Quintana Roo Tri

Tom Demerly of TriSports Gives a Review of the Illicito

2011-12-05T16:26:00.007-05:00

2012 Quintana Roo Illicito

December 5th, 2011

The Quintana Roo Illicito uses unconventional frame design to produce a claimed lower drag coefficient. It worked for TriSports.com Founder Seton Claggett at Ford Ironman Arizona. Claggett averaged 23.13 MPH at IM Arizona, a new PR on the way to his age category win.

The logic is simple: If you want to make a bike perform differently you have to design it differently.

The Quintana Roo Illicito is different. The frame has no left seat stay. While the missing seat stay and massive left chain stay are the most visually striking features the SHIFT technology, improved carbon fiber lay-up, redesigned rear brake and BB30 bottom bracket also exert a strong influence on the bike’s performance.

The lesson of history is that if you want extraordinary performance you must adopt extraordinary design.

The Illicito has not gotten much media attention mostly due to different industry emphasis and greater effort on product than marketing by Quintana Roo. QR has focused on the steak and not the sizzle. The logic of tossing the UCI rule book and designing a bike specifically for best aerodynamics makes sense- to triathletes. Lotus, Zipp, Softride, Trek, Kestrel and Hotta have all done it. The Quintana Roo Illicito, as the name suggests, is illegal for UCI sanctioned races like the Tour de France. For triathletes: who cares? It’s designed to be faster, rules be damned. For QR designing a bike specifically for the triathlete is where they started in 1987. It excludes them from events sanctioned by USA Cycling and professional bicycle racing time trials governed by the UCI. In both politics and technology Quintana Roo walks the walk with the Illicito. They are truly “True to the Tri” with the Illicito design. And of course, for triathlons the Illicito is entirely legal.

The Illicito is a natural evolution from the company that invented the original triathlon bike back in 1987.

Illicito was developed in the wind tunnel as are most aero bikes from Trek, Specialized and Cervelo. A major difference is that Quintana Roo invented this category: The aerodynamic triathlon bike. And, of course, Quintana Roo makes the claim that the Illicito has the lowest drag numbers where drag numbers matter most. I’m unapologetically cynical about wind tunnel drag numbers. Every manufacturer produces a “white paper” that supports their sales agenda. On a practical level I will suggest these white papers are best used on a roll next to the loo since they are all purporting the same thing; “Our bike is best!” They effectively cancel each other. But in the case of the Illicito something prevails: Logic. If the bike has missing frame sections, it ought to be faster simply by virtue of the fact that something is gone. If that is “Exhibit A” then “Exhibit B” is the UCI sanction of the Illicito.

The most conspicuous feature of the Illicito is the asymetrical rear end, but other aerodynamic design cues are less obvious such as QR's "SHIFT" orientation of the down tube.

And then there is the emerging anecdotal evidence. TriSports.com founder Seton Claggett can ride any bike, including brands TriSports.com currently doesn’t sell. At Ford Ironman Arizona he rode Quintana Roo’s Illicito. He had his fastest bike split ever, his fastest Ironman ever. A few weeks before that on his first race on the Illicito he had the fastest amateur bike split at a local event. While any one variable like a new bike can’t be attributed with that success, it does track with the trend that Claggett made good equipment choices, trained effectively and executed a good race plan. The convergence was an age category win at Ford Ironman Arizona and a Kona spot.

We discovered the rear end on the Quintana Roo Illicito frameset was extremely stiff in out of the saddle climbs, largely due to the massive left chain stay and high end carbon fiber lay-up.

Because Tennessee based Quintana Roo doesn’t have pockets as deep as Specialized and Trek, fortified by mountain bike and hybrid sales, we won’t see Craig Alexander or Lance Armstrong on an Illicito. We will see an increasing number of age groupers on the bike from a live swipe of their own credit card- a more relevant endorsement than paid sponsorships.

The logic of the Illicito seems supportable: If you make a design that is tangibly different it will perform tangibly different. There is also an accumulating repository of solid results from people already on the bike. Those two factors merit attention.

If it is made differently, it will perform differently. The asymetrical orientation of the rear triangle and the massive left chainstay are apparent in these photos.

The Quintana Roo Illicito is currently sold as a frame only. Quintana Roo said there are no immediate plans for a complete bike version. The good thing is you get to pick your own components; the bad thing is this is generally more expensive than buying a complete bike. At this level most customers want a degree of flexibility with components anyway so offering the Illicito as a frameset makes sense for dealers and consumers.

From the front of the frame to the back:

For all its conspicuous features the Illicito is mostly a bike of subtle technology. It starts with the fork. Quintana Roo developed the first aerodynamic fork with the Carbonaero in the late 1980’s. Their fork innovation continues with the Illicito fork. The dropout protrude forward of the fork blades adding stability to the front end, a great feature for a bike designed to be ridden in the aero position. Viewed from the front the fork blades arch away from the front wheel dramatically. This aerodynamic feature allows the boundary layer of air to pass between the rotating front wheel and fork blades at lower pressure with less drag and turbulence. The brake is mounted behind the fork, another aerodynamic que. The new brakes have very good stopping power and are a conspicuous improvement over prior efforts.

The fork on the Illicito provides stable handling in the aero position and reduces the pressure of air between the front wheel and the fork blades by maintaining a large gap from rotating spokes (right).

The head tube of the frame features a conical shape we’ve also seen on some Cervelo efforts like the P3. The downtube is a deep airfoil shape that harkens to Specialized’s new Shiv. Top tube is a flattened shape parallel to the ground. There are two standard bottle cage mounts on the frame, one seat tube, one down tube. I appreciate this feature, rare on an aero frame bike.

Claggett's Ironman AG winning Illicito was controlled from a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 control set mounted on a Profile "J" bend extension aerobar. Note the elegant cable inlets and Di2 integration on the Illicito frameset.

The cable inlets on Seton Claggett’s Illicito were very nicely done Shimano Di2 specific and made for a clean, well conceived presentation. They also do a nice job of sealing out moisture from spilled sports drink and rain. In the case of Claggett’s IM AG winning bike the Di2 battery is slung under the down tube. I’d like to see more aero integration of Di2 batteries on all aero bikes. A rumored “Race Day” battery that is smaller may help resolve this in the next few months. For now Di2 battery mounting on every bike seems like an afterthought. Bike industry: The new coffee flavor is Di2, wake up and smell it!

Moving back on the frame you see the influence of Quintana Roo’s “SHIFT” design doctrine. The down tube angles off to the rider’s right toward the crank. SHIFT technology is the first attempt at not only reducing bicycle frame drag, but also mitigating drag caused by the drivetrain. The downtube on a SHIFT technology bike sits 18mm closer to the drive side. It is claimed to “shift” the boundary layer of air away from the drivetrain to the cleaner, non-drive side of the bike. SHIFT also seems to improve bottom bracket stiffness, a boon when climbing and accelerating. Several other manufacturers have trended toward an asymmetrical bottom bracket with SHIFT leading this trend. While the unique rear end design of the Illicito is the most visually striking the SHIFT technology may be the more effective aerodynamic design feature.

QR's greatly improved aero brakes from TRP. The right photo shows the asymmetrical orientation of the down tube, improved rear brake and clean cable routing as well as the Di2 battery mount.

Rear bake on the Illicito is a massive improvement over previous under-bottom bracket brakes. The new TRP (Tektro Racing Products) “U” brake has more powerful return springs, is easier to adjust and holds its center better than previous rear brakes which were, admittedly, quite poor. Another benefit with this brake is the capability to work with the wider aero wheels trending now like Zipp Firecrest, bulge disks and HED’s new wider rims. The brake has more “throw” and leverage to facilitate a more open position and better leverage. This is a great improvement.

Chainstays on the Illicito are wildly asymmetrical giving the bike a lot of visual punch. The thinking is the massive left seat stay provides structural integrity given up by removing the left side seat stay. When asked if a future bike could be built with this design completely replacing both seat stays Quintana Roo’s spokesperson went awkwardly silent…

The eye catching rear end of the Illicito includes practical details like clearance for new wide aero wheels, replaceable, adjustable dropouts and derailleur hanger.

The rear dropouts on the Illicito are all alloy and very robust. They empty to the rear of the bike and are horizontal. At the top of the seat mast there is an alloy binder clamp that uses two bolts, another practical design feature.

One thing that struck me working with the new Illicito is that it is a superbike you can travel with. Most other aero bikes with substantial component integration might not work well going into a flight case and, if something goes wrong when you are at an “away” race there may not be mechanics and parts on-sight to service the issue. With the exception of the brake calipers, the QR Illicito frame uses fairly standard fittings and fasteners.

Quintana Roo stayed true to their lineage with the fit and geometry of the Illicito since the bike can be ridden at an 80+ degree open seat tube angle. The head tube is a stable and comfortable 72 degrees across every size. Head tube height on the two smaller sizes, “Small” and “Medium” are a low 90 millimeters, tracking with Cervelo’s P4 and P3 and Felt’s “B” and “DA” bikes. There are four sizes in the Illicito called “Small”, “Medium”, “Medium Large” and “Large”. I am 5’9” and have a long torso so I would be on the “Medium Large” with the 54cm top tube and the saddle in a forward orientation to open the angle between my torso and femur at the top of the pedal stroke. Seton Claggett, who prefers a more compact position and a slacker effective seat angle, rode the “Medium” for his Ford Ironman Arizona Age Group victory.

QR stayed true to the tri with their steep angle geometry for a comfortable, open torso to let position in the aerobars. Seat tube angle is adjustable through a wide range.

There have been a few bikes important enough to influence triathlon specific bike design- most have been from QR over the past few decades. The Quintana Roo Superform was the first to make a real impact on athlete performance and the market. The Illicito may be another. The Illicito puts Quintana Roo firmly back in the top ranks- if not at the very top- of triathlon bike innovation and performance.

QR's Illicito renews their aerodynamic commitment to triathletes from Quintana Roo with an innovative new design and emerging impressive results.

Please go to TriSports University for the original posting.

Kona or Bust winner: Brian Richardson

2011-11-30T11:08:00.010-05:00

Quintana Roo held an online contest this year and sent 1 lucky winner to KONA for the World Championships of Triathlon on October 8, 2011.

Brian Richardson, CEO of Immediate Care, was the lucky winner!

Brian's words: "It was the trip of a lifetime. I was up close and personal with world class athletes. I was able to get a week of warm weather training (important when you are from Alaska and race half Ironman distance triathlons in the Continental US.) Believe it or not, average people win those cool drawings. Thanks Quintana Roo."

I was given 5 days to enjoy KONA. I went scuba diving.

I saw folks for the Underwear Run.

I got to bike the Queen K for my brick workout.

While I was the closest spectator at the finish line to both Crowie and Chrissie Wellington; it was more inspiring to be there when the double amputee athlete finished after 15 hours of racing.

I was able to cheer on the 3 Alaskan athletes as well!

Steven Perezluha QR endurance athlete: RAAM

2011-11-22T13:23:00.012-05:00

Steven Perezluha is a unique Quintana Roo athlete. Most of the QR roster includes triathletes, which makes sense, as we are a triathlon company. But for RAAM (Race Across America) it is a good idea to have a tri bike in your arsenal.

For those not familiar with RAAM, this is one of the longest annual endurance events in the world. The only way to race in the event is to qualify. You must receive a qualifying time in a shorter event that is sanctioned by RAAM. The start of the race is in Oceanside, California and finishes in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

There is not a specific amount of time you have to finish the race per se. The clock runs continuously from start to finish as in a time trial. The final overall finish time includes rest periods. The winner is he or she who can ride the fastest while also making fewer and shorter stops. The winner usually finishes in eight to nine days, after riding approximately 22 hours per day. The riders can have support crews/vehicles to help them along the way, but for the most part it is a solo endeavor. Having to ride continuously for days with little to no sleep puts this event in the ultra-marathon category. The continuous physical output places considerable strain on the competitors as well as their support crews. As many as 50% of solo participants drop out due to exhaustion or for medical reasons. In addition, the race takes place on open roads, forcing participants to deal with sometimes dangerous traffic conditions.

A really great documentary on the race is called Bicycle Dreams.

Steven finished in 9th place in 10 days and 8 hours. To add to his accomplishment, he is relatively young for such an endurance event. Typically most athletes who excel at this level are well into their late 20s early 30s at the beginning. Steven is 19 years old. He has big dreams and is a very talented athlete. Please check out his website: stevenperezluha.com

This fall he won the Florida State Cat 3 time trial and has been continuing to race ever since. Keep an eye out for this kid. Congratulations Steven!

Team Evotri Adds a New Member!

2011-11-22T10:50:00.003-05:00

Making the Team: 2012

Now entering its sixth year, the members of Team Evotri continue to challenge themselves and others to live a healthy and active lifestyle through endurance sports. They have been given an extraordinary opportunity to train and race with the same equipment and coaching as the pros. They continue to dedicate themselves to maximizing their potential, to sharing what they learn from their experiences, and to making a positive contribution to the endurance sport community.

