Daily Update Archive - 2005

2004 updates sbr2003 updates

Dec 30 Perspective (part two) - In yesterday's Perspective, I listed four new year resolutions that centered on negatives. A body can only stand so much brow beating even if it's self-administered, so today the tide turns. Instead of behavior avoidance, we'll accentuate the positive. You may already do most of these things, and if so, I tip my Rudy Project visor to you. If you don't, then let us change the world together....

I Will Applaud Through the Entire Award Ceremony - I've attended, at minimum, a couple of hundred post-event awards ceremonies in the past 15 years and can attest to the fact that the "diminishing applause phenomenon" is very real. The race day accomplishment of a female 55-59 is no less important than that of the male overall winner. She can't help it the audience has lost its enthusiasm while clapping for the 57 people accepting their awards before her. So, for 2006 I will apportion equal applause to every person who accepts his or her hardware, and I encourage you to do likewise....

I Will Bring One New Person Into the Sport - This multisport life we live is special in so many ways, but it's greatly misunderstood by the casual observer. One result of that is many outsiders suffer from the misconception that the sport is beyond their capability. The reality is that the sport is more likely to put a bigger dent in your wallet than in your ego. I had the pleasure of coaching a few beginners the past two years. Watching them blossom athletically was fulfilling, but seeing them develop a passion for the lifestyle was even more gratifying. The good they did for themselves and for the people in their sphere of influence was a joy to witness....

I Will Volunteer For An Event - We've all heard the phrase a million times by now, but it doesn't change the fact that each of us should all try in some way to "give back to the sport." We may not be equipped to race direct or be in a position to sponsor, but everyone of us can hand out a cup of water or help break down a race after all the participants have gone home. Actually I already do this one, so this is merely a reaffirmation for 2006 but hopefully you'll be inspired to pull on a volunteer T-shirt as well....

Dec 29 Perspective (part one) - So, here I sit before the keyboard, on the cusp of change, compiling my list of goals for 2006. Over the years I've gotten into the habit of breaking them down into three subheadings: personal, professional, and pastime. For me at least, all three categories have tended to either intersect or blend at times into the general heading of lifestyle. A good example might be a goal I made at this time last year to take part in each of the regularly recurring local bike rides in 2005. On a personal level it got me away from the isolationist setting of my home office and out meeting people. Professionally, it provided an opportunity to promote the website and ultimately the magazine. Lastly, it reinforced what was once just a pastime and which has evolved into a complete manner of living similarly embraced by many individuals reading this. The following list can be labeled many things, though I refuse to use the "R" word when referring to these end of year goals, but here are a few promises, suggestions, hopes, etc. for 2006 that ought to be taken to heart by those sincerely seeking self-improvement....

No Bandit-izing Races - "I just happened to be doing a training run on this road when 800 other runners came along," loses its credibility after we have driven across town to get there. Adding insult to injury would be feasting on the post race food intended for participants. This phenomenon is actually pretty rare. But before I call the kettle "black," I too have been occasionally guilty of these weekend morning misdemeanors, justifying them by my promotion of their events on the website. Of considerable challenge will be a few notable events who take their post-event food seriously with spreads rivaling $8-12 Sunday buffets....

No Public Urination - Now we're getting personal. Those lines at the Porta Potties can get really long. And then there's always that one race which has just two or three cubicles set up for its 500 participants. It may be uncomfortable, but generally, holding it is something we can tolerate until the potty line whittles its way down to our turn. Pre-race butterflies and a healthy dose of fiber in one's diet can add a much greater sense of urgency to this problem. Ideally, we can take care of that business in the comfort of our homes and limit our race venue hygiene to hydration issues. There's nothing that will throw off your pre-race focus more than turning a corner only to behold someone writing their name on the building. And lastly, while I've got to grudgingly admire the showmanship of any guy who has acquired enough bike skillz to pee while riding, I still think it represents better form to wait until the next water stop....

No Public Nudity - Just when we somewhat smugly feel that we've mastered the transition-area towel-wrap technique, that terry cloth "curtain" unwinds itself and falls to the ground. If it hasn't happened to you yet, give it time. The counter-argument is of course that the cozy confines of a Porta Potty don't make for the most appealing changing room, not to mention the potential peril of dropping something into "you know where" when writhing into your shirt or shorts. And as much as it may be tempting to cite the male double-standard rule here, we'll reluctantly concede that this decency issue should apply to both genders. Then there is that gray area of changing in the parking lot in one's car which most of us have done at one time or another. Is that public nudity? But of even greater concern is changing while driving to an event. And you thought cell phones were a menace....

No Obscene Gestures At Motorists - Personally, this will be a tough one. The roads are a veritable war zone. Until such time as Clayton Road is graced with signs welcoming us to Italy or France, the number of drivers who don't get it will far outnumber our allies. Coping with them will require a degree of patience that I am struggling to achieve. Actually, I got off to a bit of a head start on this behavioral change earlier in the week. I responded to the last vehicle that nearly mowed me down with an exaggerated look of incredulity The benefits were many. It didn't stoop me to his level, it represented the cycling community with more class than the one-finger salute, it fed my ego by making me feel vastly superior, and it made for good show to the other motorists who witnessed his impudence....

The list could go on and on, but for 2006 I'll work on those four and see what kind of results I get....

Dec 28 Thieves view Christmas as a time of golden opportunity. The Kalihi Valley Instructional Bike Exchange (K-Vibe) near Honolulu was victimized over the weekend as several bicycles and specialty tools were stolen from its workshop on Christmas night. Also taken was $200 which had been given to the bike exchange to pay for participants' city bike registrations. The nonprofit doesn't have the funds to replace the missing (expensive) tools. K-Vibe encourages kids and residents of Kalihi to stay healthy on two wheels. Its bicycles are donated by the community for program participants to learn basic repairs. Gary Gill, Kalihi Valley Instructional Bike Exchange program coordinator, can be reached at 808-227-9218 by anyone offering assistance.... Cyclists and triathletes in west county looking to get their spin on, can check out the Wild Horse Fitness Gym located at 616 Trade Center Blvd in the Chesterfield Valley. They offer classes 6 days per week. Fee is just $5 for for USA Cycling and local team members. Spd pedals available or bring your own. One spinner is set up with PowerCranks. A smoothie and Coffee Bar is also on site. For more info 636-530-1191....

Dec 27 Independent bicycle dealers have watched with concern as Trek has continued to expand its growing string of concept stores in large markets across the US. Now following suit is another major player, domestic bike-maker, Specialized. With a dozen stores in the works and a 2006 expansion program in place, it would be interesting to learn whether the St Louis market will soon see a Specialized store. Perhaps an even greater issue may be the potential of this marketing concept sweeping even further across the industry with other bike manufacturers joining ranks....

Dec 26 One challenging aerobic sport to consider is snowshoeing. A good pair of snowshoes and some honed technique can turn the deepest snowdrifts into easy trails. The Alpine Shop is sponsoring a clinic to teach the basics of snowshoe selection and methods for ease of movement in a variety of snow, ice and terrain conditions. Class is limited to 12 participants. Dress to spend a cold day outside. For advance registration, call 636-391-3474. 10am -2pm Sat, Jan 7 at Hidden Valley Ski Resort $50.... Another great and more popular alternative for winter workouts is cross country skiing. REI has a very informative webpage devoted to demystifying this highly aerobic sport. Learn the differences between the various types of CC skis and what is appropriate for your needs should you choose to step off the NordicTrack machine and into the real deal. The sport doesn't hold the popularity in St Louis that it does up north, so finding a local, groomed trail may be futile. However, don't let that dissuade you. Any park will suffice for a back country tour and the KATY Trail can serve as an excellent venue with its flat and straight orientation.... The 2005 Ironman World Championship will be re-aired Saturday, Jan 28 at 3pm central on the Outdoor Life Network. If you missed NBC's original broadcast of the show, this is your chance to view it.... Speaking of Ironman Hawaii, the lottery application process will be open through Feb 28. 150 lucky U.S. citizens will find their names drawn on April 15 for that race. $85 gets your name in the hat. Winning athletes must complete a validating event and forward event information to the Kona race office Aug 31.... Google Video has a number of triathlon videos available for viewing. While this is a beta page (test version) of that functionality, it works fine. Some of the shorter pieces run just a couple of minutes, but longer ones like the ITU World Championships include nearly 30 minutes of footage....

