2013 Training Trip - Day 6

Saturday, February 16

To get extra training in before we left, we had to start our Saturday ride in the Dark at 6:18 AM.  There were definite pockets of colder air as we road across Tucson, West to East on Glenn Ave.  We took a break on the East side of Tucson at our favorite McDonald's for breakfast and then road back with wind at our backs.

Once back at the compound, we had to make quick work of laundry and packing bikes.  Greg and I both had flight out of Tucson.

2013 Tucson Training Trip Totals.

Day 1 Subtotal: Swim .9 hours, Bike 0 hours, Run .9 hours = 1.8 hours

Day 2  Subtotal: Swim 0 hours, Bike 8 hours, Run 0 hours = 8.0 hours

Day 3 Subtotal: Swim 1 hour, Bike 2.5 hours, Run .5 hours = 4.0 hours

Day 4 Subtotal: Swim 1 hour, Bike 4.8 hours, Run 0 hours = 5.8 hours

Day 5 Subtotal:  Swim .7 hour, Bike 5.5 hours, Run .4 hours = 6.6 hours

Day 6 Subtotal:  Swim 0 hour, Bike 1.8 hours, Run 0 hours = 1.8 hours

Total = 28.0 hours

2013 Training Trip - Day 5

Friday, February 15

Our last big day of training - The floating goal for me was to summit Mt Lemmon.  The counter goal for Greg was to make me run after killing ourselves on the ride.  Both goals were achieved.  We made it to the summit and ran afterward.


The video is about 30second of riding 30 seconds of recovery eating a McDonald's afterward.

2013 Tucson Training Trip

Day 1 Subtotal: Swim .9 hours, Bike 0 hours, Run .9 hours = 1.8 hours

Day 2  Subtotal: Swim 0 hours, Bike 8 hours, Run 0 hours = 8.0 hours

Day 3 Subtotal: Swim 1 hour, Bike 2.5 hours, Run .5 hours = 4.0 hours

Day 4 Subtotal: Swim 1 hour, Bike 4.8 hours, Run 0 hours = 5.8 hours

Day 5 Subtotal:  Swim .7 hour, Bike 5.5 hours, Run .4 hours = 6.6 hours

Total =  26.2 hours

2013 Training Trip - Day 4

Gen. Hitchcock Hwy - Mt Lemmon

Thursday, Feburary 14

Back in the saddle again - This time Greg and I aid going up Mt Lemmon to mile 15 of the climb.  The estimated ride time was 5 hours.  Mt Lemmon is common theme for me because it's safe, low on air pollution, and scenic.

At this point our leg and crotches are stiff and chaffed.  I haven't ridden a bike since Sept 2012.  I felt aweful at the start of the ride, but as my legs warmed up my muscles started to move easier.

2013 Tucson Training Trip - Day 3

Davis Monthan AFB - Boneyard

Wednesday, February 13

Solar panel covered parking at Trisports

Tasks for the day: shift bases from the hotel to my brothers, groceries, 2-3 hr bike ride, replace swim goggles, run, and swim.  Our bike route was determined when housekeeping mistakenly throughout my swim cap and goggles.  So, Greg and I did figure-eight loop  around Tucson by Davis Monthan AFB Boneyard and Trisports (new goggles).  There is a bike path running SE from the U of A to the AFB which is a nice break from the noise and exhaust of Tucson traffic.

Slowtwitch - Big miles with DKT new

Big miles with DKT new

Written by: Greg Kopecky
Added: Sun Feb 17 2013

It started with a phone call. “Hey, David. Are you going to Tucson this year?”

He replied, “I don’t know. I’m undecided. Probably not.”

“Okay. I’ll be there in February for the Zipp, SRAM, and Quarq 2013 product launch”, I said. I already let the cat out of the bag that you normally train there, and they said they’d love to have you come to the presentations and group rides as a star guest. If you want, we can stay afterwards and train.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Thanks for the excuse." 
Read More

Sram/Zipp FEB 2013 New Product Release

Location: Star Pass Marriott, Tucson, AZ

Date: Monday Feb 11, 2013

Oh yeah, I was was in the room when in all went down.

New Products:
Zipp Stealth - carbon integrated aero-bar - lava coverage - Zipp
Zipp 650c 404 Carbon Clincher - slowtwitch coverage - Zipp
Zipp fit - online Zipp equipment sizing aid - lava coverage - coming spring 2013
Zipp 30 - Aero Aluminum trianing wheel - Zipp

2013 Tucson Triaining Trip - Day 2

Tuesday Feburary, 12

Kevin at the Sram Neutral Race Support in Hotel parking lot

The Sram group ride up Mt Lemmon was canceled and changed to Gate's Pass because of weather.  After breakfast, I saw Kevin in the hotel lobby and told him I was heading up Mt Lemmon.  Without hesitation Kevin, agree to join me on this potentially stupid ride.  There were rumors of the road being closed and 7 inches of snow at the bottom.  We agree it would probably be cold, but we thought the road would be quite passable.