Team Evotri is again ready to welcome a new member to the family. For 2012, Team Evotri and its sponsors have pulled together a one-of-a-kind package to provide an age group athlete the opportunity to train and race like a PRO, while giving back to the triathlon and endurance community. The current team members will be looking for an individual who embraces the spirit of triathlon: a positive attitude, enthusiasm for the sport, desire to improve, and dedication to give back to the endurance community. Years of triathlon experience and good race results are not deciding factors in choosing a winner, but passion is.

The next team member will benefit by receiving an excellent package courtesy of the team's sponsors:

QuintanaRoo will provide a top-of-the-line CD0.1 frameset with innovative shift technology that will undoubtedly take your bike splits to a new level.
Zipp Speed Weaponry knows just how to outfit a frame like the CD0.1 with a 404 front and 808 rear wheel set.
SRAM will add to the bike with its latest cockpit and drivetrain components.
CycleOps finishes the bike off with its cutting edge SL+ wireless PowerTap hub and Joule 2.0 computer.
HUB Endurance puts it all together providing a full year of expert triathlon coaching to deliver the newest Evotri athlete to the top of their potential in 2012.

Here's how you can be the next Team Evotri member:

Create a video that's no longer than three (3) minutes. The video should answer the following three questions:

Why Evotri?
Why You?
Can you Evotri?

Guidelines:

Videos must be posted to Team Evotri's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/evotri.
Videos must be posted by December 31, 2011, at 11:59 PM CST.
Videos not within the time constraints will not be considered.

Process:

The current team members will select finalists from the video submissions.
The finalists will be notified by January 15, 2012 and will be invited to be interviewed via teleconference by current team members.
The winner will be announced on February 1, 2012.

Important Notes:

By posting a video to Evotri's Facebook page, candidates grant contest affiliates permission to use said video for promotional purposes affiliated with Team Evotri and the 2012 contest.
The winner of the team slot forfeits all awards if he/she is unable to continue as a team member for any reason for a period within two years of joining the team.
The winner of the team slot agrees to contribute to the Team Evotri web site for as long as he/she is a member of Team Evotri.
The winner agrees to race in an Evotri team uniform for all multisport events. Winner to purchase choice of uniform apparel upon final selection.
The winner of the team slot must participate in the yearly Team Evotri event. The 2012 event is a training camp in Chattanooga, TN from April 12-15, 2012. You must be present for the entire time.
No reimbursement will be made by Team Evotri or its sponsors for the creation, submission or any other expenses associated with the video entry.
No reimbursement will be made by Team Evotri or its sponsors for any travel, lodging, race entry fees, or other associated expenses in attending Team Evotri activities.

Simply Stu and Cait Snow Podcast

2011-10-28T11:31:00.002-04:00

Check out the podcast Stu had with Cait before Kona this year. We LOVE Cait and are SO proud of her!

QR athlete Jessica Jacobs shares her Ironman Story

2011-10-25T16:50:00.003-04:00

QR Kona or Bust Winner on his WAYYY!

2011-10-05T14:09:00.004-04:00

A very happy Anchorage, Alaska, resident has won the “QR Kona or Bust” contest, and will travel from Alaska to Hawaii, courtesy of Quintana Roo, where he’ll stay for five nights and watch the Ironman Championships. Triathlete Brian Richardson will enjoy VIP access on race day and participate in a meet and greet with QR-sponsored athletes.

“We really wanted to do something fun this year centered around Kona,” said Mac McEneaney, QR’s director of sales. “The contest gives an individual the chance to watch the race and meet the pros, and best of all, do it in Hawaii. We think it’s great the winner happens to be from Anchorage. He’ll get a reprieve from the start of cold weather up there, while he kicks back to watch one of the greatest athletic events on earth.”

QR created the first tri-specific wetsuit and the first tri-specific bike. The company takes pride in its long-standing dedication to the sport of triathlon and triathletes of all abilities. “The contest is our way of rewarding a triathlete and sharing in his or her passion for the sport,” said Peter Hurley, CEO of American Bicycle Group. “We understand that passion, and the hours of training that go into preparing for a race, because most of us here at QR race triathlons, too. We look forward to meeting Mr. Richardson in Kona.”

Mr. Richardson’s name was drawn at random after online registration for the contest closed. In addition to trip and race-day accommodations, he will also enjoy a breakfast with Mr. Hurley and receive a LAVA magazine goodie bag.

Slowtwitch editor/publisher Dan Empfield, founder of Quintana Roo, drew the winner's name at a media event during Interbike in September. Quintana Roo CEO, Peter Hurley assisted in the drawing.

QR Athlete Scott Johnson on the TODAY Show

2011-09-22T12:23:00.003-04:00

In a new book by Jacques Steingerg, You are an Ironman, Scott Johnson is one of the featured athletes. Check out the interview! Pretty cool stuff.

http://on.today.com/qoAJTG

We want to congratulate ALL of our athletes on such a great season so far. We have many that are not quite finished yet. Good luck to all of you still competing.

Tim Stutzer Race Report

2011-09-21T12:09:00.001-04:00

Sonntag, 18. September 2011

1st at San Diego Triathlon Classic

It has been some time since I last won a triathlon an yesterday it happened again. This time at the San Diego Triathlon Classic.

But let’s start from the beginning:

Before coming over to San Diego for my Kona prep I had signed up for the only Olympic distance that was held here during my stay: San Diego Triathlon Classic. The race is put on by fellow Tri Club of San Diego members and owners of San Diegos best bike shop Moment Cycle Sport: JT Lyons and Cory Osth and thus it was a must do while being in town.

When I arrived in town one of my first stops was Moment Cycle Sport to have them look at that creaking Zipp wheel of mine. Within no more than ten minutes Cory had found the problem, a 2mm spacer someone had put in the hub where there was not to be any spacer. Ever since then the wheel works perfectly. Thanks Cory! I then told him that I was going to compete in Saturdays race and returned the day before the race to pick up my race number etc. Only then did I notice that even though some 700 people in total had registered for the race, it was only going to be five guys racing in the Elite category I had signed up for. That made me very nervous as I was sure that whoever it was, everyone would drop me in less than 100 meters into the swim. Nonetheless they had given me bib number 2 and even reserved some port-a-potties just for me – lucky me.

I then racked my bike at just the perfect spot and right next to me another QR CD 0.1 was racked. In the end it was going to be these bikes that would post the fastest bike splits for the day in both the male and female category. Not a bad testament of what that frame is capable of, right?

A lonely swim

When we entered the water the fact that it was only five guys really hit home with me. It was going to be a lonely swim today I suspected. And that it turned out to be. After the gun went off, I tried to keep up with the feet in front of me for perhaps ten seconds then looked around for another pair of feet but everyone had taken off like a rocket and so I was on my own. When I saw the competition slowly disappear on the horizon I began to think whether I would rather have signed up for the age group race. But it was too late for that now. I setteled in to a good rhythm and may have swum at a pace of about 1:30min/100m. Quite decent for me but way too slow compared to the others. At least three times I was really shaken up as the planes taking off at SD International Airport flew past me not 200 meter above. Quite a sight to see. When I approached the one but last buoy I saw the competition exiting the water already and had another 2-3min to swim. Well, I thought let’s play catch up then!

A really good bike

Even if I was really far behind the leaders the crowd at the swim exit still gave me a lot of cheers but perhaps that was just out of courtesy. Perhaps I could impress them a bit more with my bike split I hoped. Thus I grabbed my CD 0.1 and was in no time off onto the bike course. This takes you first through one of San Diegos many military bases, then heads up a 7% grade hill for about one kilometre and than it’s out and back to the Cabrillo National Monument. You then go back to the military base for a second loop before you head back to the transition/finish area.

As everyone else in my wave had exited the water more than two minutes ahead of me it was quite a lonely first five kilometres until we went up the hill for the first time. I was putting out a steady 330 watts and it felt good at the time. Up the hill I increased the effort a bit and there I could see two of my competitors for the first time. I noticed that I had already made up some time on them. At the top of the hill I had nearly caught up to the first guy and passed him on the out and back section to Cabrillo Monument. At the turnaround I checked how far I was back on the leader and that gave me some hope. I was only 1:30min back at the time. So I was making progress. On the second part of the first loop I overtook a second competitor and thus found myself in third place. As we started the second loop things got a little confusing as now we were sharing the road with athletes from later waves that were on their first loop. The overtaking though did not mean any slowing down but rather gave me another push and I think the second ascent up the hill was even faster than the first one. It was only when we left the loop that I did not see any competitors in front of or behind me. They had also pulled out the lead motorcycle on the second loop so there was no way to know where I was. Approaching the transition area I got out of my cycling shoes in order to get off the bike as fast as possible. But – this should remind any reader of looking a course maps very closely before a race – there was another two kilometres as we past transition on another 1k out and back section in order to ride all of the announced 40k. So I had to put my shoes back on and while doing that on way back on that out and back section I saw two guys about 90 sec behind me that I had not noticed overtaking. There were just too many people on the second loop.

And only when I entered transition and the announcer said something about the lead cyclist entering did I notice that I had really overtaken all my competitors - two of them without even noticing it. He also said that I had broken Maccas bike split from last year’s race. So my legs seem to be alright - at least on the bike.

The crowds were amazing by the way. I had put on my Tri Club of San Diego jersey I always race with when in the US so I got even more encouragement in the form of “GO TRI CLUB!” cheers, than I would have normally got. Thanks tri club!

Now they play catch up!

I was out on the run course in no time and even had a lead cyclist with me. The two lap run course is just about perfect to keep track of your competition. There are three turnarounds on each lap giving you six splits in a total on those ten kilometres. I had a lead of roughly 1:30min at the 1k mark on two guys running side by side at the time. And they were looking fast! Faster than me, anyway. And so my lead was down to a mere 30 seconds after the first lap. I was already settling on the thought of being caught by at least one of the guys but still a podium finish was secure so I would not have minded much. But at the first turnaround of the second lap it was still 30sec and people told me that there was only one guy left chasing. I kept my speed of about 3:45min/k up and also on the one but last turnaround I still had a 30 second lead on him. I then decided to push one more time to perhaps distance the guy before the last turnaround and it worked. At the last turnaround I had 40 seconds again ant it was only about a kilometre left to go. I had really pulled the thing off. For the first time for I don’t know how long actually no one had overtaken me on the run. When I approached the finish line the announcer was cheering on the crowds and I high fived a lot of people as I took my time in the finish chute. I was really stoked!

The guy chasing my, Eric Nau from Ecinitas finished exactly 30 sec back. Third across the line was William Jones from La Jolla.

At the winners ceremony we had quite a blast as the race sponsor Barefoot Wineery gave us champagne to have fun with! And I got one of these:

Results: here

Charisa Wernick in the UK!

2011-09-20T08:46:00.001-04:00

Monday, September 19, 2011

Challenge Henley-on-Thames Race Report

There are some days when all of that hard work we put into training pays off. I usually see it in bits and pieces, but yesterday it somehow all fell into place. I'm not sure anything quite compares to this intangible reward for hours and hours spent training.

The swim start dawned foggy and chilly.

I got in a good warmup. With the swans.

And we were off. My plan was to work hard to chase feet. I did this, and then they swam right away from me. Just past the turn-around I caught a guy and passed him. He promptly re-passed me and I figured awesome, we can work together. He then started swimming off course, I left him, and in the end maybe I should have stuck with him as he ended up exiting the water almost a minute ahead of me.

Out of the water 3rd pro female, a look at my watch and saw 57:18. Whoa!! I learned how to swim! Had the day ended right here, I would have been very happy.

Onto the bike and I moved into 2nd. Other than my fingers being numb for the first hour, the weather was comfortable. We had a bit of rain, but nothing crazy. I settled in and then it was time to race, race, race! The course consists of three loops with several solid climbs.

My friends Angelina and Shaun were awesome, giving me splits, yelling motivational things to make me laugh, etc. All was fairly uneventful until a section between mile 85-95 where I completely imploded. I'm not sure if it was calories, or just overall legs hating me, but on the final climb I was literally going backwards. Two girls passed me and at that point I really wasn't sure if I'd blown my entire race. My watts went from near 200 to about 130 and everything became damage control - I threw down some gels and a banana and thankfully revived before I hit transition after 5:34 on the bike.

And then it was time for my favorite part - the run. I knew if I wanted to pull off not only a good race, but a solid finish, I need to run fast. Yvette was 2 minutes up on me and she can run. Lou came into T2 with me and she can run as well. Steven yelled at me to be patient - it is so easy to go out too hard on the run, especially when the lead is in sight.

The run consists of four loops with quite a bit of cross-country terrain. I loved this. It is also beautiful. On the second loop I moved into 2nd and picked up a bicycle escort. Honestly - this was my favorite part of the race. I've never had a bicycle escort before. I continued to get splits - Yvette pulled the gap up past 3 minutes, and Lou was holding the gap behind me at two. I was chasing and running scared all day.