Dec 24 An amazingly enlightening and very moving blog chronicles the 7-day bike ride through Rwanda, Africa by Tom Ritchey and Gary Boulanger. They also accentuate their story with a series of compelling images. A visit to their blog will impart a new perspective on what we view as problems in our lives.... Our Sponsors would be proud- If two days before Christmas finds you frantic for stocking stuffers and/or the BIG one, we heartily recommend that you ho-ho-ho your way to one of our site sponsors or magazine advertisers. They'll hook you up with the perfect gift for your athletes. Who wants a new tie when they can have much needed swim, bike, or run accessories instead.... USA Triathlon looks to 2006 as a year of transition. The national sanctioning body for the sport of triathlon has seen its recent past rife with struggle and will put on a fresh face with a new logo, improved website, and redesigned newsletter. While these changes won't mend fences with the World Triathlon Corporation, they do foster both a positive attitude and some forward momentum for the organization....

Dec 23 Now that winter is here, getting up for those early morning swim sessions can lose its appeal, especially from a cozy cocoon of warm blankets. That was probably never the case for Lewis Gordon Pugh. Known affectionately as the "Ice Bear," this week he completed a 1km swim near the Antarctic Peninsula. He headed out in the 32°F water in swim suit, cap, and goggles. He described the ordeal at 65° south latitude this way. "As soon as I dived in, I had a screaming pain all over my body. I'm not sure how I kept going for so long. I had to concentrate all the time and swim as fast as I could to keep the cold out." Pugh's web details how he is able to withstand water that would be lethal for most people....

Dec 22 The Frostbite Series and the Snowball Series take the Christmas weekend off. Frostbite returns Saturday, Dec 31 at 9am and Snowballers have to wait until Sunday, Jan 8 for the 7:15am run.... If you're interested in more than the standard New Year's day fare of hang-over, sleeping-in, and bowl games, the Texas Marathon may be for you. This event is staged in suburban Houston, offers a flat, four-loop course and is limited to just 200 runners. And we thought everything was bigger in Texas. web.... The Iron Kids Triathlon Series wrapped up its 2005 season this month down in Tempe, Arizona. Perhaps the kindest thing that can be said about the 20 year old series in 2005, is that they actually had one. While triathlon is booming in metro St Louis, something went boom within the corporate walls of hometowner, Sara Lee, who owns the Iron Kids brand. The summer series was left for dead in 2005 and it wasn't until late in the year that an abbreviated almost perfunctory swing through the sun belt was scheduled. From October 23 through December 11, it visited Atlanta, Panama City Beach, Clermont, Austin, San Diego, and Austin. Left in the lurch were cities like St Louis and others who have staged immensely successful Iron Kids events through the years. The Iron Kids program has performed a phenomenal service for kids and for the sport since 1985. Hopefully they can rebound strongly in 2006. web.... What do these household names have in common: Kim Clijsters, Tirunesh Dibaba, Yolanda Griffith, Yelena Isinbayeva, Gao Jun, Nastia Liukin, and Irina Slutskaya? The answer is that they and others have been nominated by the United States Sports Academy as the 2005 Athlete of the Year. However, nearer and dearer to multisport hearts are swimmer phenom Natalie Coughlin, and runners extraordinaire Paula Radcliffe and Deena Kastor. Fortunately we get to vote for three individuals. The men's side has Lance, Aaron Peirsol (3x Olympic gold medal swimmer), and take your pick. web....

Dec 21 The sport of mountain biking will get a boost from CBS sports when they air three hours of action from the King of the Mountain Series in 2006. Sixteen of the top riders in the world competing in three races at three different venues for the title of World Professional Champion and a piece of the richest prize purse in the sport. Record ratings this year have prompted CBS to expand their coverage in 2006.... SBR just received a very nice email from ultra-cycling hall of famer, Steve Born at Hammer Nutrition, in which he has already committed company backing for the 2006 Missouri Regional Triathlon Series. We are immensely grateful for their third consecutive year of supporting us with over-the-top service and second-to-none products. Winter training is the time to introduce yourself to new ergogenics, so we encourage you to sample HEED, Perpetuem, Sustained Energy, Recoverite, Hammer Gel, E-Caps, Endurolytes, or any other of their many fine products found on their website....

Dec 19 Perspective - It's been a while since we've taken (or is it had) the time to insert some purely subjective content in this otherwise objective information portal. First, I'll admit that it was a spate of television viewing which prompted me to write this little piece. At the time, the talking heads on that screen were happily chatting away about those short-term commitments we've come to know as New Year resolutions. It's just my opinion, but a good launching point might be the redundancy that this year we first resolve to actually stick to our resolutions. Now I am the last person to finger point, as personally, I don't remember ever keeping one of those wintry promises made to self for an entire twelve months. At least for me, behavior modification generally doesn't come very easily. The rite of New Year resolutions for many of us actually ends up being a means of further deepening the very habit we are trying to change. For example, on November 1st, I might convince myself that for New Year I will stop eating heavy calories late at night. In essence, I'm giving myself a free, two-month pass to further inure the behavior with which I'm trying to effect change. For the record, I advocate setting goals with New Year resolutions. But when the going starts getting tough, are we willing to settle for a branch lower than than that lofty apple we first spied. In the end, it's chiefly about desire. An old Don Henley lyric lends some clarity, "...How bad to you want it? Not bad enough."....

The 2006 multisport season will see a notable increase in regional race offerings from the east side. Illinois will up the ante with a very strong presence on next years event calendar. Following is Part One of our 2006 pre-season roundup of what we think may be one of the best seasons in years.... On July 15-16, the Springfield Tri Fest will offer a weekend filled with opportunity for the entire family. Youth takes center stage on Saturday with The Dew the Tri for Kids. Then on Sunday, mom and dad can fulfill their multisport quest with either the Stoneman Triathlon or the newly created Iron Abe Triathlon (quarter-iron distance). web. (Side note: There have been rumorsthat the Ironhorse Triathlon has been discontinued and/or the Iron Abe is Ironhorse reincarnated. As of this writing, SBR has no confirmation of that development and are awaiting a reply to our inquiry.).... Mattoon Beach Multisport expands its 2006 offerings with an extraordinary variety of bargain-priced events. The days of quality-produced, open-water sprint triathlons for $35 and $40 were thought to have been relegated to the distant past. Not only does MBM delivers on each of those those counts, they further debunk the theory on Aug 5 with the Mattoon Man (1/3 iron-distance) for $55. Most remarkable, however, is Sept 9th's Great Illini Triathlon (half-iron) for $65. Duathletes get their money's worth on Sept 23 at Eagle Creek with some long course racing (5M-40M-5M) $55. web.... The Terre Haute Triathlon has historically shared the same weekend and competed for athletes with the early-season behemoth, Memphis in May Triathlon. MIM raised the competitive stakes by first offering and now increasing prize money for age-groupers who complete both their MTB and Road tris on consecutive days. The Terre Haute Triathlon fired a significant return volley by securing triathlon legend Dave Scott to appear at their event. "The Man" will hold a swim workshop on Saturday before the race. web.... On July 22, Comlara County Park in Hudson, Illinois will be the site of the Evergreen Lake Triathlon. This event offers racers what has oddly become a rare format, the 1500m- 40k- 10k International distance. Produced by the group who stage Tri Shark, it might have provided a nice, distance-specific tune-up for USAT Age-Group Nationals, but as it is, comes two weeks afterwards. Entry for this "must do" event is $60 for pre-registered USAT members. web....

Dec 17 If your bicycle has been hibernating in the garage these days, perhaps a few photos from the Cyclo-cross National Championships will provide some guilt-tinged inspiration. The pre-race snowfall east didn't prevent these guys from saddling up and racing. Velonews.... One of the more interesting and useful technologies has been global position satellite mapping. The obvious application for runners and cyclists is that of route demarcation. Databases are beginning to spring up using Google Maps and Google Earth. These allow athletes to retrieve detailed bike and run route information with pinpoint accuracy. The maps are moveable, scalable, and simply fun to examine. On a national level, there is America's Running Routes. It is a dynamic resource that is great for travelers. Its two key functionalities allow runners to map, measure and add their favorite local routes to the growing database and of course search it. At the local level, 2Wheel Tech has a nice virtual storehouse of just about all the most popular metro area ride and run routes. Several other states as have been added to it as well. Whether you're scouting new territory or just want to see where you've been, the eye in the sky is a fantastic tool. It may also be just a matter of time before every race website routinely provides a link to a satellite map of their respective course.... A new women's running club has just been launched. St Louis Women on the Run will begin their four-times per week group runs in January. The group is both a fitness and socially orientated organization designed to provide women with an opportunity to meet new runners and friends. Complete schedule and contact information is available on their website.... The 9th Annual Rec Your Body Indoor Tri will be staged at the SIU-Carbondale Student Recreation Center on Sunday, February 12. Entry fee is $15 and the event starts at 9am. Application.... In the course of performing some website housekeeping duties, that generally obscure and underutilized site feature once known as the SBR Discussion Forum got shelved. Sadly, it never really took on the life we had hoped it would. While SBR sheds a tear over its demise, we remain open to any other content or resource ideas that readers want to throw at us.... The new host server seems to be working flawlessly so far. You may also notice that just as with most hardware upgrades one makes, it is faster as well....

