London Grand Final

Last weekend I competed in the World Triathlon Seres Grand Final in London, UK. When I set my schedule for the 2013 season, September 15th this was one of the circled dates. Being there was a great accomplishment, but I wasn't in the race to be a participant. I was in London to compete--ready to see how I stacked up against the world's best.

 

Now, "world's best" is a term that gets thrown around an awful lot...

In this case, "world's best" meant the 70 male triathletes who had best proven their talents in 2013, and I was one of them. Mentally and physically I was in a good place, and I thought with a great day I could crack the top-20. I had a good swim through the chilly Serpentine river in downtown London, but a poor first transition cost me a chance at making the lead pack on the bike. I've been practicing my transitions, but sometimes it doesn't go the way you planned. That's life--er, I mean, that's racing. I settled in with a group of 30 or so guys, and we maintained a :30 to :40 gap to the leaders on the bike. While it may not seem like much, in a race this competitive :40 is an eternity. For some perspective, the time gap between my 36th place finish and 20th place was 1:00. It was an additional :47 to 4th place.

Race Start

 

Through the second transition and onto the early parts of the run, I focused on staying within myself. I was confident that some of the guys up the road would come back to me if I stayed patient. Not enough of them did, and I know where I need to improve to become more competitive in 2014. I finished a respectable 36th, but if you know me then you know 36th in the world is about 35 places behind where I want to finish.

Look at the spectators--London Weather!

 

The International Triathlon Union does a fantastic job organizing these races in big cities all over the world. They put on the world's best events, give the races the world's best coverage, and attract the world's best competition. This year I raced in San Diego, Hamburg, and London, and I hope to take part in the entire 7 or 8 race series next season.

 

It's a strange feeling to compete on one of these world-class courses. It's a little ironic that I was biking past and through historical landmarks including Buckingham Palace and the Wellington Arch, yet all my focus was on the other competitors. I remember at one point looking up and seeing Big Ben in the distance, yet the giant clock only reminded me of the time gap to the front guys. While other tourists will leave London with memories of historical tours and photos of the changing of the guard, my London experiences taught me the streets around Buckingham Palace are really slippery when they're wet. Hyde Park also runs slightly uphill from east to west. Appreciate history--but don't be afraid to make your own.

Picture of the course in front of Buckingham Palace (photo from londontown.com)

 

This experience was sweeter because I shared it with those I love. My family has supported me from the beginning, and to have them cheering me on meant a great deal. It was very much their race too.

 

 

Help! I'm Having European Thoughts...

In the time since I've last posted to this blog (which admittedly was far too long ago), I've traveled over 10,000 miles and raced 4 times in 3 different countries. I'll write about my experiences racing the Palamos World Cup, Hamburg World Series, and Tiszjauvaros World Cup (semi-finals and finals) soon, but today I wanted to write about something else.

While I lived in Europe over the past 5 weeks, my typical pre-swim breakfast was a latte with a european-sized packet of sugar* and a croissant (*- While nearly everything else was smaller in Europe, the sugar packets were strangely enormous--three-times the size of their American counterparts!). There was something different about the coffee, but the croissants are what really got me. I convinced myself that the coffee tasted different because I'd just dumbed a massive pouch of sugar into it (an added bonus was I still felt healthy because I had only used one packet of sugar). But the croissants!--they had a sugar glaze which added just the right amount of flavor to the otherwise flaky roll. Sitting at the breakfast bar I'd look at the crescent pastries sparkling in the display case and think, "Wow I can't believe I never discovered these back in the USA. I'm going to keep eating these delicious things when I get home too!"

I'd already eaten the crossaint

Then I came home. On my first morning back in the US, I went to the local coffee shop and placed the order I'd perfected in Europe--only this time I did it speaking English. Just like when I was in Europe, the barista laughed at my goofy accent then fetched a latte and a croissant.

I'd already eaten the crossaint

Now, don't get me wrong it's pretty rare that I have a meal I don't enjoy, but something was different about the Americanized version of my standard European breakfast. The crossaint was twice as big as the ones I had in Europe and it was missing that delicious sugar glaze. My coffee tasted somehow plainer. Was it the sugar? I thought of that and added another packet, but it didn't quite do the trick.