Chasing my bike escort in the pouring rain.

We had several downpours. I wasn't cold, so I really enjoyed this. There's something about running in the rain and splashing in massive puddles that makes me feel like I'm five years old again.

On the final lap I knew I was closing. We ran around a large open area at one point and I could see first. My bike escort turned around and said "This is going to be close. Really close." I picked up the pace. And I chased. And ate gels and slammed Coke. I willed my legs to turn over faster.

In the end I closed the gap to 50 seconds and finished 2nd with a 3:12 marathon. I have no regrets - it was a great day of racing against talented girls.

I finally broke ten hours with a 9:48 finish. It was a 19 minute PR.

A huge thank you to Felix - the man behind the Challenge races. This was my first Challenge race and all I can say is that I wish there were some in the States. Everything about the Challenge race was top-notch.

Alan is the Challenge Henley-on-Thames race director. I'm pretty sure he has not eaten or slept all week. But you would never know this was a first year race. I'm looking forward to racing Henley again. A huge thank you to our amazing homestay in Henley - they not only made me feel so relaxed and at home, but they fed us awesome home-cooked vegetarian meals, drove us around, and even gave me splits out on the run course!

On a great day of racing I am the one who does the work, but there are oh-so-many people supporting and my dream-chasing would never be possible without them. Many THANK YOUs to:

Zoot – From my awesome running shoes, to the wetsuit that I'm finally doing justice, I love all your gear. And even more I love the Zoot family.
Profile Design – I love my wheels, aero bars, aero drink setup, etc. They are all FAST!
TriSports.com – the support you provide is amazing, I am lucky to have you on my team.
QR – Love love love my bike! It climbs well, descends even better, and is so very comfortable.
Rudy Project – my sunglasses and helmet are the best out there.
ZipVit – I attribute the fact that I had absolutely no stomach issues in a long day of racing to the great products you make.
XEndurance – podium again. Thank you.
SableWater Optics – I can see when I swim. Always. This rocks!
K-Edge – Haven’t dropped my chain once all year – thanks!
MicroscopeWorld.com – I love my job, thank you for always working around my crazy training & racing schedule.
Coach - Thank you for believing this result was possible.
Steven – This adventure of life has been amazing, I am lucky to have you along on it!
Mom & Dad - the fact that you got up in the middle of the night to track my race says it all.
My training friends – there will most definitely be a party when I get home!

I have a few days to explore London and then it's back home to California. Ireland and the UK have been good to me.

Washingtonian Post- Chat with David Glover

2011-08-29T09:02:00.001-04:00

Favorite Gear: David Glover

An Ironman triathlete shares his favorite trails, stores, and more

By Laura McKenzie

Glover says investing in a bike that fits properly is key to race-day success. His favorite ride is the Quintana Roo CD0.1, a high-end triathlon bike. Image courtesy of Quintana Roo

David Glover got involved with triathlons in an unusual way. After being diagnosed with a malignant schwannoma, a type of nerve cancer, in 1995, Glover says he turned to the sport to prove that although he had cancer, “cancer did not have him.” He underwent surgery in January 1995 to remove the tumor, followed by radiation treatment in February, then had a second surgery to remove surrounding tissue in April. “I signed up for and did my first triathlon that July,” he says. Glover is currently in remission.

He has since completed more than 100 triathlons, including 28 Ironmans, of which he has won five. He earned his elite (pro) license in 2007, the same year he was inducted into the Vineman Hall of Fame. The Vineman in Sonoma, California, is the oldest independent Ironman triathlon in the U.S. Competitors in Ironman competitions swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and finish off running a full marathon—26.2 miles.

Glover has continued to work to make the sport he loves more accessible. In 2001, with a group of friends, he revived the Reston Area Triathletes. He also began coaching through his company, EnduranceWorks, and founded the Luray Triathlon. Glover is a co-organizer of the She Does Tri weekend triathlon camps for women, aimed at helping women train and prepare for their first triathlons. A typical training session with Glover takes place at a coffee shop, via a Webinar or over the phone; he’s working on developing more training videos and Webinars to create a complete online training resource.

For those starting out in the sport or for those relocating to a new area, Glover recommends working with a triathlon club or team. Besides his own, Glover likes Team FeXY and Team Z. The latter, he says is “a fun, social group, and they cheer for everyone at the races they attend. As race director of the Luary Triathlon, I love to have them set up near the finish line.” He adds, “Clubs and teams are the single best resource for learning more about the sport and finding training buddies.”

Biking is an important component of the race. Glover recommends the Web site Bike Washington for routes and trails in and around the area. “You can search for rides by category like After Work Rides and Urban Escapes,” he says. “My favorite road ride is the challenging 56-mile Blue Ridge Challenge, which offers a little bit of everything.” The ride starts and ends in Marshall, Virginia, about 40 miles west of Washington.

For an easier workout, he suggests the W&OD Trail going west toward Leesburg. “It’s a convenient way to bypass the busy roads of Northern Virginia,” he adds.

“It’s well worth visiting a good bike or running store to make sure that what you buy fits properly and matches your bike or running style,” says Glover, who currently rides a Quintana Roo CD0.1, a high-end triathlon bike. He says he’s seen too many athletes that are injured or have subpar performances from riding poorly fit bikes or shoes with insufficient support. “It’s worth spending a few hundred dollars upfront to get a proper bike fit and to pick a bike that fits you rather than buying based on looks, sale price, or popularity.” Although online stores are often cheaper, a local store will give the personal attention to determine what you really need. Glover’s favorite bike shops include Conte’s of Arlington (3924 Wilson Blvd.), Bonzai Sports (2822 Fallfax Dr., Falls Church), and Spokes (multiple locations in Northern Virginia).

Customer service is crucial when shopping for running shoes, as well. A good running store will have you try on multiple pairs and watch and asses your stride while you run in them. His top running stores are Potomac River Running (3513 Connecticut Ave., NW) and Fleet Feet Sports (1841 Columbia Rd., NW). Glover used to run in Asics 2160’s and recently switched to the Mizuno Wave.

He also recommends products from Hammer Nutrition, especially the Hammer Gel and HEED sports drinks. “They’ve donated products to of all my races, clinics, and camps for the past few years,” he says. Another new supporter of Glover’s events is the Right Stuff, a liquid electrolyte replacement that can be added to your sports drink to prevent dehydration and muscle cramping. “It’s easier to take in than electrolyte capsules or tablets since it’s already in liquid form,” he says.

Stpehen Bayliss Wins Challenge Vichy

2011-08-26T12:35:00.002-04:00

Bayliss, Marsh Win Inaugural Challenge Vichy

Published: Aug 22nd 2011 2:17 PM UTC by News

The men's podium.

Stephen Bayliss (GBR) and Amy Marsh (USA) took out the inaugural Challenge Vichy this weekend and in doing so conquered one of the toughest races in Challenge history. Temperatures in the French spa town rose to 43C with high humidity and athletes facing strong head winds on the bike.

Bayliss took victory just one week after placing eighth in Challenge Copenhagen. He exited the swim just four seconds behind Raoul Shaw (FRA) in 50:21 and a quick transition saw him head out on to the hot and windy bike course in the lead a position he maintained after 180km with a split of 4:36:28. Meanwhile further back in the field, Challenge Wanaka champion Jamie Whyte (NZL) and Teemu Lemmettylä (FIN) were making up for disappointing swim times. Whyte exited the water in 13th while Lemmettylä was in 19th. By the end of the bike, they had moved up to 5th and 6th respectively.

By the 10km mark on the run, Bayliss had dropped to third with Whyte and Lemmettylä hanging onto their positions in 5th and 6th with Damien Favre-Felix (FRA) taking the lead. The halfway point saw another change in position following the withdrawal for Favre-Felix. Fellow countryman, Benjamin Pernet moved up into pole position with Bayliss in second and Whyte in third. With 10km to go, Bayliss had secured his lead at the head of the field, a position he held onto, crossing the finish line in 8:45:29. Lemmettylä ran into second with the fastest run split of the day, 3:06:33 while Whyte finished in third.

The women’s race saw Amy Marsh lead from the swim, exiting the water in 55:23 a clear three minutes ahead of Juliette Benedicto (FRA). By the end of the bike, she had extended her lead to just over 10 minutes and continued to build her lead over Benedicto throughout the run, finishing in 9:44:56. Benedicto maintained her second position throughout the race to finish in 10:01:59 while Jana Candrova (CZE) took third in 10:12:14.

Challenge Family CEO, Felix Walchshöfer, said he was very happy to have the Challenge Family represented in France with such an outstanding full distance race.

“The team at Challenge Vichy did a spectacular job with a first time event. It was great to see Team TBB do so well and also it was good to see so many passionate triathlon supporters out on course. The athletes did well, especially considering the extreme heat. The course was stunning and Vichy is a wonderful region to visit – we can be sure to see Challenge Vichy grow into one of France’s must-do races,” he said.

Race recap provided by the Challenge Series.

Men
1 Stephen Bayliss (GBR) – 8:45:29 (swim: 50:21; bike: 4:36:28; run: 3:14:49)
2 Teemu Lemmettylä (FIN) – 8:49:42 (swim: 1:00:38; bike: 4:37:54; run: 3:06:33)
3 Jamie Whyte (NZL) – 8:52:21 (swim: 57:34; bike: 4:34:58; run: 3:15:28)
4 Edouard Entraygues (FRA) – 9:19:09 (swim: 53.19; bike: 4:46:50; run: 3:33:47)
5 Alberto Roviera (ITA) – 9:21:36 (swim: 1:10:55; bike: 4:58:20; run: 3:08:13

Women
1 Amy Marsh (USA) – 9:44:56 (swim: 55:23; bike: 5:04:15; run: 3:41:24)
2 Juliette Benedicto – 10:01:59 (swim: 57:32; bike: 5:12:11; run: 3:48:00
3 Jana Candrova – 10:12:14 (swim: 1:08:54; bike: 5:21:18; run: 3:37:27)
4 Fiona Ford (USA) – 1042:22 (swim: 1:10:50; bike: 5:30:41; run: 3:52:05)
5 Lionele Baroux (FRA) – 10:49:36 (swim: 1:11:14; bike: 5:33:57; run: 3:55:45)

Team Evotri and Quintana Roo!

2011-08-23T10:16:00.001-04:00

Evotri Age Group Triathlon Team Partners with Quintana Roo

Chattanooga, Tenn. – August 23, 2011 – For the 2012 season, Quintana Roo is excited to partner with Team Evotri to provide each of the team members with the bike that Triathlete Magazine has called "the most innovative in the past decade from any brand," the CD0.1. The QR Shift Series is the only line of aerodynamic bikes designed specifically to minimize the substantial drag created by the drivetrain. QR's exclusive 18 millimeter offset downtube SHIFT Technology diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a true, measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.

“We are very much looking forward to the partnership with Team EVOTRI for the upcoming season,” said Peter Hurley, QR CEO. “Having active social networking athletes on the CD0.1 for 2012 and beyond is an exciting direction Quintana Roo is heading.”

Team Evotri was conceived in 2007 based around the idea of finding out what happens when age group triathletes of all ability levels are provided with top coaching, technology and precision equipment. The team currently has eight members who share their journey via blogs, podcasts and social networking.

Evotri’s team model has been proven successful since 3 of the 8 age group athletes have qualified for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii for the first time after joining the team. Other team members have also seen substantial improvements resulting from the team sponsorship package. The Evotri team also focuses on giving back to the triathlon community through organizing one of the fastest growing training camps for the Ironman distance. Held every summer, the Wisconsin Ironman Brick Adventure (WIBA) is a completely free weekend full of solid training, good sportsmanship and a wealth of knowledge.

Evotri Team Manager, Stu Joannes ("Simply Stu") states, "When I walked my rickety old bike into my first triathlon years ago, I remember seeing an incredible bike with a cool name - Quintana Roo. I told myself that one day I would ride one. Well, that day has finally come, and I couldn't be happier. The new CD0.1 is just an incredible ride that is packed with technology. I have come a long way since that first triathlon, and so has bike technology. My passion for the sport is only matched by the passion that Quintana Roo puts into bikes!"

Quintana Roo: http://www.quintanarootri.com/
Team Evotri: http://www.evotri.com/

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The bikes are in team members hands and everyone is getting ready to put them to use:

Sara stylin' the CD0.1

Michelle showing off the light weight of the all-carbon frame.

Rob is ready to roll.

Sarah's all smiles as she gets fit to her CD0.1

Chris showing off the hardware after taking first in his CD0.1's first race.

Chris Berg tells us about Boulder, CO

2011-08-04T09:56:00.004-04:00

Boulder Peak 5150 Report

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Chris

This is long overdue. Been a long time coming, but with the trip back home and shifting around of things in the house I have been pretty busy. That and training, which must continue as always. Kristen and I have even made a trip to Ikea, with a possible Bed, Bath & Beyond trip in the future… though I may have a big training day and won’t be able to make it.