Dec 15 In what could be the next hot franchise idea for the fitness community, a publicly available altitude training facility has sprung up in Boulder, Colorado. The city is already situated at 5430 feet, but residents can now simply make their way across town to reach 9000 feet. It's almost a case of the rich getting richer. For comparative purposes, the Gateway City sits a cozy 535 feet above sea level, sometimes it just seems like 9000 feet when climbing those hills in Wildwood. The benefit of altitude training is a well established scientific fact. Is it feasible for someone to open the doors to just a such an enterprise in the St Louis area? We can visualize the conversation between the proprietor and his insurance rep. "Okay, now what kind of business is this again? You say you're going to deprive your customers of oxygen?.... Running shoe maker, Spira, has been banned in Boston. The USATF has adopted rule 143(3)(a) which states: “A competitor may compete in bare feet or with footwear on one of both feet. The purpose of shoes is to give protection and stability to the feet and a firm grip of the ground. Such shoes, however, must not be constructed so as to give the competitor and additional assistance and no spring or device of any kind may be incorporated in the shoe…” Spira has fired back with a million dollar reward for the open division male and female winning runners in the race if they are wearing Spira footwear. The shoes utilize their illegal Wave Spring technology. The runners will be easy to spot as they will also be sporting a Spira race uniform....

Dec 14 Metro runners finishing the Rocket City Marathon in Hunstville, Alabama included: Kevin Albert of St Peters 5:34:34 45, Suan Albert also of Saint Peters 5:34:34,and Levi Wortman from Troy IL. 3:41:37 31.... In what was certainly one of the most appalling and unsettling stories of the year, a Kansas City cyclists was gunned down on his way home from the store. Robert Osborn's memory was honored in a ride that brought out cyclists, bicycling advocacy groups, and politicians to support efforts for safer streets....

Dec 13 After thirteen months as senior editor of Inside Triathlon Magazine, Kyle du Ford was relieved of his duties. Previous to his stint at Iniside Tri, he had founded and published the now defunct americanTri Magazine. Du Ford's term at Inside Triathlon ends with an unusual twist. He openly expressed his intention to investigate other opportunities in the interest of relocating with his wife as she begins her medical fellowship, so Inside Triathlon executives had anticipated his eventual resignation. However, they hastened his departure after learning of a blog that du Ford had maintained in which he wrote less than flattering comments about Inside Triathlon, at least that's the way Inside Triathlon construed them. SBR's limited dealings with Mr. du Ford have all been pleasant and positive, so we wish him the very best. He has further intimated that the possibility still exists for americanTri Magazine to be resurrected....

In a marketing move several financial notches short of Oprah's car give away, 300 members of the studio audience for the Ellen DeGeneres Show received a $520 Fugi Crosstown hybrid bicycle. The show, which airs Wednesday, is a joint, promotional effort between Fugi and Lipton Tea, the latter company having launched a national ad campaign reminding us to get healthier by enjoying three servings of tea per day. Ironically, this website has just begun its own marketing effort by encouraging readers to get smarter and better looking by logging on three times per day....

Dec 12 This past weekend's Honolulu Marathon was a destination race for many local runners/walkers and for some it served as a tool to raise funds for Joints in Motion and the AIDS Foundation. NIce work to everyone who covered the 26.2 miles. William Rau (Creve Coeur) 4:52:28, Gary Dzurny (Ballwin) 4:20:57, Denise Ellis (St Louis) 6:52:07, Robert. Goodnough (St Louis) 4:38:46, Terrence Dunnigan (St Louis) 4:53:47, Jerry. Bruce (St Louis) 4:08:12, Sebastian Mahfood (St Louis) 5:55:54, Tom Weber (St Louis) 5:58:49, Julie Bokermann (Maryland Heights) 3:57:23, Diane Clyburn (St Louis) 7:57:44, Ashely Fleming (St Louis) 7:52:54.... The Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run sold out many weeks ago. Those on the entry list who had done the race before knew the degree of difficulty that lay ahead. Dan Rooney didn't let that phase him as he turned in a strong 53:48 performance in the very challenging 7.5 mile run. The forty-five year old from O'Fallon, IL ran away from kids half his age to take the crown by nearly three minutes. Becky Leahy of Florissant was the first woman to reach the finish line with her 1:09:02. In all, 429 runners completed the course. The 2005 running of the PMETR was its 17th.... Ultramax Events has assembled an exciting menu of weekends for 2006. Innsbrook will play host to both a women's and men's Quartermax on June 10,11 and the Halfmax National Championship on September 16. New for 2006, will be an upcoming Multisport Camp offered in Columbia on January 28 and a Women's Multisport Camp staged at Innsbrook on April 15. Perhaps most importantly will be the return of USAT Age Group Nationals to Smithville Lake in July. In a move by the national sanctioning organization that was right and just, Mark Livesay and his UMax crew will produce the 2006 event....

Dec 10 SBRStL Magazine is privileged to welcome three new sponsors for December: Denmark Travel is a fantastic match for the publication and its much-traveled readership. We hope you support them with your travel business. Owner, Denny Rubin, has been an active part of the metro area triathlon community since the 1980's and thus recognizes your special needs as a traveling athlete. Give them a call at 314.878.1100. Travel package being booked for St Croix Tri in May.... Also supporting the magazine beginning in December, will be the Chesterfield Athletic Club. Conveniently located just off of Highway 40/64 at the Chesterfield Parkway exit, the Club is housed within the highly visible Doubletree Hotel complex. This fitness facility boasts a wide range of activites and amenities for both members and guests. We hope you stop by at your earliest convenience and check them out. Ask for Laurel, and to score extra brownie points, be sure to mention SwimBikeRun St Louis.... Allied Fitness/ Allied Health Care in Wentzville is excited to partner with SBR and get the word out about their facilities in Wentzville. They offer a full menu of exercise options and healthcare services including chiropractic, physical therapy, on site x-ray, and massage. The facility boasts SwimEX systems used for both fitness and rehabilitation purposes. Owner/Operator, Dr Steven Meacham, is an enegetic supporter of the endurance sports community. For more info 636.332.0033....

Dec 9 VeloNews editor, John Wilcockson, posted his interview with the always candid Lance Armstrong. Outside Magazine posted a thorough examination by writer, Joe Lindsey, of Lance Armstrong's impending litigation against allegations of his use of performance enhancing drugs. This exhaustive 7600 word piece requires some effort to finish, but won't come close to the persistence and strength LA is prepared to display in his upcoming courtroom battles. J'Accuse.... The Spirit of St Louis Marathon appears to be continuing on its successful track. Registration for its 2006 Read, Right, and Run Marathon has reached 3000 children. The program has been enthusiastically embraced by the St Louis Public School system which has resulted in nearly an eight-fold increase in participation from the original 400 in 2001. Students in grades K-8 are challenged to read 26 books, perform 26 good deeds and run a combined total of 26.2 miles. Students complete their "marathon" on Family Day when elementary school students run their final mile and middle-schoolers run the 5k.... All it takes is a dream, some faith, and follow through. Ray Petro in Cleveland, Ohio harbored his vision for an indoor MTB park for ten years before it became a reality in October, 2004. His 71,000 square foot converted warehouse space is a November thru March haven for a wide variety of recreational, fitness, and technical riders. Petro's day job is construction, so assembling the creative array of rideable wood structures was a task he readily took to. The facility's reputation has spread via the world wide web and riders from all over the country have been drawn to its indoor maze of ramps, jumps, and skill tracks. If you link to their website, definitely check out the video....

Dec 8 The island of Oahu and the Honolulu Marathon have given lei greetings to more than 33,000 participants for this Sunday's marathon and 10k. The event has grown to become the third largest marathon in the world. Interestingly, American mainlanders are not the only ones enamored with the Hawaiian Islands as some 16,000 Japanese runners will take part in the race. While the St Louis region bundles up against the cold, the forecast for Sunday in Honolulu is partly cloudy and high of 83. Best of luck to metro area runners....