While not completely satisfied, I left the coffee shop satiated and was off to the pool. At the stop lights I cursed that they weren't traffic circles instead, and when I got to the pool I thought how much happier Americans would be on the metric system.

That's right, I said it. I think we should switch to the measurement system that makes sense. If a politician changed everything in the US to the metric system he'd be hated for a few years. FOX News would call him anti-American, and the Tea Party would probably start a campaign to have him deported. Then, slowly, people would begin to love how everything converts so much easier! Eventually public opinion would swing the politician's favor--he'd enjoy a resurgence of popularity not seen since the fall and subsequent rise of Bill Clinton. After he died we'd probably print his face on a commemorative dollar coin for his effort to modernize our systems of measure (yes, we'd be finally be using dollar coins).

This kept happening. I was noticing differences everywhere I went. Some were positive and some were negative. I noticed differences in the way people dressed, in the time people ate their meals, in the things people did for fun, in the types of cars people drove and in the types of fuel the people put in those cars.

I've heard it said that the point of travel is to return home and know the place for the first time. If I hadn't spent the past 5 weeks traveling and racing in Europe I wouldn't have noticed anything unusual about my breakfast that morning--but I did. I traveled outside of my comfort zone, and when I returned to the "familiar" something was different.

I share this little story because I don't think you need to travel thousands of miles or to race a bunch of triathlons to learn more about your surroundings. In a world where so much is standardized, I think it's important to realize that there are different ways to do things. These differences are not necessarily better or worse, but I think the world would be a better place if more people were aware these differences existed.

In both sport and life, one cannot have growth without first being aware of--and somewhat dissatisfied with--one's current situation. There are opportunities everywhere to be better. We can become better consumers, better athletes, and better citizens by realizing the choices we make shape our surroundings. We should start by deciding to make tastier croissants.

 

Edmonton World Cup

This past weekend my travels took me to America's northern brother. Now I certainly love America and most things American, but I want to take this opportunity to thank Canada for getting a couple of things right:

1) Tim Hortons- I still will give a point to Dunkin' Donuts for having better coffee, but the honey flavored timbits at Tim Hortons were on-point. Well done, Canada.

2) The Metric System- I laughed to myself the first time the weatherman announced "a possibility of 2-3 millimeters of rain," but I appreciate the metric system's user-firendly conversion factors.

3) Hockey- Even though Canada's national sport is lacrosse (don't ask...it doesn't make sense to me either), Canadians picked a great sport to embrace. Triathlon is the only sport with tougher athletes.

The Luggage Carousel @ Edmonton's Airport

Dallas Continental Cup

I competed in the Dallas Continental Cup on Saturday, June 1st. I was disappointed with my 4th place finish.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Austin, Texas

 

After spending Monday-Wednesday in Detroit, my schedule left me in a bit of a "grey zone." I had already moved my stuff from San Diego, and I knew I wanted to race in Dallas on June 1st. The question, then, was what I should do in the meantime.

After a gracious invitation from Brandon and Amy Marsh I booked a ticket to Austin, Texas. I had heard great things about Austin, and I was eager to check out the scene. While in Texas, I would race the CapTex Triathlon in downtown Austin on Memorial Day then back it up with the Dallas ITU Continental Cup the following Saturday.

A highlight of my time in Austin was the Barton Springs Pool. This 200+ yard pool is fed from natural springs just outside downtown Austin. The city decided to put four walls around these springs sometime during the 1920s. Instead of building the pool then filling it with water, Barton Springs Pool actually started with the water! There's something I like about that synergy between nature and man--something that says, "We've already got the water, turtles, and fish...let's make this thing a pool so we can swim here too!" It was very cool to swim with the aquatic life and then to look up at downtown Austin's modern skyscrapers.

Those familiar with Austin's "party scene" will note I did not mention 6th Street as my favorite spot in town. I was on my best behavior during this trip! I only took a short drive through the famed "party-section" of town, but I could see myself having an awful lot of fun on that bar-lined boulevard. With the rental car windows down, the pubs' live music called like the famed sirens of Greek Mythology. I kept my seatbelt fastened and contented myself with a drive through.