I stayed in Denver for the race, about 1 hour from Boulder. I was lucky enough to find accommodations at the BARLOW house, with Lizzie and her parents (I think her dad’s name is Steve, or was it Troy Bristol?). Staying in a house, way better than a hotel. Just having space to move around, a garage, including a bike stand, work bench, and full compliment of tools is also nice. Needless to say, very convenient and all you can play MarioKart 64 is a perk I haven’t had since the Jack Attack and I lived together summer of 2005. I was also able to grab lunch with Gallagher before his birthday in Boulder, which was a nice throwback to the college days of grabbing some food at Peabody’s before going to USD hoops game (were we unknowingly witnessed point shaving, I just thought we were naturally not that good). I also stopped by the Newton Running Lab, which is awesome. So many shoes, so many colors! Thanks to Danny for giving Kristen and I the tour.

Back to the race. Swim was sweet. I had no problems with altitude at this point, and came out of the water second. Nice flat reservoir conditions, so no swell, and the water temperature was pleasant. The swim time was 19:17 for 1500m, which is about where I should be. I made a quick T-1, so quick I was concerned when I was first out onto the bike course, wondering if I had forgotten to do something.

The bike is where I just sucked. I have done not too well on the bike before but this was literally a time where I felt as I was some kid on a mountain bike trying to keep up with motorbikes. It is a false flat the first 10k of the bike before a big hill. The damage was done before I hit the hill. I went from first on the bike, to 6th before the hill. I hit the hill and finally felt somewhat normal again, a good steep climb got my head straight and I found what rhythm I had left and plodded. I would leap frog a bit with another guy towards the end of the bike. My time, a poor 1:08:54. Not very good. I played damage control, and was barely doing anything of note then.

I had a pretty good T-2, and made it onto the run course in 6th. I was passed quickly by the ITU Canadian athlete in the first mile. I was pushing hard, but only going about half iron pace. I tried to push, close gaps or limit loses but to avail. I forgot about trying to pass the guys in front of me, and then focused on not letting anyone pass me. I started to feel good at the turnaround of the out and back course, and held steady to the finish to cross the line 7th. My run split was 40:26.

Total finish time was 2:10:46. By far my worst at this distance by 6 minutes. I don’t want to say it was the altitude, because it feels like a cop out. I will just leave it at this, I didn’t have what it takes to perform the way I wanted to that day. You may interpret that anyway you want.

Next up for me is Solana Beach, then Calgary 70.3.

Charisa Wernick: Vineman 70.3

2011-07-28T11:02:00.001-04:00

Vineman 70.3 Race Report

Vineman 70.3 is a race I really love. The swim in the Russian River reminds me of summers spent on a river in MI, flying off a rope swing on hot, muggy days. Going into the race I had a few specific goals of swimming under 29, running under 1:27, and finishing in the 4:2x range. I told Steven the day before that if I had my perfect day I would go 4:25.

Pro transition - I was lucky #44.

The swim was beautiful. After several minutes of elbows and feet in my face I found open water and spent the rest of the swim solo. I opted to wear my Zoot sleeveless wetsuit, which I always find works best for me when the water is warm.

I'm in the middle here - chasing...

This is the moment I saw the clock and realized that if I didn't hurry, I wasn't going to get across the timing mat under :28, which meant my coffee bet that was put in place over a year ago was in danger of slipping away!

Sprinting for the swim exit... I made it! I came out of the water in 27:57 – a new swim PR, and (finally!!) I won my coffee bet! Whooooo hoooooooo yeah!!!!! I guess all that hard work on my swim must continue because it is actually working.

Onto the QR I found myself chasing Melanie. Until she dropped me. And then I found myself enjoying the awesome vineyards as they flew by, amazed that the misty drizzle turned to actual rain (this race is normally hot).

Steven kept showing up at multiple places along the course – which was wonderful because he was able to tell me multiple times that the girls in front of me were putting more time into me! I spent 2:30 on the bike, entering T2 knowing that if I had a great run, I may just be able to earn my final time of 4:2x. Steven told me I was 3 minutes down on 8^th place (the final $ slot).

The first four miles of the run were lonely – just me and the wonderful volunteers that offered a variety of beverage options each mile. I did not run with my Garmin this time – I just ran. I wanted to run off feel and just run as hard as possible. Thankfully I felt much better than I did on the run at Boise last month.

When I entered the vineyard at the half way point of the race, I still had yet to see anyone running in front of me. And then finally, while snaking past the grapevines I caught a glimpse of a runner up ahead. It was a carrot for the rabbit, and I picked up the pace. It took another mile to catch up close enough to realize it was a guy. But thankfully, in front of him I could see a girl. 8^th place and a paycheck wasn’t that far in front of me! Another mile or so and I made that pass.

Mile 11 = I could see Melanie running up ahead, and I was closing the gap. I checked my watch and realized my 4:2x goal was going to be close (while forgetting I had started my watch 2 minutes early when the men started racing…) So I tried to run faster in hopes of passing another girl, and nailing my goal time.

Mile 11.5 = dizziness, trying to slam a ZipVit gel (maybe a little too aggressively because then I thought I might throw it back up), and being fairly certain my legs might just fail me completely – all while watching Melanie open the gap between us, and feeling like time was racing by on my small wrist watch! Ahhhhhhhh do NOT fall apart now!!!

Mile 12 = a slight recovery, a glance at the watch (& remembering I had two extra minutes – OH FREE TIME – ha!) and figuring I could live with 8^th place – no need to catch Melanie if it might mean complete combustion and losing my current paycheck completely.

I finished in 4:27 – to the announcer saying “Charisa Wernick is our 9^th pro female today.” DOH!! (Actually I may have said another word here that my mother might not approve of). No paycheck for me.

However, a PR is a sweet thing – and today I got three of them. Swim, run and overall. For some reason after the race I thought Steven told me I ran a 1:27. About an hour later I looked at him and said “Man, I’m kind of stuck at 1:27 this year huh?” (I have run 1:27 in every 70.3 I have raced all season except Wildflower.) He looked and me and said “What are you talking about? You ran 1:25.” Ohhhhhh happiness! That was my favorite part of the whole day. One of my big goals this year has been to PR my open run splits at all distances in tris. I missed the half marathon split by only 8 seconds.

These are the super stud girls I race against. Not only are they fast - they are also great friends.

A very huge GRACIAS to my super duper sponsors:

TriSports.com – you are like family, you carry everything & I am grateful.
Zoot – I love my running shoes, the clothes that make me look like I know how to dress in color coordination, and the wetsuit that I am only beginning to do justice.
Profile Design – My wheels are FAST and my aero bars just look freaking awesome.
QR – Love love love my bike!
Rudy Project – my sunglasses are the best out there and my head is protected in coordinating colors no less!
ZipVit – my gels and energy drink not only taste great, but it’s a huge relief to know I don’t have to worry about them upsetting my stomach.
XEndurance – I ran a 1:25 on a hilly course today – 4^th fastest pro run time. Enough said. Thank you.
SableWater Optics – I can see when I swim. Always. This rocks!
K-Edge – Haven’t dropped my chain once all year – thanks!
MicroscopeWorld.com – I love my job, thank you for always working around my crazy training & racing schedule.
Steven – you dream big with me and are the most supportive and loving person I know. I am one lucky girl.
Mom & Dad – thank you for teaching me how to work hard for my goals.
My training friends – you push me, encourage me and make me laugh. Training hard would be no fun without you!

Next up is NYC Triathlon where I will once again pretend I’m not terrified to race against short-course fast girls and well hey – I get to race around Manhattan on my bike without taxis getting in my way – that’s just pretty exciting right there!

Morgan Chaffin-Back to Racing!

2011-07-15T08:21:00.003-04:00

Roughly 2 months ago I had hip arthroscopic surgery and it wasn't long until I felt like I could start training again, but I didn't think I would be racing in July! On Sunday, just outside of St. Louis I participated in the King Orthopedic Newtown Triathlon (1000 yd swim, 20 mi bike, 4 mi run). I felt ready, but knew I was going to need to back off if my hip was irritated at all. I knew I was going to have to build a lead in the swim and bike if I wanted to hold my position in the run. The water temp was 85 and I opted to use my Xterra Velocity-M speedsuit. I took an Immunotec Energy Shot got in for a quick warm up and I was ready to go! I swam the 1000 yd in 13:17 and was the second male/female elite wave competitor out of the water. I held my position on the bike and covered the 20 mile bike in 49:08 (24.1 mph)—I love my new QR CD 0.1 and with HED wheels it fly's! Off the bike I had a 6 minute lead over the next female and luckily it was a good cushion because she is All-American in the 800m and super fast. I ran 6:47 pace over the 4 miles in Karhu Racer Ride shoes. I have never worn racing shoes before and I really liked the lightness. Thanks Swim Bike Run St.Louis for the new kicks! I finish 1st overall female and 2nd overall with the men. I scored some cash and new running shoes too!

My coach recently opened a Triathlon Store called Swim, Bike, Run St. Louis and they were all there cheering me on—cowbells and all! It really pumped me up to go out there and leave nothing! It was great to have their support. If your ever in the STL area and need anything tri related-it's your store!

A special thanks to: Swim Bike Run St. Louis Triathlon Store, Phoenix Cycles in Carbondale, IL (the go to bike guru's in Southern Illinois), Immunotec, Champion Systems, Rudy Project, Xterra, QR, Accelerade, Saluki Masters Swimming

Next up I'm heading back to my home state of Nebraska and doing an inspirational talk and competing in the Omaha Triathlon on July 24. It's going to be great to get back and see family and friends!

Inspiration by James Cotter...

2011-07-12T13:21:00.004-04:00

You WILL get back up

So far 2011 has been my enemy and has come very close to winning. I have been pushed down, I have been trampled on, I have been defeated, I have been frustrated, but you know what? I get back up no matter how many times I get knocked down. I have been confronted with failure every race this year but I challenge failure back every time. If you want success in life/sport, it is all about getting up one more time than getting knocked down. I WILL be back, I WILL get stronger, and I WILL win again. Never will we ever be afraid of failure because ultimately it will make us stronger.

So to everyone who has been knocked down, lets stand up again and show the back half of 2011 what's up.

James

2011-06-17T12:37:00.002-04:00

Blackjack!

Posted on June 17, 2011 by goSonja| Leave a comment

Today is a REALLY GOOD DAY.

Several weeks ago PIC Michelle had a little “accident”. Bottom line…broken bike. PIC and I ride the same bikes, we wear the same uniform, we have the same coach. We are a little team of 2, we like to refer to it as Team PIC. It’s been that way for awhile, we are kinda sisters from another mother…and father. Although my parents have been known to step in as her parents, and her parents have been known to bail me out when I need a parental unit as well.

So, PIC broke her bike. I didn’t break my bike. But…she broke her bike. If she got a new bike, then we wouldn’t have the same bikes, and that my friends, is just one huge tragedy!

Needless to say, we were in the “hunt”. It was new bike time! We talked to Chuckie, because over the last year we have had several discussions about how we had “outgrown” our Isaac bikes. As we got fitter and wanted to move to a more and more aggressive position, the longer top tub prevented that. We finagled things and shortened stems and such, but PIC and I both knew that the “next” bike would be the right bike.

So Chuckie gave us a list. He looked at the geometry of all sorts of bikes and he gave us a short little list that would work well for both PIC and I’s geometry.

At the same time Ms.QR read about Michelle’s little fiasco and offered to put her in touch with Mr.QR. But was QR on “the list”?

Top and Center! Shorter Stack for the Reach put it squarely on the list.

Woot!

So Michelle and I test rode a set of QR CD0.1s at IM Texas and we LOVED them. Michelle was particularly attracted to the Pink Camo, but we both discussed that color was really the least of our needs. We had bigger wants:

1. FIT – we had that figured out via “the list”. But getting on the bikes with a very quick “fit” we were both surprised at how aggressive we were able to comfortably get immediately. Check!

2. Packability – we travel ALL THE TIME with our bikes. We are always breaking them down and putting them back together so we talked at length with QR about what they had done to make the bikes easy to pack. Check!

3. Adjustability – PIC and I knew we wanted more range to be able to grow with this bike. We wanted it to be easy to change seat tilt, and height, along with handlebar and aerobar functionality. Check!

4. Speed – the bike fits, it packs and it’s adjustable, but is it fast? Has it been in the wind tunnel? What have they done to make it faster. Well we got the skinny there too. QRs are for triathletes, not TdF riders. QRs aren’t limited by UCI rules.

5. The carrot on top – would QR love us? Would they be a company that “gets” the mom blogger, the type A triathlete, the Kona bound chicks that love the outdoors. Would they like us as much as we like them?

CHECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next up was componentry. Is that a word? Even though Kompetitive Edge sponsors me, and they always treat me so well, I was still amazed at what Ryan and Jared did to compliment the QR frame. I call Ryan my bike shop guru because he is hip, and knows his stuff. He knows all the new stuff and he has a sense of tasteful flare. If you ever have a frame you want built up, you gotta go to him. We had a conversation about what vibe I wanted my bike to have and then he went off and compiled everything, then sent me a list to “okay” and then ordered parts and built it up. I didn’t have to worry about anything, he just took care of it all, and my bike has flare, and is functional, and is hot. That’s about all I can say about that!

Ladies and gentleman, with a huge thanks to Quintana Roo for a beautiful CD0.1 frameset, and a gigantic thanks to Jared and Ryan at Kompetitive Edge, Blackjack is outfitted with full Dura-Ace, and she’s rockin’ the super new Profile Design Svet Base bar with the T2+Cobra Aerobars in white (try finding those…talk to Ryan ).

And now I’m going to go ride my bike…a lot!!!!!

Charisa Wernick: Escape from Alcatraz Race Report

2011-06-07T16:36:00.001-04:00

Escape from Alcatraz Race Report

I have raced Alcatraz three times. For those of you who have never raced it - the swim is similar to crossing a very fast moving river. The current helps pull you toward the finish. In the past for fear of being swept into the Pacific Ocean, I always under-shot the swim. I would cross the current section very early, then have to swim parallel to shore until I reached the exit of the swim. Very safe. But also very slow.

This year I was determined to reach the swim exit faster and in the mix of the pro girls. Turns out the current was extremely fast yesterday. And my decision would have been a great one on a less-fast-current-day, but yesterday it was not.

The green line shows the best swimming path. The red line is the path I ended up on. The "X" is where I swam at what felt like an all-out effort without moving forward an inch for what felt like a very long time. I had one moment where I literally did not know if I was ever going to make it to shore the current was so strong, and I wondered if they even had jet skis to save pros. I decided they most likely did NOT in fact have jet skis to rescue pros, and figured I better just hurry up and get myself to shore! On the plus side, my Zoot Prophet wetsuit kept me toasty warm in the 52-degree water.

If anyone needs lessons on how to do the "robot" while exiting the swim, I am here to help you, as shown in the above photo. As a pro, coming out of the water leading a very large pack of age groupers is really NOT where I want to be. This basically means every single girl I am competing with has long since mounted their bicycles. I really thought at this point my race was completely blown as far as being in contention.

I spent what felt like four hours of user error fumbling to remove my wetsuit, threw on my awesome Zoot Speed shoes and was off on the half mile run to T1.

Straight onto the bike and I knew I had a lot of work to do to catch up to the girls who I figured had swum much faster (and more directly to shore) than I had. I took a caffeine ZipVit gel immediately when I got on the bike to help me power up all the hills. I raced on my Profile Altair Carbon 80 wheels and they were perfect - light and fast.

I love the bike. The course is nothing but up and down and around corners, all while providing sprawling views of the ocean while screaming downhill. Golden Gate Park was even beautiful as I urged my legs to keep pushing and climbing. The QR CD 0.1 handled all of it in stride, just another day at the office. I finished the bike feeling like I had biked strong, but still no idea where I stood among the other girls.

At mile two-ish on the run Steven told me I was in 10th. (The money went 10 deep in this race). So at this point I told myself as long as I didn't screw anything up, this was going to end up being a good day. I also know that once the run starts, I am completely in my element and it is time to run my heart out and chase down some girls.

Spectating sheep dog. I don't own a dog, but if I ever do it will be a sheep dog. I have wanted one since I was about seven. Most people probably thought it was weird at the time, but Steven yelled at me at mile two "There's a sheep dog!" which made me smile as I passed it about 1/2 a mile later.

And the chasing began - I could see three girls ahead of me - up over the presidio I climbed, flying down to Baker Beach, trudging through the deep sand, pulling myself with the cable up the sand ladder. I passed a few girls. But I thought one of them might be age group, or relay, and I really had no idea what place I was in, just that I must be in at least 9th and that no other girls had passed me, so I was still in the money.

And then, flying down the single track trails, about to catch a pro girl, I nailed an age group guy - he was tall and I really just bounced right off him while he stayed upright - and found myself face first into a muddy weed patch. Ahhhhhhhhh I can not catch girls when I'm face first on the ground!! I hopped back up and kept running - now with mud all over me. Seriously - how could you not love this race?! It has a bit of everything!

This is where the real chase began though. I am chasing Jenna Parker (Shoemaker). I didn't know who she was at the time. She had been running strong and I thought I could close the gap, but I wasn't sure. Steven told me she was in 5th place. This completely blew me away, as I had no idea I had moved up this far. And it motivated me even more.

I chased and chased and ran as hard as I possibly could. And I closed the gap to a mere 5 seconds in the finish chute. I crossed the line very happy. And fell onto the ground to try to catch my breath. I wish I had a picture of this because to me it would be the picture of leaving everything I had on that course and fighting to the finish - something I always want to be able to do.

So close! Notice my awesome muddy hand...

But what a day and what a race! I ended up 6th with a time of 2:25. I am learning I can compete with these "fast girls" and my quest for speed is working. And I have said it before - but it's worth saying again - do not EVER give up!

A huge thanks to Lauren & Matt, who were all over the course giving me splits and cheering, along with Kiet and my super-husband Steven. I am honored to race with the speedy pro girls - and they continue to inspire me. The fact that today I found myself smack in the mix with these girls is a great reward for hours of hard work I've put into training.

Also a huge thank you to my friend Mike who not only takes care of my bike and always makes sure it's in great working condition, but has believed in my racing abilities long before I ever did. I'm glad you got to witness the final meters of "the chase" yesterday!

A HUGE THANK YOU to my sponsors:

Zoot Sports for outfitting me with speedy & comfy shoes, a warm and fast wetsuit, and amazing tri gear. Profile Design for my aero bars, grips, hydration, and some super awesome, light and fast wheels! Quintana Roo for a bike that I love to ride every day, but even more on race day. TriSports.com for not only carrying everything tri-related, but for treating me like family. ZipVit for fueling me along the way in training and especially in racing - love that what I eat during races doesn't contain a lot of extra "crap" in it. SableWater Optics for allowing me to see while I swim. Extreme Endurance for keeping lactic acid at bay. Rudy Project for my rockin glasses and helmets. SCAPE labs for protecting my skin. MicroscopeWorld for working with my crazy training/racing schedule. My crazy race schedule would not be possible without the support of these companies.

Next up is Boise 70.3 in five days...

QR Athlete James Cotter on the Post-Race Regroup

2011-05-18T08:24:00.000-04:00

Things don't always go according to plan. QR athlete James Cotter addresses this exact issue in his current blog entry called "Camp Lone Wolf". Great to see how an athlete can fully regroup on the heels of a disappointing race and come back to competition stronger and excited.

Since James wrote this article, he has "come back" in dramatic fashion, earning 7th place in the pro field at IM Florida 70.3.

A sound lesson for any athlete, enjoy James' account of his own personal intensive training camp following Galveston 70.3. From James:

Galveston 70.3 was a real wake-up call as I received a good butt kicking. Did I expect that to happen?.....yes, but not really to the level I'm which it happened. So there was only really one thing I could do. I sat my wife down and told her I needed to train Lone Wolf style. There would be no distractions and I would just focus on three things and three things only: Training, Recovery, and Nutrition. She was all for it and gave me her blessing. Camp Lone Wolf for me meant going to my secrete location and isolating myself from everything. I like the solo training style and logging hardyards while being very honest with yourself and the efforts you put in. I still held down my job and showed up for dinner every now and then but for the most part it was me, my bike, my FAVORITE shoe the Konejo II , and my Timex GPS at my secret location hidden in the bush.

The Necessities

After a call to my coach, Matt Dixon, we set up a 10 day plan to get me into some shape to be a competitive athlete.Since my swim was where it needed to be, it would be a very tough ten days with the focus being on cycling and running. Last year we worked so hard on my cycling and it was tough being left behind. As much as I hate the alpha numeral Z4, we would get to meet and greet again in 2011 and get to become pretty good friends. There was nothing crazy on the camp, just long hard work.

The running in Austin is simply awesome! There are soft trails everywhere that are all so easy on the knees :) Where we live we can walk out of our front door and have access to 20 miles of soft rolling trails. When things start to heat up trail running tends to be very interesting as the snakes come out to play. Last year I had three rattlesnake kills and a total of seven sightings. Always gets your heart rate going when you hear a rattle! Here are some trails shots from closer to my secret location! I managed to go in a cycle of two day on and one day off which resulted in no pain at all. Came out of this little camp with lots more confidence and faith in the strength of my knee.

Riding in the hill country has to be one of my top three rides I love to do. The other two rides would be the Kohalas loop and the ride Cameron Brown took me on in Auckland, New Zealand.

Riding the hill country, once you get there, is top notch. Very little traffic, rolling terrain, and great views. Perfect roads to do 30-60 min efforts without any interruption. I pretty much spent all my time on Fitzhugh road during this camp. The roads and terrain are just very tough and rugged looking. I love it. For all other specific hill work Riverplace was where I was at.

Camp ended a while back and I had a great time. I achieved all the goals Dixon put out for me and ended up at a good level of fitness. Next up is the Orlando 70.3 on May 15. I hope everything will pay off and I end up executing a near perfect race.

Hope you enjoyed some of the pics of Austin, TX training grounds. Until next time.
-Cotter

Thanks, James. Keep up with James this season at his blog, The Cotter Chronicles.

Racing Action-IM Florida 70.3 and New Orleans 5i50

2011-05-17T11:10:00.004-04:00

2011 is proving to be a hot year for Quintana Roo athletes!

IM Florida 70.3
The biggest news of the weekend was the WIN by QR athlete pro Caitlin Snow at Florida 70.3 over the weekend. Her finishing time was over 6 minutes faster than Nina Kraft in second place! Only a handful of the pro men ran as fast as her 1:20. You probably didn't even see her on her pink camo CD0.1...just too fast. Wow!

On the pro men's side, QR athletes Stanislav Krylov and James Cotter both earned top ten finishes in Orlando. Stanislav earned 4th place in his 70.3 debut in 2011. As mentioned previously, Stanislav is a 70.3 specialist as evidenced by sub-4 hour finish. A strong swim, coupled with 3rd fastest bike split, set him up for a solid run.

James Cotter, finished in 7th in his first race back since a tough time at Galveston. Determined to improve and get back on path, James took some time away to MEGA-train. With just running shoes, nutrition, and his CD0.1, James trained his tail off with an awesome result in Orlando to show for his efforts.

Check out Slowtwitch.com for an additional wrap up of racing in Orlando.

New Orleans 5i50
Not all the racing action was in Florida. QR athlete Charisa Wernick headed to New Orleans for the 5i50 where she earned 5th place. Nice! Weather made the water conditions poor, so the race was changed to a duathlon with 2 mile run in place of the swim. The race may have been shorter than what Charisa normally does, but it was full of Drama with a capital D. Nevermind that she was up at 1:30 a.m. PST in order to prepare for the race...yikes! Congrats to Charisa on a great race.

For the full race report from New Orleans, head to Charisa's blog.

Congrats to all the athletes this weekend.

Weekend Racing Wrap Up-St. George and Gulf Coast Tri

2011-05-11T10:29:00.006-04:00

Seems like this time of year, every weekend has at least one big race. This past weekend was no exception.

QR athlete Simon Malo of Quebec, new to the roster for 2011, saw racing action this weekend at the Gulf Coast Triathlon in Panama City, FL. The long distance race (1.2 mi swim, 56 mi bike, 13.1 mi run) served as an opportunity for Simon to check his fitness in his 2011 debut. He earned 2nd place in the pro class with a finishing time of 4:37. Second out of the water and riding his CD0.1 to a 7 minute lead, the heat eventually took its toll on the run. Though he slipped to second, Simon was really pleased with his 2011 debut.

Elite athlete Wil Emery returned to the QR team in 2011 with a strong debut at Ironman St. George. Wil earned 11th place in the competitive 30-34 age group, finishing in a blazing 10:11. Super fast on his CD0.1 and rocketing home past another 10 racers in his age group on the run, Wil has started off 2011 on good form.

IM St. George was also the first stop in a QR demo tour at the domestic Ironman events. CD0.1s like the ones used by our athletes will be available for test ride. Lots of promotions and incentives will surround QR's presence at these expos, from frameset giveaways to $100 rebates on bike purchases. Racing or not, be sure to swing by an Ironman expo near you.

Up next is IM Texas on May 22. QR will be at the expo all week long. For the complete list of IM events where QR will be available, please visit here.

Race Report-QR Athlete Chris Berg at Spring Sprint

2011-05-06T16:26:00.007-04:00

QR athlete Chris Berg competed at the Spring Sprint in San Diego last weekend and ran his way into an impressive 2nd place. Chris is using these shorter distance races to get his speed up for one of his big goals, Ironman Calgary 70.3.

Check out Chris' race report from the sprint:

This marked the third consecutive year that I have raced Spring Sprint in San Diego. The prior two years I finished 4th, and I was set to finish something other than 4th this year. This is a very short sprint, so the smallest snafu can set you back, or a snafu by someone else can set you up with a good opportunity.