Dec 3 Iron-distance triathletes in search of even greater challenge might consider Ultraman. The Ultraman Canada Championships are staged on Aug 12-14 from the same venue as Ironman Canada (Aug 27), but with a subtle difference. The event imposes the formidable, three-day task of: Day One- 10k swim/ 90-mile bike over Richter pass, Day Two- 170-mile bike, Day Three- 52.4 mile run. Strict time cutoffs apply and each racer is required to provide a support crew. If you still need more, the Ultraman World Championships are staged in November from triathlon's hallowed waters of Kailua Bay in Kona, Hawaii. Created in 1983, this event just completed its 21st running (no race in held in 1987 or 1991). 2005 saw Alexandre Ribeiro of Brazil (24:32:28) and Shanna Armstrong of Texas (28:03:34) take their respective gender titles in a cozy finishing field of 18, the last of which crossed in 34:09:34. The event is a three-day, 320-mile circumnavigation of the Big Island. And by the way, the entry fee is $600.... For 2006, the Flint Hills Triathlon in Manhattan, KS will offer an international distance event in addition to their annual sprint tri Turtle Creek State Park is the setting on June 4. Registration opens January 1st.... The Las Vegas Marathon was held under nice conditions yestereday. Metro area finishers: Steven Asher 4:26:05, Aaron Aversman 3:51:58, Al Beamer 5:22:14, Suzy Besnia 3:58:45, Michelle Bock 3:31:27, Karyn Bohannan 5:26:50, Lynn Bouvatte 4:27:03, Karen Brewer 6:15:55, Rebecca Brown 3:50;40, Aaron Coffman 3:59:54.... The race veered from its history by starting in front of the Mandalay and running through the Vegas Strip....

Dec 2 IMemag is a new, free, web-based publication that launched on Oct 31. It's 18,000 subscribers received the inaugural issue of this monthly, virtual magazine via email. Anyone wishing to view it, however, must download and install the DNL Reader. This software lends a "book-like" appearance to the e-zine as you the "turn" pages. One additional and interesting note- It is curious that the magazine uses "IM" as part of their name yet carefully dances around what everyone knows it clearly signifies. At the same time, they emphzise that their target audience is primarily Ironman athletes. A click to the About IMemag page displays a finish line shot with, you guessed it, the Mdot clearly depicted. As militant as the WTC can be when defending their turf, it will be fascinating to see if any legal wrangling developes between these two entities. The upstart publication must have certainly researched the legality of using the uppercased letters IM for which the WCT apparently has no trademark rights. How far does trademark law extend by inference and suggestion? website....

Dec 1 Attendees of the USAT Race Directors Conference in January, 2006 will review the nuts and bolts of successfully staging their events. The dryness of subject matters like sponsorship, event planning, budgeting, risk management, insurance, and sanctioning, will be offset by the linguistic liberties of OLN color man, Bob Roll. Adding further to the comic relief will be the creator of "Frazz", Jeff Mallett..... Registration opened today for the Memphis in May Triathlon. The gravitational pull of that race is generally felt each year by a large number of metro St Louis triathletes. In 2006, the tug may be stronger yet, but you may want to bring two bikes. The top-fifteen male and female athletes with the fastest combined times in the MiM Mountain Bike Triathlon and the International Distance Triathlon will take home a share of $5,000.... The generally verbose website Slowtwitch.com posted a scathing rant by Lew Kidder criticizing the USAT's recent decision to revise their age-up rule. (It was amended to whatever your age is on Dec 31). If you can make it all the way through his article (I would not), understand half of what he is trying to say (I could not), and find anything positive or constructive in it (I did not), then please let us know. I think it's safe to say there is no perfect system, whatever criteria is used to determine one's competitive age. The current system of lines drawn in five year increments certainly has its flaws, but so does every other arbitrary means of defining an athlete's competitive status. Some advocate that triathlon adopt a Category ranking similar to that used in cycling, but if you look hard enough at it, even that has its foibles. Our advice? Hey Lew, ease up on the caffeine....

Nov 29 Several emails have found their way SBR inbox seeking dates for 2006 races. The SBR regional multisport calendar will be updated as the dates for next years events are announced. As a rule, most events tend to fall within the same approximate weekend each year, but we will wait until official word is released before we post anything.... Iron Girl is an organization designed to encourage women to enjoy a healthy, balanced and active lifestyle. They provide programs, events and website to promulgate their cause. Last year, the organization's race involvement chiefly centered on 5k run / walk events. This year will see the inclusion of two women's triathlons. 2006 will see the organization promoting two women's triathlons. The Iron Girl Texas on July 23 and Iron Girl Columbia (Maryland) on August 27 will welcome seasoned and beginner triathletes to their top-notch events for women which will emphasize the health, wellness, camaraderie, fun, and social aspects of participation, along with the competitive side. web....

Nov 28 Ghisallo Sports has recently added a user friendly, interactive race calendar to their website. Race directors and athletes alike can quickly and easily add their event to the listing.... he Gateway Council of Hosteling International USA recently named Nick Lyter as its new Program Manager. The Pennsylvania native has been beguiled by the Gateway City and is excited about taking this organization to the next level, but your help is needed. Volunteer opportunities exist as activity leaders for bike rides, canoe trips, and hikes. For details on how you can contribute to the metro area's fitness community in a fun way, call the council office at 314.644.4660 or send Nick an e-mail.... Each year the Great River Road Run continues to draw huge fields. The 2005 edition was no different as it brought 845 runners to the finish line. The 10-miler is a scenic out and back jaunt along the Mississippi River from north Alton. In the race, Zac Freudenburg push the front of the lead pack and maintained a 5:10 pace to take the men's division in 51:43, nearly four minutes better than his closest competitor. Kirk Nesbit (56:00) and Ben Bocher (56:55) rounded out the top. By virtue of her consistent performances, Colleen Casey has become a familiar name among local area women runners. Her 1:03:43 was good enough for a win in a comfortable one minute cushion over the Conley sisters, second place finisher Maureen (1:04:55) and third place winner Maggie (1:06:22).... The Chesterfield Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning drew a truly remarkable total of 1566 runners. The 5k race didn't take long for eventual winner, Christian Terry (15:47), who was probably a half-mile down the road before some of the massive field managed to cross the starting line. Todd Moenster (16:38) and Vic Halamicek (16:43) finished strongly in a closely contested battle for 2nd place. The women's division saw twenty-two year old Kristen Hoogheem, who calls Chesterfield home, take the crown with a very fine 18:49 effort. Whitney Kerth of Perryille, Arkansas was close behind, finishing second in 18:57. A holiday homecoming for elite triathlete Sunny Gilbert saw her descend from altitude in Boulder, Colorado to take third in 19:15....

Nov 23 Construction is planned for a seven-mile long, ten-foot wide, asphalt hiking and biking path that will stretch from the Lindell Pavilion in Forest Park to Romona Lake Park near the UMSL campus. For sure this will be a diverse ride as it juxtaposes stretches of urban blight with thriving middle class neighborhoods. The St Vincent Greenway, as it will be called, will be funded by a voter-approved one-tenth of one cent sales tax that earns $10 million per year for the Great River Greenway District . More on this organization, and how they are making their remarkable vision for the St Louis metro become a reality, can be found on their website.... The USA Triathlon Grand Prix Series schedules were just released and Metro St Louis multisport athletes will have to put on their traveling shoes to participate in any of the events. The popular and well-run Quad Cities Triathlon looks to be as proximate as it gets. On the other hand, the Youth Series will include the Longview Triathlon which is staged across-state in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Each series will feed entrants to their respective National Championship race. Each event will qualify the top 33% or the top-five finishers per age-group (whichever is easier to fill) for AG Nationals. Aside from these specially designated events, any USAT sanctioned non-championship event will qualify the top 10% or top finisher (whichever is easier to fill). Previous Team USA member automatically qualify for Age Group Nationals by virtue of their former team status... Little did SBR know Tuesday when we encouraged readers to pick up their copy of Point to Point Cycling News that it would be discontinued. In light of our ironic posting, it saddened us to learn that publishing brethren Scott Rendall's magazine became a start-up statistic and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors. This situation serves as an abject reminder of the high attrition rate suffered by new publications and the need to re-double our own efforts to ensure SBRStL Magazine's survival....

Nov 22 "You've got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?" Dirty Harry succinctly posed that question on the big screen back in 1971, but if you're feeling lucky these days the time may be right to enter the Land Rover Ultimate Triathlon Sweepstakes. Some very fortunate individual will win a complete package of top of the line gear from: Cervelo, Zipp, Orca, Mizuno, Speedplay, Hammer Nutrition, Polar and TYR. website.... Website and SBR Magazine sponsor Ghisallo Sports has taken a noticeable step forward with the development of their racing team. Now twenty-two members strong, their distinctive yellow singlets are consistently seen gracing the fields of events from 5k's to triathlons. While SBR supports and promotes all area athletes and teams, we want to wish the guys and gals in yellow the best of luck in 2006. They bring a very positive and competitive energy to the metro training and racing community. website.... The St Louis Triathlon Club is making solid strides with membership now nearing one-hundred. Created in 2001, the club looks for its most productive year yet in 2006. Newly elected club president, John Beyer, brings a fresh vision and enthusiasm to the organization that will see it more involved in the multisport scene next season than simply as race participants. Several projects are in the works that should succeed in taking the club to the next level. Monthly meetings, group training sessions, member perks, and an active message board are but a few aspects of the club. The team's unique red and black jersey heavily populates area triathlons. website.... Site Sponsor, Maplewood Bicycle, has posted some attractive specials on their website. An assortment of Merlin, Trek, and Lemond bikes are discounted for clearance. Of particular note are the Zipp tubular wheel sets. The 909's are a favorite among many top age-groupers and pros triathletes. website.... SBR Radio has been on hiatus. Our huge audio files that were available for download made SBR a bit of a bandwidth hog and primarily responsible for slowing a forty site network to a creepy crawl. So, before we continue with the podcasts, we need to a remedy this situation. The obvious solution is to upload smaller files which also means much shorter interviews. We'll continue to wrestle with this issue....