My race in Austin, the Lifetime Fitness CapTex Triathlon, was Memorial Day morning. The whole course was held in the center of town, and it was very cool to see 3,000 triathletes take over the city's main thoroughfares. Particularly inspiring were the para-triathletes, who were competing for the USAT Paratriathlon National Championship. These guys and girls were physically handicapped in different capacities, but they were out there just the same.

One of the wonderful parts about sport is how it unites people from all different backgrounds and circumstances. We competed together--an inspiring symbol of individuals from all walks of life overcoming obstacles to achieve a goal. I think the sight would have made the Americans we remembered proud.

Below is a journey of my race through photos (photos courtesy of CapTex Tri):

A view of transition before the day began

Leading the way out of the water!

Turning off Congress Ave. during the 40K bike

FUN FACT: The Texas Capitol (building in the background of this shot) is "the largest in gross square footage of all state capitols and is second in total size only to the national capitol in Washington, D.C."* Texas would...

*Source: www.tspb.state.tx.us/SPB/capitol/texcap.htm

Pretty happy to finish 2nd overall

 

Men's Podium: (left to right) Cam Dye, your boy Joe Maloy, 2013 CapTex Champ Hunter Kemper, and Ben Collins

The race was the second race in the 2013 Lifetime Fitness Triathlon Series. Below are the men's top-3 series rankings after the first two stops:

1) Ben Collins- 18.5 points

2) Joe Maloy- 18 points

3) Hunter Kemper- 17.5 points

Finally, to end on a few quick personal notes...

• It was a blast racing with college friends Jeff Benson and John Nicholson. Some days I think we've come a long way from 19 Braemore...and then other days I know we haven't!
• Brandon and Amy Marsh were exceptional hosts. We shared some great laughs, and I cannot thank them enough for their hospitality.
• I'm very happy Triathlon Squad training partner and friend Eric Lagerstorm recovered from some scary heat exhaustion following his 8th place finish. Colin O'Brady and Jenna Besaw were incredibly helpful--they were also great company.
• Thanks to former Boston College swimming teammate Maeve Sloane for making sure I was well connected while in Austin.
• And if you've read this whole post...thank you!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Focusing on the Details

Part 1: Testing at Eastern Michigan University

This past November, Coach Paulo Sousa and I made a decision to work with renowned running specialist Dr. Stephen McGregor. I was not running fast enough to be competitive on the international level, so we decided to collaborate with the Eastern Michigan University guru.

His philosophy towards running improvements can be summed up in this quote from a 2012 interview: "Running faster is a good way to run faster."

I committed to make several trips to EMU for testing, and Drs. McGregor and Sousa committed to evaluating the data and forming an action plan. Normally I hate doctors--but these guys aren't so bad. In fact, I enjoy working with them both.

This is how the sensors show up on the computer!

I visited the lab in November for baseline testing, then returned this past month for my first set of follow-up tests.

Part 2 : A Visit to Zingerman's Deli

When I arrived in Detroit, I made small-talk with a University of Michigan grad-student while waiting around the luggage carousel. The grad student may or may not have been an attractive young woman. (Author's note: When reading, it is good practice to imagine the events as accurately as possible.) She recommended I check out a place called "Zingerman's Deli" in Ann Arbor.

Since it was a short drive from my work at Eastern Michigan University, I went to Zingermann's after my first day of testing. I had been in the lab running for nearly 3 hours, and I deserved a delicious sandwich. I think it's important to enjoy one's hard work whenever possible.

My friend from the airport cautioned the sandwiches were "huuuuuge" and I should just get the regular size, so I ordered a large with a brownie for dessert.

Now, I'm no Guy Fieri. I'm not going to tell you how the flavors interacted or how the ambience set some kind of "deli mood."

I do know a thing or two about gaining a competitive advantage. Zingerman's has built a stellar reputation from using quality ingredients from start to finish. They focus on the details. The staff was friendly--even by those high midwestern standards--and offered samples and advice on nearly every product. While each individual aspect of my visit was unspectacular, the all-around commitment to excellence made for both a spectacular sandwich and experience.