RACE TIME:

The “400 meter” swim seemed slightly short. My split time was 4:54, which for a real open water 400m swim would be fast, but this time also included a run up a ramp into T-1. I am a good swimmer, but not that fast. Everyone was in agreement the swim was short. Either way, for the third consecutive year at this race I lead out of the water. I got into it with the first buoy on the course (i.e. swam right through the darn thing), but then settled in with Charlie on my right shoulder. I took a good line in the final turns and pulled ahead using a nice cork-screw move. Note, this race start was weird, there was no siren or gun, so the starter just gave us a 15s second warning, then said “start”.

Onto the bike, I opted to put my shoes on in transition instead of leaving them on the bike because we were right next to the bike out area in transition. This put Felipe and Charlie onto the bike course before me, but I got the time back while they put on their shoes on the bike. This is where things got out of sorts. Peter Clode rode his way into the lead, where he would stay the rest of the race. I was settled in as much as I can for a 9 mile ride. Then I noticed a shadow following me, so I sat up and waved the rider through. The rider could not do much without the draft, and played this shadow game with Felipe as Felipe went ahead. I sat back and paced off of Felipe and the shadow all the way into T-2.

Running time. I was 4th out onto the run course behind Felipe and Charlie, with Peter about 40 seconds ahead out of T-2. I caught Felipe in the first 200m and could tell he was not too happy about having a shadow the entire ride. I kept on to bring myself to Charlie. About 1k into the run I caught Charlie and pushed on. By this time I was stuck in no mans land, Peter was building a lead of about 60s, which means he was about 300m in front of me, which on this course was out of eye sight, and the distance between myself, Felipe and Charlie was large enough that I didn’t feel pressure from them. I would cross the line 2nd, with a 5k (not 3 miles) time of 17:53, a little slower than I would have liked. My total time for the race was 46:12.

Some notes on the race, this was my first race wearing a one piece tri-suit (from Orca). This was super comfortable on the bike, a little tight on the run, but some zipper action helped that. I think it will be good for sprint and olympic distance races, for the longer races I will stick with a two piece for now. I also had a silent passenger on my bike, Felipe put a sticker of some Disney Princess on my saddle, which I actually like and have decided to keep there. My old man finished with a good time in the over 60 group, but not on the podium. A lot of people were trying to figure out results after because it seems the athletes were very confused with the 2 loop bike and 2 loop run course. Lots of DQ’s and false times were up, but have been taken care of, so check out your time to see if you moved up!

A cool note from an athlete I coach who raced this weekend. A notable story of being a sportsman and good steward in triathlon. During the bike, he stopped and help another competitor fix a flat on the course, and then continued to finish the race. A nice vignette from the day with a positive vibe.

I am back into training mode this week already with OC International on May 22nd, and then Boise 70.3 in June, where I hope to move up one spot from 2nd to 1st and of course with a faster time and solid run.

Well done, Chris. For more information on Chris, please visit his website.

QR Weekend Wrap Up-Wildflower, Duathlon Nats, St Anthony's, and More

2011-05-04T08:42:00.006-04:00

There was so much racing action this weekend that two months, end of April and start of May, were needed and the U.S., from CA to FL, was needed! QR athletes were earning medals and top tens along the way.

As mentioned last week, QR athlete Marisa Asplund was looking for her second U.S. National Championship in Tucson at the 2011 Duathlon National Championships. A smoking fast split on the bike set her up for a silver medal in the Championship with a finishing time of 1:37:42. Way to go, Marisa!

Wildflower was the other big race in the Western U.S. Pro racers took aim at the Long Course triathlon (1.2 mi, 56 mi, 13.1 mi) Returning QR pro Charisa Wernick earned 13th in what is always a brutal course. For her complete race report, please visit her blog.

Returning QR athlete and elite racer Chris Berg earned second at the Spring Sprint Triathlon in part of the San Diego Triathlon Series. Always strong out the water, Chris was second on swim, fourth off bike, and ran his way into 2nd overall. Look for Chris to continue terrorizing So Cal at his next race, the Orange County International Triathlon on May 22.

The other "main event" this past weekend was, of course, St. Anthony's Triathlon. Billed as one of the largest and most competitive pro fields in the 28 year history of the event, QR athlete Stanislov Krylov held his own in a field that included Olympians and World Champions to earn 11th place. With his strength being the swim, the shortened course due to poor water conditions kept him from what would certainly have been a top ten finish. Nevertheless, his super-strong bike split was 8th best, evidence that he and his new CD0.1 seem to be getting along nicely.

Pro triathlete Sean Jefferson also had a great day as he continues to find his legs in the triathlon world finishing 19th. An ITU specialist and Litespeed-sponsored athlete, Sean was ripping on his CD0.1 and cleaning up with his super-fast run talent. For a bit more on Sean's race, read on his facebook page.

Wrapping up St. Anthony's was a big age group win in the Meek & Mighty triathlon. Jazzy Kolch won the 12 year old group, beating 25 other racers. Probably THE newest QR team member, she just got her new Quintana Roo bike earlier in the week! Way to make it look easy, Jazzy!

Congrats to all the QR athletes!

Triathlete's World Magazine Applauds the QR Ultrafull

2011-04-30T11:19:00.003-04:00

On the heels of news that women account for almost 40% of all USAT licenses, the UK women's triathlon scene is experiencing similar popularity and growth. Triathlete's World, the best-selling triathlon magazine in the UK, just published (June 2011 issue) an extensive wetsuit review, highlighting women's suits, in particular. The 2011 Quintana Roo Ultrafull, QR's entry-level suit, impressed testers and won the award for "Best for Sizes".

QR's suits were praised for "good, true fit" and for the extensive sizing. Shorter and wider options are available for improved fit.

Features such as varied neoprene thickness and multiple panels create an ideal combination of flexibility and buoyancy. Top it off with QR's patented Breakaway Zipper for fast exits, and this suit a best-buy.

For athletes in the UK, head to your nearest Evans Cycles store. For athletes in the U.S., shop here.

QR Athlete Marisa Asplund in Action at Duathlon National Championships

2011-04-29T08:31:00.005-04:00

QR is pleased to partner with professional triathlete Marisa Asplund. Her season will start with the pursuit of a National Championship as she races the 2011 Duathlon National Championships in Tucson this weekend. Not only will it be her 2011 racing debut, but her debut on the 2011 CD0.1 race machine as well. Being a cycling stud, you better believe she will have a blistering time at the Championships. Guaranteed to be fast and winner of last year's Duathlon Championships (long course), cheer for Marisa this weekend.

Check out Marisa's pre-race report called "The Tucson Chronicles"-a look back at her time in Tucson over the winter and her thoughts on this weekend.

I couldn’t think of a more perfect way to end the extended stay I’ve had down in sunny Tucson, than to end it with the Decathlon National Championships. I will be racing for a second national title on Saturday up in the Oro Valley, where a stacked field anxiously waits to give me a true run for the money. I’ve got my work cut out for me on the short course of 5K/35K/5K. My Coach, Cliff English, said it perfectly to me yesterday when he said, “Marisa, its just going to hurt”. So, indeed I’m ready for the suffering.

It does feel like the perfect way to wrap up all the time and training I’ve put in down here over the last several months. Tucson has been good to me. I came here in January with a severe foot injury, walking only with a supported brace, wondering how these next few months would play out, not knowing when I’d be able to start racing, but maintaining hope. It was that hope that kept me riding everyday, mixing it up on the group rides, swimming yardage that I never though possible, and resting my foot. Things started to look up the first couple of week of March when I tested the water with a few short miles of running. Over the next several weeks of conservative efforts, I found myself really being able to run, and perhaps stronger than I have in quite a while. The last couple of weeks have been amazing down here, with strong runs and bikes consistently and I can now say, “I’m ready!”

It felt so good yesterday, as I rolled my sweet and stealthy QR CD01 out of the Fair Wheel Bike shop where I’ve come to know all the folks by first name, and they bid me farewell and good luck. The bike actually got a good bit attention (as it should) with the other patrons in the shop with the black finish and black race wheels. It just looks fast. And I intend to make it fast on Saturday.

So…the work has been done now, the pieces are in place; it’s all up to the race now. I’m so thrilled to be healthy and am so grateful the amazing times in Tucson. I will be headed back home to the Durango after the race Saturday as my season gets underway.

Thanks, Marisa! Please visit Marisa's website to learn more about her and her race plans for 2011.

QR Athletes in Action: Nautica South Beach Triathlon and Lonestar 70.3

2011-04-13T08:51:00.009-04:00

Several QR athletes were in action over the weekend and had super results along the way.

First, in sunny Miami, QR pro Stanyslav Krylov, who joined QR starting in 2011, earned 9th place at the Nautica South Beach Triathlon. A top ten finish in a super-strong pro field in the Olympic distance race is another positive step as Stanyslav builds his speed for his 70.3 specialty. One more tune-up Olympic race at St. Anthony's on May 1 before his 2011 70.3 debut at IM Orlando 70.3 on May 15th. Good luck, Stanyslav.

QR athlete Kelly Williamson earned 5th place and second American in the US Pro Championship at Lonestar 70.3. It was a tough day of racing for Kelly. She had high expectations and felt a little disappointed, as you will see in her race report. However, you won't see a gutsier performance. She endured a tough bike leg and passed about 10 competitors to finish strong in 5th, missing first place American spot by a heart-breaking 14 seconds! 14 seconds!

Kelly has earned a deserved rest as she prepares for her next race, IM Texas on May 21st. She will be going all out for big Kona Qualifying Points there.

In the meantime, enjoy this excerpt from Kelly's blog article titled "Lonestar 70.3: Managing Expectations"; full report available here.

...If there is one thing I am, it's persistent, and today was no different. That margin sounded HUGE and I am fairly certain I was in 15th place off the bike. I came out of T2 on a serious mission to at least try to claw my way back into the race. No use in dwelling on the bike, but put in 1 hr and 20 min of running as hard as you can and call it a day, period...

Congratulations to Stanyslav and Kelly on great performances this weekend with more to come in 2011. Stay tuned...

US 70.3 Champions to be Crowned this Weekend in Texas

2011-04-08T09:13:00.004-04:00

This weekend's Ironman Texas 70.3 race serves as the 70.3 U.S. Professional Championship. As you can guess, several QR athletes will be racing for the title including Kelly Williamson and Jessica Jacobs on the women's side. New to the QR Team in 2011, James Cotter will be competing for the men's title.

Kelly Williamson is being named in the hunt for both the win and the U.S. title. With a win already in 2011 at the IM San Juan 70.3, keep an eye out for her. For more on the race and Kelly, read Ironman.com.

Texas 70.3 will be QR athlete James Cotter's first real test. Having trained on his CD0.1 for a while now, he already loves his bike. Keep your eye on James to start the 2011 racing season with a bang!

All the QR athletes will have the advantage of QR's Shift Technology incorporated into each of the CD0.1 bikes they will be riding. Look out, rest of the field!

Kelly's pink camo CD0.1, race-ready

James' CD0.1 , ready to rip

QR Athletes in Action: IM Oceanside 70.3

2011-04-05T10:40:00.006-04:00

Four QR athletes earned great results this weekend at Ironman Oceanside 70.3. A super way to start the 2011 race season, QR CD0.1s were ripping around Southern California.

First, in pro women action, QR athlete Kelly Williamson ran her way into 5th place in a stacked field that included current IM World Champion Mirinda Carfrae with an average pace of 6:05/mile on the run. Kelly's total time was a blistering 4:29. Nice!

Trisports.com and QR athlete Charisa Wernick (pictured) kicked off her season by finishing lucky 13th! A great improvement over rookie pro debut in 2010, the home course that was Oceanside treated her well. Strong on the run and bike, including a 2:41 improvement over her bike split last year, Charisa is poised for a super 2011.

Be sure to check out Charisa's race report on her blog.

In elite age group action, QR is pleased to partner with Eve Nelson for 2011. The Fitness Fanatics athlete competed in her first big race of the season and earned 2nd in her 45-49 age group. A super-strong runner, Eve ran her way into 2nd place, proving that her new, half marathon PR from earlier in the season was no fluke. Not on her CD0.1 yet, look for even faster racing for Eve once she gets her 2011 CD0.1 pink camouflage bike up and running. Look for this athlete in Kona 2011.

Last but not least, returning QR athlete Chris Berg earned 3rd place in his age group on what is considered his "home course" as well. In the uber-competitive 25-29 age group, Chris was the first out of the water-in his QR Superfull and finished with a total time of 4:35, successfully clinching his slot for the 2011 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in September. Congratulations, Chris.

Check out Chris' Oceanside race report at his blog:

Way to go, QR athletes. We are looking forward to a huge 2011!

Oceanside 70.3 Buzz...