Nov 19 In a continuing effort to transform their entire road system into a network of smooth rolling pavement, the city of Wildwood recently resurfaced Glencoe Road through Rockwood Reservations. That stretch of road from Old Manchester, past the gate near top of the park, and all the way down to Hwy 109 absolutely screams now. In 2005, the City of Wildwood underwent its 5th of a 6-year plan for resurfacing all City-maintained asphalt roads. Many of their asphalt roads are rural in nature and the City intends to maintain that unique character. Several of the roads are narrow and will be widened to a minimum width of 18 feet where possible. The coup de gras should take place in 2006 when Wildhorse Creek Road receives its facelift. Cyclists rejoice.... We have already reported on another cycling-relevant paving project but it bears repeating. The nasty portion of Clayton Road between Baxter and Clarkson will be reworked in a $15 million project scheduled to start in the spring of 2006 with completion slated for winter of 2007. PDF of construction phases.... Bicycling.com posted a humorous article offering a unique solution for temporarily repair of a broken bicycle frame. This technique may successfully return you and your steed to the car, or all the way back home, assuming of course that you survived the fall in one piece. Check out this freerider's mindset at the end of the ride. article.... It seems that controversy has sprung from this year's running of the Marine Corps Marathon. Organizers have banned a Toronto charity running group from next year's race, calling their shortcut "a clear violation" of race rules. The director of the U.S. Marine Corps Marathon was quoted as saying "that the integrity of the sport was damaged" after JeansMarines founder Jean Marmoreo helped some of her slower participants to the finish line by shaving four miles off the course. Toronto Star story.... Marathon Guide.com....

Nov 18 China, known in economic circles for decades as the sleeping giant, would not be awakened by the cha-ching of the Ironman franchise cash register. The World Triathlon Corporation (aka: Ironman) cited that the Chinese government will not grant the permits necessary to stage their event thereby forcing the postponement of Ironman China until 2007. That's the company line and the WTC offered no further elaboration in their press release. In an article posted yesterday on Duathlon.com, Eric Schwarz, suggested that the permit denial may stem from the secession of WTC from the USAT/ITU camp. The ITU member nations had passed a resolution back in September to no longer sanction Ironman races. China is just one of 120 countries who have positioned themselves against the WTC. While this is pure conjecture on his part and he offered no evidence to support the theory, it does make sense. The cancellation/postponement is a remarkable twist in this battle between the alliance of sanctioning organizations and the autonomy-seeking WTC. The inscrutable nation's loss will no doubt become another country's gain, if within the relatively short window of time, an April replacement event can be created elsewhere in a politically cooperative environment. Ironman Antarctica will no doubt be wetsuit legal....

Nov 17 Last night's seminar /club business/ informational meeting for the St Louis Triathlon Club drew a full room as more than one-hundred individuals attended. As part of its many functions, the gathering served as a mini-forum for Mark Livesay who released selected details of his 2006 Ultramax Events season to an avid audience. Among all of the good news was great news that Halfmax, which has been melded with the US Half Triathlon Championship as well as now annointed the USAT Long Course Triathon Championship, will remain at Innsbrook Resort. Many local triathletes had feared that the event would be staged in Smithville. Also made official was the fact that the Lake St Louis Triathlon will utilize online registration for its 2006 Labor Day weekend event. This is primarily a labor saving move for the city of LSL who had previously performed the task by hand. But one potential consequence of this new efficiency may well be that the event will sell out even faster in 2006. So... be sure to get your entry in super early if you want to be a part of the race....

Nov 16 There is a great article posted on Lennard Zinn on Velonews. It is his first hand account of the Gran Fondo Campagnolo. A Gran Fondo is a massive group ride in which everyone wears a timing chip. So it is in essence a race. These wildly popular and very challenging rides take place most weekends in Italy. They often enjoy routes closes to vehicular traffic and draw starting fields that can number in the thousands.... The ITU website has posted their Tricast highlights video of this past weekend's New Plymouth World Cup . They also made available the complete Tricast finish line footage from the ITU Age-Group World Championship Triathlon that took place last month in Honolulu. web....

Nov 15 The Adventure Racing World Championship is currently underway in Europe. The rugged southern Alps are home to this 400km, 6-day, nonstop race that incorporates mountain biking, sea and river kayaking, mountain running, orienteering, rafting, tubing, caving, rope skills, and abseiling (rappelling). Coed teams of four are allowed a 2-3 member support crew as they compete for the $100,000 (NZ) first prize. Of the three US teams on the course, Nike Balance Bar is best placed in 12th position. Interestingly, that squad holds team member Michael Tobin, who followed up a successful career as pro duathlete with this new passion. The team is headed by Ian Adamson who is arguably the most accomplished adventure racer on the planet. Check out the race central.... When triathlon legend Dave Scott is quoted as saying that the Silverman Triathlon bike course was the hardest he's ever done in 25 years of iron-distance racing, that speaks volumes. Inside Triathlon's, Jeff Henderson, posted his fascinating take on the event which was billed as the most grueling iron-distance race in the world. With one person making it to the finish line before dark, it may well be. race site.... The San Francisco Grand Prix has found itself on tenuous ground for 2006 as the city of San Fran openly questions the fiscal wisdom of sponsoring the 108-mile one-day event. With 500,000 spectators looking on, the race requires a massive crowd control effort. Officials maintain that the city absorbed the $183,000 cost of providing police support in an era where most events must fund their own police costs. The questions that beg to be asked are how many officers were recruited to work that day and at what pay scale? Of course, they should be compensated and not be asked to donate their time. Without all the facts at our disposal, maybe it just sounds like a lot of money.... If you are an annual USAT member, then earlier this season you had an opportunity to provide input for the Competitive Rules Summit scheduled to take place on Jan. 16 in Colorado Springs. Your suggestions for changes in the age grouper's rule book will be evaluated. In essence, this is an effort to simplify and make consistent rules that can vary across four organizations: USAT, ITU, Xterra, and WTC. story....

Nov 14 Saturday's ITU webcast of the New Plymouth World Cup Triathlon provided viewers around the world with awesome live video. Motorcycle and helicopter cameras fed spectacular shots of the racers as well as the beautiful New Zealand coastline. St Louis native and ITU pro, Sarah Haskins found herself in what was easily the most competitive triathlon of her life. Racing in a totally world-class field with the likes of Vanessa Fernandes, Annabel Luxford, Emma Snowsill, Anja Dittmer, Barb Lindquist, and many others, Sarah was determined to snare a top-ten finish. The potential rewards could be great - double ITU points, a share of the absolutely huge prize purse, and the satisfaction of knowing she could compete at the absolute top of the sport. Sarah emerged from the 1500m swim (20:04) with the leaders then proceeded to ride with the lead pack of eleven through the 40k bike (1:08:35). They maintained their advantage over the chase pack to T2 and got out on the run with over a minute lead. Sarah found herself in the middle of the lead group, most of whom were capable of laying down a 34 to 36 minute 10k off the bike. Entering T2, the second group contained Vendula Frintova (35:47) and Michelle Dillon (36:12), both of whom managed to bridge the gap with remarkable 10k runs. Out front, Vanessa Fernandes showed incredible running form (34:17) as she went on to win her 7th world cup race in a row in 2:04:51. Meanwhile, Sarah was battling to maintain a top-ten position and she did exactly that as she finished 10th by gutting out the 10k in 38:27. Huge congratulations to her on a fantastic 2005 season and by finishing it in brilliant style. Complete results....

Bicycling Magazine has made a significant bid to gain exposure while promoting the sport of cycling as the exclusive media partner with the newly formed United Pro Cycling Team. A three-year sponsorship agreement extends from 2006 through the 2008 seasons. The magazine will utilize customary logo placement on the team kit and be granted inside access to team members for stories and articles to share through its publication. It's good to see the momentum for mainstream interest in the sport of cycling, rekindled in large part by Lance Armstrong, now being carried forward by others. story....

