Steamboat and Chicago Accenture

Photos: I know I'm reaching here but Fish Creek Falls in Steam Boat and The Chicago Skyline.

Another busy weekend of racing for Mile High Multisport athletes. Before I get into the race results, MHM athlete Daniel Madruga was involved in a pretty serious bike accident today during a criterium race (I'm officially going on record as saying I hate skiing and crit races for my athletes!!. He is in Littleton Adventist hospital with a fractured collar bone, radial head, contusion to his head and a punctured lung. I spoke with his wife Marci earlier tonight and she said he will be in the hospital at least 48 hours. Our thoughts are with both Daniel and Marci at this time.

Jeremy Anderson, Oak Park Il. smoked the Chicago Accenture course today in a time of 2:07.24. He took 2nd in his age group and 7th over all. Next up for Jeremy is Nationals.

David Reed, Susie Wargin and Susan Brashear head to Steam Boat for the sprint race. David Reed, 1:41.25 found the podium with a 2nd place age group finish. Susie Wargin shaved 11 minutes off of last years time with a 1:58.13 (6th place age group) and Susan Brashear posted a 2:24.16 time and reported she had "a blast".

All results are posted on the MHM results page.

It's been a STRANGE race season

Top Photographs are Ross at IMLP 2008. bottom photos are Jeff Liedy Rattlesnake Olmpic

It's been a strange year for racing. As I sat in a lightening/driving rain storm on Saturday at the Rattlesnake Olympic race I reflected on this season. Susan Brahsear is 400 yards into the Swim around Lady Liberty and the race is cancelled due to weather. Doug Beeman and team Iron Fish are half way across the Long Island Sound when they are pulled from the race due to weather. Mike Sammons, Brian Henden, Mike Ceismier have the Steelhead Half swim cancelled and turned into a duathlon becuase of weather. Ross Hauser completes Ironman Lake Placid in a driving rain storm (think Ironman Wisconsin 2005). Saturdays Rattlesnake is cancelled in the middle of the bike as lightening started to pelt the area. Jeff Liedy, Marci and Daniel Madruga, Kelli Binzer all told the race was over while they were on the bike and had to ride into a transition area which looked like a swollen river bed. Kathy commented to me on Saturday night that in 26 years of racing and averaging 10 races a year she has NEVER had a race cancelled or cut short due to weather. In adverse times, each of you has persevered and accepted the outcome of the day. It is a true testament to the mental strength you bring to racing. Each of you should be proud...I know I am.

Despite the weather of Saturday, some MHM athletes did manage to complete some races around the country and locally on Sunday.

Ross Hauser started us off on Saturday by taking 10th in his age group at the Twin Rivers Olympic Distance triathlon. Ross posted a Personal Best of 2:32.32.

Eric Platenberg, a few weeks out from Ironman Wisconsin completed the Pig Man Half in a time of 5:58.18 AND THEN PROCEEDED TO SCORE A SET OF ZIPP 808's IN THE RAFFLE!!

Locally, Coach Kathy, Julia Ross, Kevin Stoddard and Marci Madruga raced the Rattlesnake Sprint. Coach Kathy was the overall female winner (score one for the over 45 crowd!!). Julia won her age group and was 9th overall. Marci dried off from Saturdays down pour to take 5th in her age group. Kevin Stoddard took 2nd in his age group.

All times and results can be found on the Mile High Multisport web page.

Photographs from 5430 long course/Mash- Splash and Dash

Weekend Review:

What a busy weekend for MHM coaches and athletes. After manning an aide station on Saturday (Thank you Mike Nims, Steve Uccello and the Alfino children) for 4.5 hours then standing on my feet at the long course on Sunday I'm exhausted and I didn't even race!!!

MAD SPLASH AND DASH:

The weekend began with Coach Kathy, Leslie Lobojko and Jeff Liedy taking part in the home town race, Mash-Splash and Dash. Jeff's daughter Savanna also took place in the youth event and her finish line photo above tells me we have a future star in the making!!! Once again MHM was well represented with both Kathy and Leslie taking 1st place age group finishes while placing 3rd and 4th overall. Jeff took another 4th place finish, by seconds, and at last report, his wife has removed all sharp objects from the home. Next week he graduates to his first Olympic Race and open water swim.

5430 LONG COURSE:

What a day for racing in Boulder!! With over cast skies for most of the day and temperatures in the mid 70's the day had Personal Record or as Susie's husband educated me on yesterday Personal Best (Personally I think it has something to do with his last name being Best and nothing else but I digress). Mile High was represented by Steve Uccello, Susie Wargin (1st half), Clay Taulman,, Susan Johnson (1st half), Cody Hanson (HUGE PR yesterday!!), Courtney Ring, Dawn Leget (1st half) and Barb Esses (1st half). Some food and beverage was consumed post race in the MHM tent and it was great to see everyone interacting.

USAT Youth Nationals............

Congratulations to Clay and Angie Taulman's daugther Mady who had a top 10 age group finish at youth nationals on Saturday.

USAT Youth Nationals 08'
Mady Taulman 9th placed) (top 10 racers placed). 9-10 Yr Old Girls. Only girl from Colorado to place in her age catagory

Results from both races can be found on MHM web page in the results section.

Steel Head 1/2, Tri for the Cure and more...

Photographs: Doug Beeman in the 2007 Swim Across the Sound and the lining up of the boats for the beginning of the race.

Crested Butte Xterra

Congratulations to all who raced this weekend. Last week I failed to note that Chris Juels placed 4th in his age group at the Crested Butte Xterra race while setting a course personal record. Nice work Chris and my apologies for omitting this result.

Steel Head 1/2 Ironman:

Mike Sammons, Brian Henden and Mike Ceismeir traveled to Michigan over the weekend to participate in Ironman 70.3 Steelhead 1/2 marathon. Poor water conditions caused serious chop and the swim was canceled and replaced with a 2 mile run. Mike Sammons continued followed up his Masters age group win from Loveland with a 36th over all place and a 3rd place age group finish. Mikes time of 3:58 qualified him for the 70.3 world championship race in Clearwater, Florida.
Brian Henden followed with a 4:26.22 which had him on pace to set a 1/2 Ironman personal record. Brian placed 38th in his age group. Mike Ceismeir, an old college drinking partner of coach Pete finish his first half in 4:40.46. Mike didn't even decide to do the race or even begin training for a half until May. A fine representation of MHM in the state of Michigan.

Susan Brasher completed the Tri for the Cure race in 1:36.22 and Susan Johnson took 3rd place in her age group at the Indian Peaks trail race. All results are posted on the Mile High Multisport web page.

Doug Beeman and Team Ironfish headed east for the second year to complete in the Swim Across the Sound, a 15.5 mile open water swim from Port Jefferson, New York to Bridgeport, Connecticut. Conditions before the race called for heavy Jelly Fish this year and Doug reports being stung often in the face during the race. Unfortunately poor weather moved in and the race was cancelled just 6 miles into the swim. The team was obviously disappointed.

Next weekend has many of you racing at the 5430 Long Course and Mad Splash and Dash in Highlands Ranch. The MHM tent WILL BE AT BOTH EVENTS. On Saturday we will be handing out water at the one mile mark of the run of the M.S.D and Sunday we will be in Boulder. Look for the tent pre race on Sunday and feel free to place your post race attire with us. We plan to have some food and beverages in the tent with us.