be careful

I guess in this day and age one has to be careful what one is swimming in....I don't think it's fair, I swim in a wesuit that's 4 inches thick and I am completely happy ( unless water temp is over 40 degrees)...

USA Triathlon Adopts New Wetsuit Regulation


Beginning in 2013, wetsuits may not exceed five millimeters in thickness
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Following extensive research and consideration, USA Triathlon announced today that beginning in 2013 use of wetsuits exceeding five millimeters in thickness will not be permitted at USAT-sanctioned events. The new regulation, which falls under Article 4.4 Wetsuits of the USA Triathlon Competitive Rules, states: "Effective January 1, 2013, any swimmer wearing a wetsuit with a thickness measured in any part greater than five millimeters shall be disqualified." "Our board has been considering this issue and the impact it might have with our athletes for some time," said USA Triathlon CEO Skip Gilbert. "The overall feeling is that it makes perfect sense to align with the guidelines set by our international federation and multisport enthusiasts around the world. This is a standard that is good for the athlete community and our sport overall." By implementing this rule change, USA Triathlon falls in line with the international standard of five millimeters recognized by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) and other National Governing Bodies. The adoption of this rule is designed to eliminate any competitive advantage gained by enhancements in wetsuit technology in recent years. Studies have shown there is a marked and measurable performance benefit to the use of certain wetsuits, specifically added buoyancy effectively reducing passive drag. These performance benefits have led to an increased, and artificially induced, reduction in physical demand required during the swim leg of a triathlon and an increase in speed. USAT recognizes that there may be wetsuits currently available on the market that are greater than five millimeters in thickness. Consequently, the organization has implemented a phase-in period of the rule to allow the use of wetsuits that currently do not meet the thickness requirement. This announcement of the new regulation serves as notice that the rule change will come into effect in 2013. USAT recently solicited feedback on the wetsuit thickness issue from its certified race directors via a comprehensive survey. The majority of those surveyed supported USA Triathlon's adoption of this rule.
About USA TriathlonUSA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon - one of the fastest growing sports in the world - as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 3,100 races and connects with more than 133,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games.





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fear

What are you afraid of? Me, I'm afraid, or was afraid of swimming without a wetsuit. Until this past week, where I swam 1500 meters, in open water, without a wetsuit! Now don't go thinking, that I think i'm the man and can just forsake the wetsuit because I think i'm just that awsome, it's not about that. It's about the fact that the wetsuit was a block, a wall, a crutch, whatever you want to call it, and I was able to break through the wall, throw away the crutch. Now, I am still as equally bad a swimmer without a wetsuit as I am with one, but that's not the point. The point is that I overcame something, I perservered, and for those of us that don't race for money or personal glory, those little battles against oneself are paramount. I don't race for any external validation of my life, I race for my own personal satisfaction, for fulfilling a purpose, for continuing to achieve, and pursuing the perfection of a craft, an art. So go on vacation without your blackberry, without a TV, go running without a heart rate monitor, walk your dog without a leash, go out in the rain without a raincoat, and swim without a wetsuit! It will make you happy.

Kansas 70.3 detailed race report

"81 degrees" the announcer blared through the loud speaker the night before the race. The supposed water temperature, that would have to drop four degrees over night to be wetsuit legal. Miraculously, 77.5 was announced as the water temp for the race, wetsuit legal, yay(I say that with all possible sarcasm)... For my money, 77.995 would have been a more dramatic temperature to announce. So, pre-race I strapped on my old trusted neoprene oven and got mentally prepared to cook. The swim went about as I thought it would, feeling like a flesh taco inside of a toaster oven, I was just hoping everyone else was struggling as much as I was. 30 minutes later, the "trial by fire" was over and I prepared to unzip my wetsuit when, not really to my surprise, the zipper would not release! So not only had this thing been cooking me for the last half hour, now it didn't want to let me go! A volunteer standing right there saw me struggling and helped pop the zipper open. Needless to say, I think the time for a new wetsuit has come.
T1 went fairly smooth except being in the wrong bike row and ducking under the bar to get to the right place, and cramping already from dehydration started out on the bike...
Not much to say about the bike, hilly, and windy and hot, not to mention an oil slick that forced riders to get off their bikes and walk around the slick for about 10 yards! Someone mentioned a triathlon terrorist, but if that was the case why not a bag of nails, or glass?...Definitely not enough electrolytes on the bike and came into T2 cramping pretty bad. Someday I will learn how to apply the perfect nutrition plan for the perfect race, but until then I guess I will be chasing the dragon...
Started out with a strong pace on the run, probably ran 6 minute miles for the first 5-6 miles and then dehydration set in big time, legs started to feel like rickety towers of wooden blocks, probably slowed to 8 minute miles which felt like I was crawling and shuffling towards the finish line. Finally finish in 4hrs 33 min and some change on another challenging race day in Lawrence, KS! Finished 6th in age group and 55th overall.

Although my times were a little slower than I had hoped for, the real triumph of the trip was getting to meet some of my Erin Baker's teammates, camping with some good people from Boulder, getting the first big race of the year under my belt, and just having a good vacation. There is always the next race to get redemption for myself, learn from mistakes made.

Time to rest...

Ironman Kansas 70.3 race report

Wetsuit swim....Boiling

Windy, Hilly bike course complete with oil slick.....Scorching

Hot run on dead legs....Punishing

Sense of accomplishment after finishing another 70.3 race....Priceless

check results at http://www.ironmanusa.com/results/kah2010res.html

more detailed report this weekend when I can keep my eyes open for more than five minutes....