Last Wednesday found Nancy Lieberman and Ben Rosario discussing marathoning on local NPR affiliate KWMU. St Louis On the Air featured the president of the Spirit of St Louis Marathon and her manager of special events in a 60-minute chat with host (and marathoner-in-training) Tom Weber. Nancy has taken the reins of the local signature event to new heights and Ben knows a little something about running 26.2 miles having placed 2nd in the men's 2005 U.S. Marathon Championship (2:20:43) this past October. Both focused the discussion on generalized and practical advice for anyone interested in going the distance. Listen to the broadcast saved in Windows Media Audio....

Nov 11 SBR is afflicted with an overactive imagination and as a result we wondered the following: What would the race have been called had Marvel Comics disallowed use of the term Ironman? Their Iron Man (1963) comic book super hero predates the first race by well over a decade. In what is now perhaps a flashpoint in both trademark and triathlon history, it required nearly a decade of negotiation before Marvel Comics allowed the World Triathlon Corporation to market the word Ironman without Triathlon tied to it. Further, what corporate logo would have represented the company had Mistral Sailboards (1976) vetoed the use of the now iconic m-dot? What's interesting in all of this conjecture is that the real legal status (monetary agreements) of these trademarks is enveloped in a well-guarded, legal-backroom secrecy and sealed with nondisclosure agreements. A quick Google search netted an interesting albeit exhaustive article posted by Dan Emptfield in 2001 on SlowTwitch.com.... SBR thanx to site sponsor Show Me Cables for passing along some website search optimization tips to help us and to benefit all of our sponsors. A mind blowing reality was revealed to us when we Googled using the search terms: swim bike run. Holy triathlon! With two-million results listed, our page rank came up number four. The pecking order was: a Melbourne triathlon shop ranked first, a British tri shop ranked second, and some insignificant company called amazon.com ranked third.... Our calendar of recurring weekly events has been moved to another page. That was done to speed up load time for our home page and provide more room for text. We're not certain how much the calendar was actually utilized as a resource by readers anyway, but it will remain as current as we can reasonably hope keep it. A link to that page will be inserted in the drop down menu and/or elsewhere on this page. If you have strong feelings one way or another about all of this, please let us know....

Nov 10 Momentum Cycles is excited to announce the December opening of it's third store. It will be located in the Historic District of old town St. Charles at 104 S Main Street at the intersection of Jefferson. website.... Ultramax Events released its November update and several new concepts merit mentioning. Among news items are separate Quartermax race days for each gender, the Octomax Triathlon and the Big Dawg Duathlon. Also, for 2006 the Lake St Louis Triathlon will comprise a part of the Ultramax Championship Series. Lastly, the date and venue information for the USA Triathlon Halfmax National Championship will be forthcoming....

Nov 9 Site sponsor Rudy Project is taking performance eyewear to the next level with their impactx lens technology. Designed to be virtually unbreakable, guaranteed for life, and incorporating light polarization properties, they are simply the bomb. Check out product details or view a very cool, two-minute promotional video.... Another entertaining short video opens on the homepage of the Red Bull Road Rage, a downhill bike race which took place on some very gnarly roads in Malibu, California.... If a couple thousand yards in the pool has at times seemed like a hundred miles, you can take heart in the fact that ultramarathon swimmer Martin Strel shares your pain, and then some. This Slovenian superman managed to swim the length of the Mississippi River, 2360 miles in 68 days. While the downstream current assisted at a rate of one-mile per hour, Strel still maintained 20,000 strokes per day. Read about the amazing hardships he endured to accomplish this feat in this article.... Another cyclist shockingly (or perhaps not so shockingly anymore) bites the EPO dust. Roberto Heras was released by the Liberty Seguras cycling team after his drug test administered during stage-20 of the Vuelta came back positive.... The Missouri Bicycle Federation will hold its fall membership and board meeting in Kansas City this Sunday, November 13. The Whole Foods Market in Overland Park will host the event from 10am until 4pm. For more information you may email director@mobikefed.org.... One team from the area (Fenton) will compete in this weekend's USARA sanctioned Urban Adventure Race down in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Good luck.... It seemed that many Iron-distance triathletes merely blinked to miss out registering for the 2006 Ironman Florida which filled in just three hours last Saturday....

Nov 7 Local television station KSDK aired a feature on their Sunday night Sports Plus about Triad High School runner, Jeff Schirmer. His coach and local elite triathlete, Andy Brendel, also received a little air time when interviewed about his star athlete. Readers may recall the Belleville News-Democrat article that we linked to in a previous update. This is a real life story that we hope only continues amaze and inspire us.... Each year the New York City Marathon draws a host of runners from the St Louis area as well as from across the state. Nearly one-hundred Missourians made the trip this year to go long on that historic marathon course through the Big Apple. Brian McMillan of Kansas City represented the Show Me State best with his outstanding 2:22:33. Best local finish went to Zach Blume of St Louis who churned out a very nice 2:49:11. It was very impressive work by both runners. It also came as no surprise that Colleen Casey was the fastest local lady. She just missed ducking under the three-hour barrier with her strong 3:05:32 performance. Kudos to all making the finish line.... Congratulations to Ed Breda of Edwardsville as he has qualified for the 2006 Ironman World Championships with a stellar performance in IM Florida. His sub ten-hour effort (9:56:56) placed him 6th out of 219 entrants in the M45-49. Way to go. Also, nice effort by Doug Burns who just missed in the M55-59. His 5th place finish in a bracket of 64 racers fell just short in his bid for a Kona slot. Great work by everyone who completed the 140.6 miles. Edgar Breda 9:56:56, Keith Owens 10:36:32, Paul Schon 11:40:24, Doug Burns 11:42:11, John Lofton 12:11:54, Steve Ryan 12:49:43, John Efenroth 15:18:45, Bill Borom 15:47:12, John Dossenbach 16:23:24....

Nov 4 Stop number two on the 2005 Iron Kids Triathlon national tour coincides with IM Florida as it also takes place in Panama City Beach this weekend. The kids can watch mom or dad on Saturday, then the table get turned on Sunday.... Two cyclist were injured in separate incidents near Webster University. Jessica Meyer, a student at the school, was struck by a negligent driver in an intersection on Big Bend and suffered a broken right fibula. Richard Mueller, a university employee and 20 year bicycle commuter, collided with a van which had passed him and then suddenly turned right just in front of him. Mueller suffered neck and lower back injuries. Mueller contends he was treated condescendingly by university officials who agreed to pay the $80 necessary to repair his bicycle. With tuition, room, and board for one year at $25,210 and an annual endowment of $40.9 million, the bike repair bill shouldn't put a dent in their budget.... Look for NBC to air its annual highlights package of the Race Across America sometime in January. The exact date has yet to be released. In the meantime, get set to watch the network's Emmy winning coverage of the Ironman World Championship, a week from tomorrow, on November 12.... Speaking of RAAM, mountain bike legend Tinker Juarez has indicated that, provided he find sufficient sponsorship, he will race in the solo division of the 2006 Race Across America. Juarez is a seven-time 24 hour champion, but the nonstop race from San Diego to Atlantic City is a beast of a far different stripe.... The Trailnet website recently added an interactive Trails & Bikeways map to its online resources....

Nov 3 The Soma Triathlon down in Tempe, Arizona drew three local athletes to its warm southwest weather. David Ware of St Louis closed out his 2005 season with the Half-Ironman race, finishing in 5:01:26, 87th OA, 4/40 M45-49. The event offered a 1/4 Iron distance which was completed by Adam Breeze of St Louis in 3:15:49, 172nd, 13/22 Clyde and Tammi Miller of Clayton in 3:41:13, 243rd, 10/16 Athena.... The USAT released details for the 2006 Long Course Duathlon National Championships. They will be staged on April 23 in Grand Prairie, Texas. The format will be a 8k run- 61k bike- 8k run. This event will serve as the principal qualifier for ITU Long Course Duathlon World Age Group Championship on May 28, 2006 in Fredericia, Denmark.... Cycling fans in the US will be treated to ESPN 2's daily coverage of the Amgen Tour of California slated for February 19-26, 2006. This 700 mile, 8-day stage race will feature 16 professional cycling teams including world-class organizations like Discovery, Phonak, Gerosteiner, T-Mobile, and Davitamon-Lotto. website....

Nov 1 The US National Cyclo-cross Championships are set for Dec 9-11 in Providence, Rhode Island. With race promoters expecting more than 1400 racers for the three-day event, it is clearly tangible evidence of the growing popularity of the sport. website.... This triathlon commercial on Belgian TV is good for a laugh.... Cycling Phrase Interpreter: 1. "I'm out of shape" - Translation: "I ride 400 miles a week and haven't missed a day since the Ford administration. I replace my 11-tooth cog more often than you wash your shorts. My body fat percentage is lower than your mortgage rate. 2. "I'm not into competition. I'm just riding to stay in shape" - Translation: "I will attack until you collapse in the gutter, babbling and whimpering. I will win the line sprint if I have to force you into oncoming traffic. I will crest this hill first if I have to grab your seat post, and spray energy drink in your eyes." 3. "I'm on my beater bike" - Translation: "I had this baby custom-made in Tuscany using Titanium blessed by the Pope. I took it to a wind tunnel and it disappeared. It weighs less than a fart and costs more than a divorce." 4. "This is a no-drop ride" - Translation: "I'll need an article of your clothing for the search-and-rescue dogs." 5."It's not that hilly" - Translation: "This climb lasts longer than a presidential campaign. Be careful on the steep sections or you'll fall over - backwards..... You have a 39x23 low gear? Here's the name of my knee surgeon."....