2011-04-01T10:38:00.003-04:00

The frenzy of excitement is in full-swing over IM Oceanside 70.3 this weekend. The showdowns for both men's and women's pro fields are not to be missed.

Here is some of the chatter to check out:
Ironman.com talks about the stacked fields
&
Slowtwitch.com speaks of women to watch

Everyone has an eye on QR athlete Kelly Williamson, rightfully so!

Don't forget to swing by the QR booth today, Friday from 2-3 pm for an autograph session with Kelly.

Gearing Up for IM Oceanside 70.3 This Weekend

2011-03-30T13:45:00.004-04:00

The first, big Ironman race on U.S. soil, starts in Southern California this weekend. Several QR athletes consider this race to be their "home race", so there should be some great racing action.

QR athlete Kelly Williamson off to a literal perfect start for 2011 with win at Rev3 Costa Rica and IM San Juan 70.3 just two weeks prior. Kelly will be racing her 2011 CD0.1 in pink camouflage. She will be hard to miss: one of the first out of the water, a pink blur on the bike leg, and a blistering fast run.

Fun for Fans: Kelly will be available for autographs at the QR booth at the expo on Friday, April 1 from 2-3 pm.

Also returning for 2011, QR athlete Charisa Wernick has a full year of pro racing under her racebelt and will be aiming for a high finish this weekend. Look for Charisa on the 2011 CD0.1 Dura Ace bike.

Elite age groupers Chris Berg and Eve Nelson will be rounding out the QR athletes in action at Oceanside. While Oceanside will be the first test for Eve and her new pink camo CD0.1, Chris is coming off a win last weekend at the Seal Sprint Triathlon. QR is pleased that Chris is returning to the QR Team again in 2011.

Thanks to Fitness Fanatics and Nytro Multisport for getting Eve and Chris, respectively, up and running for 2011.

Best of luck, Guys!

Evans Athlete Stephen Bayliss in Abu Dhabi

2011-03-22T13:27:00.007-04:00

Enjoy these cool images from the hot desert at Abu Dhabi International Triathlon a couple weekends ago. Evans, the QR distributor in the UK, sponsors pro triathlete Stephen Bayliss. Abu Dhabi was his first race of the season, and despite a tough lead-up to the race (his QR CD0.1 Dura Ace barely made it to the race, being shipped to Libya and had to be built at 3 a.m.!), Stephen earned 13th place in a stacked pro field.

Finish on beautiful Yas Marina F1 race circuit

On the road in Abu Dhabi

Way to go, Stephen! Thanks to Evans for the great images.

QR Athletes in Action: IM San Juan 70.3 and Miami 5150

2011-03-22T09:34:00.004-04:00

Racing season is officially off and running! So are the 2011 QR athletes...

This past weekend Ironman San Juan 70.3 and the Miami International Triathlon saw a great success for QR professional athletes.

QR athlete Kelly Williamson took her second win of 2011 at IM San Juan 70.3 with a time of 4:15:38 (first win at Rev3 Costa Rica). After strong swim and bike on her QR CD0.1, her blazing, fast run of 1:20 was the fastest of the day. Rounding out the podium was QR's new athlete for 2011, Caitlin Snow. Earning third place on the day, Caitlin seemed to have settled onto her new 2011 CD0.1 high mod bike and ran the second fastest split for the day.

Nice work in San Juan! Keep an eye out for race reports!

The Miami International Triathlon (Miami 5150) saw a stacked men's field and really fast racing. Competing in his first tri of the year, new QR athlete pro Stanyslav Krylov put in a strong showing for 19th. Posting the 3rd fastest swim of the day, Stanyslav rode and ran a strong race thereafter. Look for Stanyslav to come on strong in 70.3s later in the year, his true focus.

Pro athlete Sean Jefferson, ITU-specialist, also competed in Miami atop a 2011 QR CD0.1 . Sean put aside his Litespeed C1 aero road bike for draft-legal racing to earn 14th on the day. Notably Sean posted 3rd fastest run split of the day with a 5:01 pace. Wow.

Great results this weekend, guys!

New QR Athlete James Cotter Raves about CD0.1

2011-03-01T11:05:00.005-05:00

QR is pleased to partner with professional triathlete James Cotter, 70.3 specialist in 2011. With several wins and podiums last year at prestigious events such as Ironman Steelhead 70.3 and Eagleman 70.3, James has been getting acquainted with his new machine for 2011. He will be riding the 2011 QR CD0.1 Dura Ace. Slick, black paint with the new, oversized QR logo in red makes for one fast-looking and fast-riding bike. More than just "good looks", James has posted a review of the bike, as well as the research that he did with fellow QR athlete, Kelly Williamson.

Please enjoy this entry from James' blog, The Cotter Chronicles, about the bike...

This year I’m very happy and excited to announce a new partnership with Quintana Roo bikes and wetsuits. I will be riding the CD 0.1 for the next couple of seasons and could not be happier after the past few rides. I guess you could say my relationship started with QR back in April of 2000 when I moved to Hawaii from New Zealand. My Dad at the time was riding a QR and was looking to invest into new titanium Litespeed. I was given the QR frame and it all started from there. I qualified for Ironman Hawaii on that bike and rode it up to Ironman when I was given a new bike from the local bike shop.

My talks with QR started right after Clearwater 2010, and I was very happy that a QR was willing to invest in me. I did my homework on the new bikes QR were making and made some phone calls. The first person I called was local QR athlete Kelly Williamson. If there was award for straight up bad ass athlete, she would win hands down. She had a phenomenal season last year and really put Austin athletes on the map. She actually just started her season off with a big win at Rev 3 Costa Rica.
Back to the phone call. The QR rep and I had a great chat. She raved about the bike. Very stiff and fast. She had many more things to say about the bike, but for me, I just love a stiff bike frame. Check out her blog here.

Here are some pictures of my new ride the CD 0.1

It was a great feeling when Jack & Adam’s (a local bike shop) gave me a call to let me know the bike had arrived. I was actually becoming very anxious as all the weather had delayed the arrival of my bike by two weeks! I rushed down to the store to check out my new bike. It was beautiful. The black and red looks very sharp and they just happen to be my two favorite colors!

I made a few changes to the front of the bike as I’m not a fan of straight extensions. Went to ATC and switched out the FSA bars for the profile design prosvet basebar and T2 extensions. Looks very sharp. The frame is very slick with the two main features being a bowed fork for better laminar flow across the front wheel and a very funky looking BB know as shift. QR's exclusive 18 millimeter offset downtube SHIFT diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a true, measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.

First ride was out to Johnson City which was a good 4hr + ride over tough challenging terrain. First off, it is a very stiff bike. Accelerates very fast and jumps out of corners when applying power to the pedals. The stiffness also work to your favor during climbs as well. You might think that you would sacrifice some comfort due to stiffness. You do, but no where near as much as I was expecting. Descending has always been fear of mine with previous bikes just because of the feeling of instability. The CD0.1 is a little heavier than my previous bike but is extremely stable and holds its line very well during tight and fast turns.

Obviously I’m really happy with the bike. Have always been scared to get rid of my old rig, but this bike fills in just fine, actually more than fine! Check out Quintanan Roo if you’re in the hunt for a new TT bike.

Cheers,

Thanks, James!

Look for James in 2011 as he sets his sights on the 2011 70.3 Championships in its new location, Las Vegas.

QR athlete Kelly Williamson Wins Rev3 Costa Rica

2011-02-22T11:47:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to QR athlete and pro Kelly Williamson who started the racing season with a win at the 2011 Rev3 Costa Rica over the weekend. Kelly, who posted a 2h:10m:56s in the Olympic race, the premier race of the weekend, was 2.5 minutes faster than Kate Snow in second place! After a strong swim, placing her towards the front, Kelly gained the lead after charging out of the T1 for some tough climbing at the beginning of the bike leg on her QR CD0.1. She says she loves to climb, and sure enough, she never looked back.

Please enjoy Kelly's race report below. Way to resume your winning ways for 2011!

It is quite strange to be doing my first race write up of the 2011 season, seeing that it is only February, but things kicked off early this year with a trip to Costa Rica. I decided last year when this race was announced that it should at the top of my list this year, and when Rev 3 kicked it down from a half to an Olympic distance, I was a bit disappointed. Once Derick (my husband) and I arrived here and I saw how hot, windy and hilly the course was, I was extremely glad it was a shorter race! While it may be a bit tough to get the body to go so fast in February, it was short and sweet and over before I knew it.

We arrived in Liberia on Thursday, which gave us two days to get our bearings down here. The resort where we are staying is beautiful, complete with a huge pool that overlooks the ocean. We had lunch on Friday along the beach at a restaurant with a Tiki hut, and I had to resist the urge to kick back in my bikini under an umbrella with a strawberry daiquiri. Friday we had a pro panel at the race site, along with a short pro briefing, and Saturday was filled with a whole lot of nothing; just the way I like it before a race. One really cool part of being in a foreign country and having to roll with the setup you are given (and many of us staying at the same resort)was that I was able to meet a few fellow professionals who I did not know or had not met before.

Sunday morning felt like an Ironman wake up call, as the alarm sounded at 3:30 AM. Luckily we had rented a car (a Peugeot, nonetheless; FYI, this car fits a Trico bike box in the back seat and multiple bags, though no one would believe me when I said it would! it feels like you are riding in a little coffee bean) and drove over to the race site at about 4:15 for the 6:15 start time. I set up transition and meandered down to the beach, a quick 2 minute walk away. I was not very nervous; maybe a touch, but I tried to keep this race in perspective: It is February, it is an Olympic distance event (and I am training for Ironman), and we're in Costa Rica. These three reasons alone are reason to take a deep breath and relax when the nerves overtake. And I always remind myself, once the gun goes off, that is the easy part; that is the part I do best, I just do not like the hype and build up before the race. The racing itself is the fun part.

The pro men kicked off right at 6:15 and us women followed at 6:18. A small pack of about 4 of us formed quickly, and headed directly into no mans land. Yes; we were straying extremely far right of the first turn buoy! I kept looking up (as I was on their feet) and thinking "I don't SEE a red buoy..." but like a herd of sheep, I followed. Finally we did a quick and decisive turn LEFT and viola, there was a red buoy! From the beach, I hear this was pretty entertaining. We definitely did not take the quickest line, but nonetheless, we figured it out. It was a two loop swim and on the second loop, our group of 4 became 3. This time, the line between the two turn buoys the other two women strayed off course again; and I got lucky, staying right on target, and gaining a bit of time. I met up with super swimmer Amanda Stevens at the final turn buoy and she took the lead, as I began to sing to myself "Come on and take a Free Ride, 'free ride'..." in my head, following in behind her feet. No joke, I really was singing this. We exited out as 1-2 but others were quick to follow, and onto the bike.

We were greeted with a few HUGE HILLS immediately upon exiting transition, that is after riding over a short gravel/dirt/sandy patch that was probably about 200 meters long. I absolutely love to climb and I took this opportunity to try to separate myself from the other women. I was able to move into first on these hills and much to my delight, hold the position through the bike course. For anyone who may consider this race for next year, expect a few big hills exiting the resort, followed by a two loop bike out on the roads outside the resort with a few nice false flats, some good challenging winds, and possibly a cow here or there just to keep you on your toes. Luckily, I did not have to dodge any cows, but they were hanging out right alongside the road to spectate. The bike course was well marked and challenging, just the way I like it!

I descended into T2 and was extremely cautious on these descents, as we hit the gravel patch again, and I went over this at a snails pace. I was stoked to get off the bike after having pretty much trying to trash myself to hold the lead and see if my running legs would be there for me.

I exited out immediately on to sand, which continued for about a half a mile. We ran to another small village, which was so cool as it was only 8:00 AM and there were already locals out there cheering for us! I could see a few ladies not too far back on the run turn around, so I tried to stay on the gas, despite the legs feeling not terribly 'snappy'. I took in my raspberry PowerGel early (I had taken two on the bike) as I felt in need of the extra energy. Once we exited the sand and gravel, we were hit with a long uphill on the roads. Stellar! This course was brutal, and I was loving it. There truly were few sections on this run that were flat and 'fast'. I came through the first loop still in the lead but again, I never count anything in the bag until I see the finish line; and even then, I am brilliant at getting out-kicked. I tried to dig deep and run strong that second loop, and I think I put a bit more distance between me and the other women though I could see them all charging hard. The best part of this course was that they cut out the long golf course section from the first loop, so I made a turn and saw the finish only 50 yards away, expecting another mile or so of running.

At this point, with the beautiful finish chute that is the epitome of Rev 3 races, I breathed a sigh of relief and began to smile. There is nothing like seeing that finish line and knowing you laid it all out there, and can come away with a win. A great crowd was there to greet me and a huge sense of satisfaction came over me, knowing that today, at least, I was the fastest one out here; I savor each victory so much, because nothing is ever a sure thing and on any day, anyone can come out on top. A bit thanks and congrats to all the fellow professional women, I worked so hard out there trying to keep them behind me and I know they were charging hard! It's great that we can all make each other stronger in this process; because ultimately, we are all in this together.