Part 3: Why the heck did I tell those 2 stories?

Zingerman's commitment to excellence has made the Ann Arbor institution a model for other delis around the country. Its success is a reminder that a commitment to doing many little things right can end with big results.

In a strange way, the deli's model for excellence is the same one I'm applying towards my career as a professional triathlete. I focused on the details of my running technique with hopes to improve my times. I went to EMU to visit with Dr. McGregor because Coach Paulo Sousa and I decided he was the best. Day in and day out, I thought (and continue to think) about the details that will make me faster. Just as Zingermann's goes to great lengths to gather the best possible ingredients for their sandwiches, I take that same approach to assembling my team.

Below is a chart representing the amount of oxygen I need to run at different speeds. The blue line indicates my baseline levels which were measured in November, 2012. The green line shows my results from the May, 2013 tests. The data shows I've become 8-9% more efficient while running at current race pace.

Many thanks to Paulo, to Dr. McGregor and his staff, and to the high performance department at USA Triathlon for making these trips possible. Now it's back to work--I still want to go faster!

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Black Bear Triathlon

Last weekend's Black Bear Triathlon provided a great opportunity to get back to my roots and support the Mid-Atlantic triathlon community. While my ambitions as a triathlete necessitate a nomadic lifestyle, I still like to think of myself as a hometown-kind of guy. No amount of travel or experience can replace the feelings of being surrounded by family and friends.

I flew from San Diego to Philadelphia on Wednesday--you can't beat the cheap mid-week airfares!--and stayed in Philadelphia with some of my closest friends. With pre-race preparation including a pilgrimage to the "Rocky" statue and a homecoming tour through many of my favorite Manayunk stomping grounds, I was excited for the Sunday morning race.

The car ride to the race was interesting, to say the least. I was traveling with my brother and my dad, two bikes, three sets of wheels, clothing for three, and a trash bag full of drinks and pb&js (duh, you can't have a proper road trip with out gas for both car and passengers). We stuffed ALL of this into a Toyota Corolla.

While I cursed our situation and dreamt of a U-Haul sponsorship, my brother John was determined to make everything work. Somehow, he managed to fit the three of us, along with most of our essential gear, into the car. (Jack, Jeff, Alyssa, and Pete--whats left is still at the 305. One of these days I'll actually move all my stuff out of that place.) A U-Haul may have made for a more comfortable ride, but we did end up getting better gas mileage in the Corolla.

Race morning served a dose of typical spring weather in the mountains--high fifties with a sky that couldn't decide whether it wanted to spit rain or just be foggy. We ended up with a chilly combination of the two. After spending the preceding 5 months in Southern California, I told my brother and dad on the ride to the race, "I forgot weather even did this."

John and I went through our pre-race preparations together-- it's become a ritual for us. We've been warming up and racing together for as long as I can remember. First as age-group swimmers, then through high school in both cross country and swimming meets, in the Plex at Boston College, on the Jersey Shore for lifeguard races, and now for triathlons. Wile the actual routines for the different races were all a bit different (with the lifeguard races maybe including sips from a certain tupperware jug), the magic is in the preparation. There is something about those moments I can't quite put into words--something that says, "Hey, I'm in this with you. We're going to do this together." I'm not sure how you warm-up for being a lawyer in a courtroom, but when the time comes I'll find a way to do that with John, too.

The race setting was stunning--a cool (but not frigid) lake tucked between green mountains, a hilly bike through country roads, and a trail run. Team Philly Pro Tri director Brett Jenner, who seems to have a solutions to every problem I throw his way, lent me a jacket to keep warm in the conditions.

I raced hard from the start and opened a pretty large gap on the field through the 1500m swim. I was racing for the win, and I did not want to beat myself by doing anything stupid. I was conservative on the bike with the slick roads, and then I used my running strength to hold off the rest of the field.

It felt great to give Brett a high-five as I headed down the finish chute, pick-up 100 points for Team Philly Pro Tri in the Team Challenge, and celebrate with my family that evening back in Wildwood Crest.