Oct 31 The Chain of Rocks Bridge has been transformed from a hangout where teenage miscreants went to get lit, to a pedestrian and bicycle bridge now being lit up. While entry gates to the ex- Route 66 span are closed each sundown, the bridge is currently capable of providing a unique venue for evening activities under a recently installed, $600,000, high-tech, LED lighting system. 2006 should find a number of groups eagerly taking advantage of this unusual setting for get-togethers on warm summer nights. For more information, contact Gateway Trailnet at 314.874.8556.... The Touring Cyclist will offer a series of Basic and Intermediate Repair Classes beginning November 5 and running through the month. Bring your own bike or use theirs, but make reservations by calling 314.739.5180 Cost is $20 and all classes held at the Bridgeton location. Link for complete Information.... Product convergence is an inevitable result of rapidly advancing technology. The company that eventually hits on all functionality cylinders will reap huge rewards. The Mio 269 has married GPS capability to the ubiquitous mp3 player in a unit retailing for $800....

Oct 30 Yesterday's running of the Gumbo Flats Pumpkin Run 10k was met with a clear and cool start as 344 runners awaited the gun. Jerry Huber (33:34) of St Charles and Mairi Burfoot of Ballwin (41:28) were the overall winners. The simultaneously staged 5k run saw Lucas Roethlisberger haling from parts unknown (17:05) and Kelly Kovac (20:58) of St Louis take the wins in a field of 468. Finishing 23rd and 24th overall in the 5k, 14 yr old Brad Moffitt (22:02) outsprinted 12 yr old Alex Bremer (22:07)) at the line.... Last night's installment of Saturday Night Live featured Lance Armstrong and Sheryl Crow. To painfully sum up LA's performance, it's not about the comedy. While Juanita Cuervo's music was entertaining, the show wasted a wealth of comedic possibilities about the TDF, drug police, France, life after Le Tour, etc. by instead offering up mostly lame skits.... Metro area triathlete and high school cross country coach, Andy Brendel, sent us a very interesting Belleville News-Democrat article on one of his runners, Jeff Schirmer....

Oct 28 The 2006 Tour de France route was announced and the riders face changes. The world's biggest bicycle race will wind its way through France of course, but in 2006 it will also skirt five neighboring countries. Curiously, the spectacle of the team time trial was dropped. But the biggest route change for the peloton in 2006 is that the race will go around and not through Lance Armstrong.... Last weekend, the Denver VeloSwap took place in the 140,000 sq ft National Western Complex and drew an estimated 10,000 people. It has become the largest one-day consumer bike show and swap in the world. Word has yet to be released regarding the St Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's annual swap.... The St Louis Triathlon Club will hold its monthly meeting on Nov 16. This occasion will be marked by the attendance of Adam Zucco of Multisport Madness as well as Mark and Amy Livesay of Ultramax Events. Prospective members are invited to attend the event and see what the tri club is all about....

Oct 25 For those who took advantage of the Dartfish Running Analysis and the special rate offered, your wisdom is only exceeded by your running ability. NutriFormance will offer this program on an ongoing basis from their Chesterfield location by appointment at the regular fee of $55. To schedule your appointment, contact Dan Jasa at danjasa@yahoo.com....

Perspective - With my "job description" having changed more dramatically than even I could have imagined, so has my "commute" which now can be summed up in the twenty paces from bedroom to desk. When I last drove to work, it was still only a ten-minute motorized trip and one I occasionally made via running shoes or bicycle on Saturdays. The irony was that at the time I was a part of the automotive industry. In those days, the motivation for my motorless transit could be distilled down mostly to the training aspect of it, but to some degree environmental concerns as well, Since then, the financial stakes of driving have risen significantly, and with it, so has the general interest in carpooling, cycling, and mass transit. I've made it a point this summer to ride my bike as much as was practical in lieu of turning the key in my car. It was a function of both experiment and social statement. I can honestly tell you that it was done without a trace of self-righteousness. It just felt proper. The post office, bank, library, and grocery store employees may have been puzzled by my appearance at first, but soon grew accustomed to seeing me dressed in Lycra, a bead of sweat rolling down my temple. Many group rides found me riding out to them and then home from them- on occasion even pedaling as far as St. Peters, Lake St Louis, and Innsbrook from Clayton. The website sponsors and magazine advertisers more readily identified with my attitude when I paid them business visits. Frankly, it was easy, fun, and gratifying to do all of this. But the real challenge lies ahead and goes by the name of winter. I suppose it's then we'll see how deep the passion runs....

Oct 24 The Great Floridian Triathlon was staged over the weekend and it managed to dodge the wrath of Hurricane Wilma. Local athletes completing the 140.6 miles were 27- Craig Harrison 11:31:36, 54- Jeffrey Eddy 12:15:27, 98- Keith Owens 12:53:54, 184- Jennifer Bick 14:07:28. results. Nice work to all. Of that foursome, Keith Owens will do the Florida double as he heads back to the peninsula in just two weeks for Ironman Florida on November 5.... The ITU Cancun World Cup triathlon scheduled for October 30 has been postponed because of infrastructure damage inflicted by the hurricane. Road, electrical and water systems, the airport, hotels and more, have been seriously affected.... The Xterra World Championship was won by Nico Lebrun (2:38:19) and Melanie McQuaid (3:07:16). results.... SBR site sponsor, Javelin Cycles, may be shopping for another pro cycling team to sponsor. They provided framesets for the Ford-Basis Women's cycling team, but it was announced recently that the team will be disbanded....

Oct 23 A documentary entitled, Unfiltered, takes a look at the lives and rivalry of super-swimmers Michael Phelps and Ian Crocker. Link to view the trailer.... The next submission deadline for Balance Bar Grant money is March 15, 2006. This innovative program directly funds athletes in the pursuit of their dreams. All that stands between you and a check for up to $10,000, beside a few thousand other applicants, is a convincingly written five-hundred word essay detailing your worthiness. The program has provided nearly one-half million dollars in just the past four years. Website.... One week after completing the Ironman World Championship in 9:35:23 (2nd in AG), Joe Bonness won the Great Floridian Triathlon yesterday in Clermont, Florida with a time of 9:56:43. The fifty-year old Naples, Florida resident is also registered for Ironman Florida on November 5 which will make three ironman distance races in four weeks.... A few openings remain for the Total Immersion Swim Workshop offered in St. Louis on the weekend of November 19-20. Details available at the TI website.... The Judy Ride took place yesterday at the Center of Clayton and drew over 300 participants. The three-hour spinning experience was a fundraiser with proceeds benefiting the early detection of breast cancer. website....

Oct 22 Ultra-distance runner, Dean Karnazes, recently attempted to run 350 miles nonstop in an effort to raise money for a pediatric heart-transplant patient. He succeeded on both counts, finishing in 80 hours and 44 minutes and garnering more than $10,000 from sponsors for the cause. The combination of 90 degree day temperatures and sleep deprivation made his third night seem like a "psychotic, out-of-body experience," as he put it. To fuel his run, Karnazes consumed 40,000 calories and nine gallons of liquid. With an eventual goal of 500 nonstop miles ahead of him, don't bet against this human treadmill....

Oct 21 The countdown for tomorrow's Great Floridian Triathlon continues despite the looming threat of Hurricane Wilma. Computer models have determined that the storm will not impact the Clermont area over the weekend. Good luck to local athletes participating in the iron-distance, half, or sprint distance races.... Bicycling Magazine drew up a list of interesting and exotic, spelled e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e, bikes and components worthy of a look-see. Check out the goods.... When is a mountain bike not really a mountain bike, and what happens when a mountain-biking Illinois Supreme Court Justice bites it hard? He files suit against Giant and others alleging that his bicycle had a manufacturing and design defect that caused the brake coupling on his 2001 Giant Sedona to break and fail. The lawsuit issues twelve counts of negligence and product liability by Justice Thomas Kilbride who claims he suffered permanent injuries. Perhaps part of the problem could be that the Chinese manufactured 2005 Sedona sells for around $300 and may not be well-suited for hard-core off-road riding.... The subject of seriously sick mountain biking should include a mention of the Ozark Trail, construction of which, continues to roll forward. When the monumental task of linking all the sections is complete, the trail will offer riders a contiguous challenge of more than 300 miles through some of the most beautiful and toughest terrain Missouri can muster.... The ITU website has taken the conventional finish-line photo one step further by adding Tricast to their site. This allows Age Group World Championship competitors to watch video of themselves crossing the finish line. Also worth mentioning is the ITU webcast of the 2005 ITU Cancun World Cup. Local pro, Sarah Haskins, will follow up her LA Triathlon win with this October 30th event.... Perhaps the toughest duathlon in the country takes place this weekend some ninety miles north of New York City. The American Zofingen will serve as the Team USA qualifying event for ITU Duathlon Long Course Worlds in Denmark on May 28, 2006. The event's title borrows from Powerman Zofingen, the ultra distance Swiss duathlon. The American version will ask racers to perform a 10k trail run, 150k road bike, and a 30k trail run over a course replete with "very demanding hills." With just 28 registrants in the fold, race officials have recently added a short course race to the menu....