Video Mt Lemmon Climb

Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013

Here's the video of the climb up Mt Lemmon on day 2.5 of my Training Trip.  Kevin and I left the Marriott Star Pass at 10:40 AM and returned at 7 PM in the dark. We made plenty of stops.  General Hitchcock Hwy (the road up Mt Lemmon) was closed when we arrived at the base for ice removal at the top, so Kevin and I added on a 8-10 mile loop after chatting with the Sheriff's Deputies for 30 minutes.

Kevin made it to the top/un-plowed road (mile 25), which was as far as possible on the day.  I made it to mile 20, after stopping to warm my hand via crotch.  We both froze on the descent at sun down.   It was the coldest I've every been period - not just a bike ride.  Kevin also concurs.  I had to look at my hands to verify they were still holding on to the brake levers and was shaking uncontrollably.  I couldn't speak, just grunt, because my face was numb.  We were pushing the envelop of tough or stupid, but that's what makes an epic ride.

Temp at the bottom 55 F - start of climb

Temp at the top 19 F - star of descent

Total ride: 109 mile, 8 hours
Mt Lemmon Climb - base to Ski area turn off:
25 miles
~6000 ft of climbing
~9000 ft Altitude (Mt Lemmon observatory is 9157 ft)

2013 Tucson Training Trip - Day 1

After a 3 hour, de-icing delay on the ramp at Minneapolis/ Saint Paul International Airport, I arrived in sunny Tucson, AZ Sunday evening.  I arranged the training trip in conjunction with a Sram/Zipp product release also in Tucson.  Greg Kopecky (friend, athlete, journalist) was also in town for the event, so I had a good training partner.  The plan was be at the Sram release for the beginning of the week and then shift our base to my brother's by the U of A.

Monday was almost a total loss - cloudy 40 deg changed to rain, then freezing rain, and then snow.  The same weather I left in Minnesota.

Thanks to Lauren Goss we did get two swims in on Monday.  She had a key to the Star Pass outdoor pool.  We ran to the pool, swam, and ran back at 7 AM.  After the Sram product release for the media, we walked to the pool and swam again.  Kevin O'Connor also made the 2nd swim too shortly after he arrive in Tucson.

Greg Kopecky - Slowtwich.com Technical Editor

Sunday Workouts:
Run: 30 min with Lauren and Greg

Monday Workouts:
Run: 25 min to and from swimming
Swim: 30 min 4x500 fr, 3x200 fr, with Greg

Hy Vee 5150 Championship

Start of the Run: 17 seconds back from Greg

Overall

• 9th is a good result.  It's a good pay day - 4 times what I earned for winning New Orleans 5150 or Giant Eagle 5150.

5150 Ranking and Hy Vee Championship Quaulifying

Here' is the Men's 5150 ranking as of 8/4/12.  Twenty five men qualify and 5 get invites for the $1,000,000 championship in Des Monies on September 2.  I'm happy to have qualified and hope to match my performance form last year.  Currently, I'm ranked 5th.


MEN:
*Denotes fulfillment of scoring in mandatory 5150 event

	FIRST	LAST	Country	TOTAL	5150	5150	5150	5150	5150	70.3	70.3
1	Filip	Ospaly* q	CZE	3550	800	1500	500			750
2	Tim	O’Donnell* q	USA	3505	420	1000				1500	585
3	Greg	Bennett*(AQ) q	AUS	3050	3000	50
4	Matt	Reed* q	USA	2610	650	500	660			750	50
5	David	Thompson* q	USA	2540	750	500	440	500	350
6	Clark	Ellice* q	NZL	2505	420	585	1500
7	James	Seear* q	AUS	2505	360	525	420	1200
8	Paul	Matthews* q	AUS	2500	1200	440	500			360
9	Joshua	Amberger* q	AUS	2340	40	700	660	440		500
10	Benjamin	Collins* q	USA	2300	75	1200	585	440
11	Chris	Foster*q	USA	2260	700	390	400	330	440
12	Cameron	Dye* q	USA	2175	75	600	750	750
13	Jordan	Jones*q	USA	2075	75	440	500	500		560
14	Stuart	Hayes* q	GBR	2020	1500	520
16	Travis	Johnston* q	ZAF	1790	750	330	240	200		270
17	Mark	Threlfall* q	GBR	1775	440	420				525	390
18	Ruedi	Wild* q	CHE	1750	750	1000
19	Tim	Reed* q	AUS	1735	40	390	390			525	390
20	Csaba	Kuttor*	HUN	1675	75	300	360	440	500
21	Kaleb	VanOrt*	USA	1670	360	480	390	440
22	Michael	Fox* q	AUS	1610	350	280	420	260		300
23	Alessandro	Degasperi*	ITA	1485	25	585				350	525
24	Kris	Gemmel* q	NZL	1485	900	585
25	Ivan	Kalashnikov*	RUS	1430	320	450	660
26	Dylan	McNeice* q	NZL	1420	260	270	240			390	260
27	Damian	Hill*	USA	1250	180	220	200	350	300
28	Chris	McCormack*	AUS	1200	600	600
29	Karl	Kahsar*	USA	1090	300	240	270	280
30	Michael	Davidson*	ZAF	990	660					330

