eagleman). As of today the RD announced that they will change the swim to a 1.2 mile loop out of Great Marsh Park location. The bike leg is a two loop course for 112 miles through the flat and often windy Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The marathon is a three loop course also described as flat and fast. While this is not a WTC event and there will be no live race day tracking we wish our athletes a safe and successful day.
Dan Kerr – his first IM was IMLP last year. Dan joined us in Lake Placid this year for the ENation camp. Not ready a year out to commit to a an Ironman he found himself training at the camp injury free and illness free, training harder than ever before and with no race yet on the immediate horizon, all just for the fun of it. He credits encouragement of the other EN Campers with his decision to do another full triathlon race this year and signed up for the Chesapeake. I left the Lake Placid camp a few days early so I can’t verify the ‘encouragement’ was not the coercion type of encouragement – the prick your finger and sign in blood type of deal. But he sounds ready and confident to race. Dan also gives creed to the Chessyman’s RD and his reputation of running a class act race and taking care of his athletes. While this may not be the WTC race atmosphere Dan is expecting a well run event. As for race day goals his is simply to “execute as preached by R&P. Good things will happen if I stay on plan. Many EN athletes have proven that.” His one thing: top secret. While Dan is keeping that to himself it does sound like he may be racing under some duress as his Wife has the expectation that they(her AND Dan) will be drinking beer and watching the Penn State football game by 8pm. I don’t know if that includes him showered and shaved.
Stuart McFarren – also one of our ENation Lake Placid Campers. He will be down for the 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike race rehearsal for Florida. Along to cheer him on this Sunday is another ENer his wife Tamara.
Dominic Malleo- Also racing the swim/bike portion of the Chessyman in prep for Florida. Dominic raced Lake Placid in 2007 after several years competing in triathlons. He had originally signed up for Lake Placid and Wisconsin in 2006 but then in January of 2006 his wife announced that she was expecting triplets - born in July – so that was his life altering experience for 2006. Dominic will be riding a new tri-bike with a Powertap purchased in May for this dress rehearsal for Florida. Not to steel too much thunder from our IM Florida post – Dominic has learned a lot about racing the IM distance the EN way and is uncertain about what the results will be so Sunday will hopefully give him some peace of mind on dialing in pacing and nutrition for Florida. I did ask Dominic about the non-WTC iron distance events and his thoughts on WTC and the equity. He response is probably what many of us are thinking: “I just hope that average athletes like myself can still sign up for races without having to qualify (aside from Kona). Prices are what they are, pay or don’t pay. If they move the World Champs away from Kona, the dream for me (yes – via lottery) would be gone, and that would be a shame.”
Kris
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