Oct 20 How tough is pro triathlete Lisa Bentley? At the Ironman World Championships, she made it to mile ten of the marathon with an appendix that had ruptured several days earlier.... USA Triathlon announced the post-ITU worlds official roster of Team USA. Congratulations to Mark Gowler, Jennifer Meyer, and Bob Patterson for qualifying. All three athletes will automatically qualify for future National Age Group Championships.... Rutger Beke is suing the World Anti-Doping Agency and two drug labs for nearly a quarter of a million dollars after his suspension for suspected EPO use was reversed.... Sports Enhancement Group has been named the official training and rehabilitation site for the St Louis Steamers soccer team.... Chris Arnold offers SBR readers a peak at some great Ironman World Championship images....

Oct 19 Lance Armstrong's War - The weeks turned to months as my book request at the library aged, or as I had begun to believe, got lost in the shuffle. When the confirmation email finally hit my inbox, I couldn't wait to inhale Daniel Coyle's inside look at Lance and the Discovery Team- and we're talking about a guy (me) who read It's Not About the Bike in one sitting at Border's the day it came out. The author is a two-time National Magazine Award finalist with no apparent agenda to either debunk the Lance myth or confirm it. His account of the 2004 season through spring and Tour de France offers readers a glimpse of the many-faceted face of pro cycling at its highest level. But as the book's subheading indicates, it also provides an objective view of the many battles LA fights both on and off the bike- against fate, fame, love, death, scandal, and his road rivals. It's all there- the drug allegations, team dynamics, race drama, the hectic lifestyle, and of course, "Juanita Cuervo." Whether you're simply a cycling aficionado or Lance-fan, this is definitely a book worth adding to your fall/winter reading list.... Listen to an interview with author, Daniel Coyle, broadcast on NPR just before the start of the 2005 TDF....

Oct 18 The St Louis Louis Track is seeking new quarters near Forest Park. A mere 500 sq ft ground floor space is needed to house the organization. If you can help place them in new digs, please call 314.781.3926.... The popular SLTC Marathon Relay is scheduled for December 4. Entry forms are available in PDF.... St Louis Triathlon Club head Brad Culbertson is heading to sunny California to take on a position with Garmin, the Global Positioning System technology company. Good luck.... Runners looking forward to the Fleet Feet sponsored Thursday night winter tempo runs will have to wait. Increased vehicle traffic has compromised participant safety for the evening series which is now on hold until a suitable alternative route can be determined.... The Xterra World Championship takes place on Sunday in the lush tropical paradise of Maui, Hawaii. While no webcast is scheduled, CBS will televise the event at 11am Central on February 5th, (Super Bowl Sunday).... Mountain bikers will head north for the hugely popular Iceman Challenge on November 5th. With over $23,000 cash and $10,000 merchandise on the line, more than 2000 racers will take part in this incredible 27-mile point to point race. website....

Oct 16 Congratulations to the local foursome who participated in the 2005 Ironman World Championship with style yesterday. Rick Mann (pictured at left) hit the line in 9:42:44, Beat Bartlome came through in 10:11:55, Tom Jackson finished in 10:37:57, and Bev Ofsthun completed her race in 12:39:52. Very nice work by all.... Weather conditions offered racers a twist. While the winds were minimal, the day was virtually clouldless which provided racers with no relief from the very hot sun for nearly the entire day.... Overall winners were Faris al Sutan (8:14:17) and Natascha Baddmann (9:09:30). Of particular interest was Baddmann's bike. Her Cheetah is radical enough in its own right but her set-up included bars with only the aero extensions, no drops or brake hoods. Also, her wheel quick releases were replaced by allen bolts, and an internally routed drinking system led back to the seat-mounted bottles.... Torbjorn Sindballe set a course record with his 4:21:35 bike split, an amazing average of 25.69 mph for the 112 mile ride.... Oct 15 The US Chamber of Commerce reports that more bicycles than cars have been sold in the United States over the past 12 months. Bike sales are near an all-time high with 19 milllion units sold last year which neared the level of the early 1970's when 20 million were sold as a result of the oil industry embargo. Rising gas prices, health issues, environmental concerns, the Lance Factor, and the Federal Government's allocation of funds for trail networks have all played key roles in what is seen by some as a paradigm shift....

Oct 14 Local cyclists head for Indiana this weekend to take part in the Hilly Hundred bike ride. The name alone makes it sound like a blast.... The prognosticators are having a bit of fun sorting through the field of tomorrow's Ironman World Championship. Of course anything can happen on race day, but here's the company line. Until someone in the women's pro division can ride with Natasha, it is her race to lose regardless of her advancing age.. As for the men, while capable threats to Stadler's reign abound, we look for one of the closest races in years with Peter Reid outrunning the field for win number four.... SBR's site sponsors are a carefully considered lot. Given our own obsessiveness with the site, we strive to align ourselves strictly with companies we feel deliver the goods. And as you have seen in the past, we've not hesitated to cut loose those who don't maintain the standard. Every banner ad inserted on this homepage represents a manufacturer or retailer with whom we are proud to associate the website and a company we confidently recommend. We encourage our readers to support the businesses that subsidize not only our website and magazine, but the sports we love....

Oct 12 Elite multisport athlete, Andrea Ratkovich, was the victim of a random drive-by shooting by teenagers wielding a pellet gun. The incident took place in her home town of Norman, Oklamoma.... The 2005 IronKids Triathlon Series makes a pass through the sun belt beginning Sunday, October 23. The city of Atlanta, Georgia is stop one in the abbreviated six-city tour. details.... The recently completed Chicago Marathon drew a large number of local runners to the shore of Lake Michigan. The next high profile race on the US marathon calendar is the New York City Marathon. On November 6, nearly one-hundred metro St Louis runners will be in the Big Apple to take part in the 26.2 miler that runs past two-million spectators, over five bridges, through the five buroughs, and finishes in Central Park....

Oct 11 The 2005 Missouri Regional Triathlon Series crossed its own finish line as the season-long circuit came to an end at the Rec Plex on Sunday. Fifteen events spread out from April to October can make for a long grind, but hopefully the series kept everyone in the St Louis metro motivated thru their training weeks and eager for the weekends. Year three in the series brought expansion and a necessary name change as we reached out to Cape Girardeau, Kirksville, and Columbia. As for issues, we had a few. Namely, events offering both age-group and elite races, the inevitable age-ups of athletes to new brackets, and some behind the scenes record keeping problems cause by changing computers and software midseason. Reflecting on 2005, we'll take our lessons learned forward to next year and further refine the series. Congratulations to those who captured a bracket and nice work to each and every individual who competed at the events.... The complete and final series standings will be available in PDF format with Wednesday's update. Any appeals, suggestions, comments, or criticisms should be directed to our customer relations department headed by Tony Soprano.... A link to the SBR Magazine page is located in the drop down menu. It includes distribution sites, or subscription info for those who live outside the area.... We may have closed the books on the 2005 MRTS, but triathlon is very much alive in the South Pacific. After last weekend's domination by Team USA at the ITU World Age Group Championships in Honolulu, the action island-hops from Oahu to the Kona Coast on Hawaii for the Ironman World Championship. Best of luck to Tom Jackson, Rick Mann, Beat Bartlome and Bev Ofsthun as they take on the lava fields & Ho'o Mumuku Winds. SBR point man, Chris Arnold, is winging his way westward and should have his usual fine fare of race day images to share with us on the website....

Overall	Shawn O'Neal	Kristin Moore
19 & Under	Brett Heuring	Sarah Johnson
20-24	Robert Johnson	Nikki Reed
25-29	Brian Schoenholz	Mary Sundy
30-34	Ryan Roth	Katie Reboulet
35-39	Tim Battles	Tambra Galarnyk
40-44	Rodney Adkison	Helen Alexander-Kratz
45-49	Curtis Brooks	Rebecca Gillum
50-54