Thompson Speaks - Slowtwitch

David Thompson Speaks

Written by: Greg Kopecky
Date: Tue Jul 24 2012

David Kennedy Thompson (also known simply as DKT) is a long-time American professional triathlete. With a humble and calm demeanor, his persona flies under the radar - that is, until you watch him race..

Slowtwitch: Thanks for the interview.

David Thompson: No problem; I love interviews. In fact, there’re probably on my top-100 favorite things to do… which is why I do so many.

ST: For those who may not know of David Kennedy Thompson, please tell us a little bit about your background and how you got in to triathlon.

DKT: I found triathlon through injuries and other sports. In high school, my neighbor and I started riding bikes to school to increase our training volume for track. Lac qui Parle Valley High School was a coalition school located in a farm field between towns. The 9 mile ride seems minor now, but it was an adventure for us. Conditions were unfavorable: no shoulder, eighteen-wheelers, no helmets, borrowed Schwinn 10 speeds, and no spare tubes. Ignorance was bliss. Anyway, that’s how I got my start with road cycling. Soon, I blew all my graduation money on the most expensive road bike at the local bike/vacuum dealer 30 miles away. I pointed at the best bike in the Schwinn catalog had it special ordered. At $960, it was definitely the most expensive bike in the four county area.

Continued at:
http://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/David_Thompson_Speaks_2950.html

Thompson and Lavelle top Giant Eagle 5150 pro field

From: http://www.gianteaglemultisportfestival.com/2012_Race_Report.html

Veterans David Thompson and Becky Lavelle showcase skills with dominating performances at Giant Eagle 5150 Triathlon

COLUMBUS, Ohio — David Thompson (known as DKT) backed up his low key self-evaluation from a recent interview on Slowtwitch.com (ST) by dominating a fast pro field at the Giant Eagle 5150 in Columbus Ohio on Sunday (July 29). 

Thompson told ST on July 24 that “non-drafting Olympic races are probably my strength" and he validated that with a 1:44:19 at the Giant Eagle 5150 in Columbus.  Only in its second year, 2012 marked the first year that it was also part of the Ironman 5150 series.  Clearly the pro field took note of the Giant Eagle last year, and recognized the opportunity to make a little “Pro money" in Ohio, as more than 30 pro’s registered for the Giant Eagle 5150.  An Olympic wife and a few injuries forced a few solid contenders to pull out, but a strong field of 20+ pro’s hit the beach at Giant Eagle.  A point to point race featuring a swim in Alum Creek Lake, a ride route that boasts more than 10 miles of downhill racing, and a run course through the heart of downtown Columbus, the runners finished between the home venues of both the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team and the Clippers baseball stadium.  All in the morning shade of the Columbus skyline and almost perfect race conditions.  

Giant Eagle Triathlon

Racing well at Giant Eagle Triathlon was a pleasant surprise.  I won the men's race and Becky Lavelle won the women's race.  Three weeks earlier Kaleb Van Ort got the better of me in the last mile of the New York City Triathlon.  This time I was able to get a big enough lead on the bike to hold him off on the run.  Getting run down at the finish gets old fast.
 Kabel ran at Norte Dame and has had the fastest run splits at most of the races this year.  He also improved his swim and bike, so beating him isn't a easy task.

Giant Eagle Triathlon is in Columbus, OH.  It's a point to point race from Alum State Park to downtown Columbus.  The logistics made for an early morning.  I got up a 3:50 AM or 2:50 Central Time Zone to get my shoes to T2 and ride the shuttle to T1 for a 6:30 AM start.

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