This was an amazing way to start 2011, and I have to thank Rev 3 for putting on such an awesome event. I really hope to see this event grow in future years. Also a big thanks to my sponsors for 2011, including PowerBar, Quintana Roo, Zoot Sports, Reynolds, Recovery Pump, Katalyst Multisport, Road ID, Xcis, Jack & Adams, ISM, Oakley, Hill Country Running, Advanced Rehabilitation, Go with the Flo Acupuncture and 3 Cosas Massage; and of course the endless support from my husband Derick (and Durata Training) and his guidance. Now, I need to get off of this computer and soak up the Costa Rica sunshine while I can! Here's to a great 2011, best of luck with your goals and remember, keep it all in perspective; when it got tough out there, I looked over my shoulder at the ocean and at the people of the town and reminded myself where I was and that no matter how hard it got, I was lucky just to be out here doing it. Thank you for reading!
~Kelly

Thanks, Kelly! Look for Kelly next month at the San Juan 70.3.

QR $100 Rebate-Get Yours Before It's Gone!

2011-02-01T15:32:00.000-05:00

So, you didn’t get exactly what you wanted over the holidays…here is your chance to change that. Get yourself or your sweetie a Valentine’s Day gift to remember.

Quintana Roo is offering $100 rebate towards the purchase of a new 2010 or 2011 QR CD0.1 complete bike or frameset OR $50 rebate towards the purchase of a new 2010 or 2011 Seduza or Dulce. Bike or frameset must be purchased through an authorized QR dealer.

The rebate promotion begins on Saturday, January 22, 2011 and ends on Monday, February 14, 2011.

Once you have purchased your bike or frameset, please send a legible copy of the receipt, along with the information completed below to QR at:

American Bicycle Group
Attn: QR Rebate
PO Box 22666
Chattanooga, TN 37422
USA

Please review the following Rules and Regulations related to the rebate:

1. All sales will need to be completed through an authorize QR dealer. No ebay sales will be permitted.

2. Rebate cannot be combined with any other QR offer (such as special club pricing, etc.)

3. Rebate offer valid in United States, Canada, and Mexico.

4. Completed paperwork and receipt cannot be presented to QR after April 1, 2011.

5. Product will need to be purchased no earlier than January 22, 2011 and no later than Monday, February 14, 2011.

Click on rebate form for printable version

You Ask. Kelly Answers.

2011-02-01T15:23:00.004-05:00

We asked for questions on the QR Facebook page (friend us if you haven't already!)for QR athlete Kelly Williamson. We got several good ones including this from Eric D.

Eric D What should I be doing now to get ready for the training I'll do this summer for Ironman Wisconsin ? I know this is a rather specific question, but I'm sure there are a ton of fellow Ironman trainees that are asking the same thing.

Eric, thanks for asking this question; and it is a good one for those racing a later season Ironman. It is easy to think now that since it is so far off, there is little that can be done now to help you; but this could not be further from the truth. Be careful about doing too much volume right now; you may risk burnout, physically and/or mentally. However, there is always work to be done. What is your area of weakness? This is the perfect time to work your weakness in the sport. Also there is nothing wrong with actually trying to get 'faster' a few months out from an Ironman. Meaning, if you run an Ironman at 9 min/mile pace, use these months now to try to bring down your threshold pace from 8 min/mile to 7:30/mile. In doing this, you will also see that you'll be stronger come September and likely be able to run a faster marathon. If you struggle on the bike and you live in a colder climate, lay out a plan of trainer riding and stick to it (and along with this goes the value of training with power, which could allow you to see huge gains via indoor training). If swimming is your weak sport, find a masters group and join them the next few months.

Use this time to map out your entire season, or at least the races that you will do prior to Ironman Wisconsin. I am guessing that your one and only race will not be Wisconsin. If you are racing some early season sprints or even a few 70.3 events, look at the big picture and start to develop a plan in how you will be prepared for those; while using Wisconsin as the big goal event. These races (sprints, Olympic's or 70.3's) can all be 'marker' races as you build towards Wisconsin. When you see an entire season laid out now, it will motivate you to get up each day as you'll know what you are working towards.

Thanks to Kelly and Eric. Be sure to visit QR's facebook page to post a question of your own.

QR athlete Brian Shelden Training and Racing in New Zealand

2011-01-12T14:46:00.003-05:00

QR and athlete Brian Shelden have teamed up once again for 2011. Brian is one of our elite age groupers who had an outstanding showing at Kona in October. Brian will be riding the 2011 CD0.1 High modulus bicycle that is pictured.

For 2011, Kona is squarely in his sights again, especially after his recent qualification at IM Florida.

Enjoy Brian's update from New Zealand as he prepares for 2011 with a combination fun, training and racing Down Under!

In September when my job dried up, I was very very tired of working. 80-hours works will do that, I think.

About then I had seen an advert for Scott Molina's "Epic Camp." You fly to New Zealand, train with the Terminator and some other fast folks; and basically smash yourself -- riding 100 miles a day, plus running and swimming -- for two weeks.

It sounded like a blast! I had been to the south island of New Zealand with a friend in 1999, hiking. I remembered thinking "what a great place to ride," but I had never been there with my bike.

So, I signed up. Unfortunately, not enough other people did. :-( So the organizers were forced to cancel it. Sadly, they didn't cancel it until after my non-refundable plane tickets were purchased.

So here I am, in Christchurch, New Zealand. Looking to get in a huge amount of training by myself. The organizers did offer to show me around Christchurch; which they have done.

They sent me to a great masters program to swim with (coached by "Rolly," who claims to have taught Gordo Byrne how to swim). I found, by accident, a road over the closest mountains. Which was my target: I like to do a lot of climbing in the "spring," which this is for me. (And Austin has hills, but no mountains.) And except for a small incident getting lost, I found some great trails running trails along the beach.

You can't argue with Christchurch as a training destination. A tad chilly, maybe. But when there is snow on the ground in Austin, well, I should and will shut up :-)

I do have a training dilemma, however. I sat down with a new coach this winter, and he identified quickly what he thinks I have been doing wrong, running-wise, for the last couple of years.

His opinion: on the run I've been training for short-course, not long course. His recommendation was that I need to take the speed I have, and extend it out to longer and longer distances. I.e., tempo runs and the like. So, he wrote me a plan for the February Austin marathon that included them. I've been hitting the pace targets, and feeling great doing so.

The dilemma is: he also told me to not kill myself cycling or swimming until after the marathon. Doing so will undercut the run progress.

Which I 100% agree.

But...here I am, in the Southern Hemisphere, not working. Shouldn't I be riding like crazy? While even my Texas friends are riding their trainers?

I've been trying to compromise; I'm not adding the *huge* mileage that the Epic Camp would have entailed. But yet I am riding 4x a week; starting at 75 miles each ride and adding slowly, smartly. I won't be able to do that back in Texas. Hopefully I'll be working by then; and/or the weather will be "too dodgy."

So, while I may be too tired for the Austin Marathon, I should at least have more cycling *and* running miles in my legs than most folks going into Ironman Texas in May. It's a gamble, but I think it's going to work!

Thanks, Brian. We are very excited to have you back at QR in 2011! Best of luck with the Austin Marathon in February!

Athlete Steven Lord Cruises to 5th place at IM Western Australia

2011-01-05T11:31:00.006-05:00

Elite athlete Steven Lord finished Ironman Western Australia with a blazing time of 9:20 for 5th in his age group. While completing the fast 4:49 bike split on his 2010 CD0.1 Ultegra bike, he earned his Kona slot and will be returning for the World Championships in October 2011. Oh yeah, there is racing going on in the Southern Hemisphere!

To enjoy Steven's race report from IM Western Australia, please visit his blog.

Way to go, Steven!

QR Partners with Infinit Nutrition for Holiday Frameset Giveaway

2010-12-21T11:49:00.003-05:00

To register to win, please visit:

http://www.infinitnutrition.us/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=320

For the second year in a row, Quintana Roo (QR) will partner with Infinit Nutrition to give away a new 2011 CD0.1 frameset at midnight on January 1, 2011. The giveaway is part of a holiday promotion in which one lucky winner will be chosen and contacted by Infinit Nutrition CEO, Michael Folan. The CD0.1 is praised by industry media as “…the most innovative in the last decade from any brand.”

Peter Hurley, CEO of American Bicycle Group’s QR, praises the promotion for its consumer focus. He states, “Promotions like this are great to be a part of because they excite consumers and drive traffic to our dealers. It is a win-win situation for all involved. Additionally, the cross-marketing partnership with Infinit gets our products in front of an audience that may not necessarily be very familiar with QR’s dealer network.”

Named for the low coefficient of drag in the wind tunnel, the CD0.1 uses QR’s premier Shift Technology for aerodynamic advantage in triathlon and is priced at $2600. The CD0.1 frameset includes the high modulus carbon frame, aero carbon fork, headset, and front and rear brakesets. At the completion of the contest, the winner will visit his nearest local QR dealer to choose the appropriate size, get a photo taken for the QR blog, and get a free bag of Infinit customized nutrition.

Competing in Triathlon-Another Perspective

2010-12-17T12:37:00.004-05:00

Matt Bayfield rides a QR Seduza. Matt Bayfield races triathlon. Matt is professionally trained as a psychologist... If you think that Matt probably has some interesting thoughts and insights on life as a triathlete, you would be right! Unlike the typical QR athlete race report, enjoy this article from the current Triathlete's World in which Matt talks about what motivates him and why it may not be the same as the competitors he lines up against.

Thanks to Sunset MTB in Wales for assisting Matt in his selection. You will notice the upgraded Dura ace group and wheels.

Look for Matt in 2011 at Olympic tris in New Forest, Windsor, and Dorney Lake. If he gets crazy, you might see him at the full iron distance Henley-on-Thames!

Best of luck in 2011, Matt!

Slowtwitch.com Features the 2011 QR CD0.1 Ultegra

2010-12-07T11:30:00.006-05:00

Slowtwitch.com recently reviewed the 2011 CD0.1 Ultegra. Enjoy Dan Empfield's detailed analysis of the bike's features-from the well-thought out build specs to the dramatic detailing of the frame's design. The review is available here at Slowtwitch.com

By reading this informative article you will be educated specifically about:
-the stack and reach of the CD0.1 and how it relates to your fit as an athlete
-the hidden brakesets of the CD0.1 and how function and form must go hand-in-hand in design
-QR's spec choices and why the CD0.1 Ultegra is a perfect combination of price awareness and solid parts' choices

This bike got Empfield to say things like "I love the CD0.1's geometry", and he calls the CD0.1 a "compelling bike." Priced at $3300, you will have a hard time finding a better bike for the money.

And, ladies, you haven't been forgotten. Check out this machine-basically the same bike with slightly modified spec-made specifically for you...

Reflections from a Rookie-QR Athlete Kyle Pawlaczyk

2010-12-03T11:48:00.005-05:00

2010 is a year that QR athlete and professional triathlete Kyle Pawlaczyk will never forget. It was his rookie season, and it was full of learning, as you can expect from a rookie season in any sport. For Kyle, success had many faces in 2010-from top tens in stacked Ironman fields to improved swim confidence and times.

Enjoy this article from Kyle as he reflects on an impressive rookie season:

One of the popular practices taught in schools of education is ”reflective teaching.” Research suggests that the most effective teachers are those that take time to reflect on their teaching experiences. I’m not sharing this to show that I’m three months removed from graduate school and actually remember something that I learned, but rather to show that this process can be worthwhile in a number of different applications, including athletics. So, year one of my “professional” triathlon career is almost in the books. Time to reflect!

My triathlon “career” started with a bang at the Rumpass in Bumpass (yes, actual race in the actual town of Bumpass, Virginia) on April 18, 2009. I won the race after taking the lead early on the bike. This triathlon thing was going to be easy!

Exactly one year later, I entered Lake Pontchartrain at Ironman 70.3 New Orleans alongside Andy Potts, Chris McCormack, Terenzo Bozzone, and a number of the sport’s other top athletes. Notice I said that I entered the lake alongside them. I exited the lake some six minutes after most of them, and still had three and a half hours of racing to go. My pro career was underway, and this “triathlon thing” was proving to be a challenge. Here are a few of the important themes from my first year as a pro triathlete:

Learning the Hard Way

Sometimes, there just aren’t any shortcuts. In triathlon, there are plenty of situations that you simply have to experience (and possibly screw up) to truly learn a lesson about the sport. No half-baked advice column or triathlon training book can accurately convey what you’re going to experience when the gun goes off and 30 pros sprint into a cold, dark body of water. No amount of wisdom from a handbook can prepare you to deal with the mental and physical difficulty of running out of gas during the run on a 90 degree day.

Your best teacher is experience. My small successes this year have come because I’ve learned from the difficult lessons that racing has taught me. After getting boat raced in the swim at New Orleans, I realized the value of going out fast. I made the adjustment, and life has been easier ever since.

Wouldn’t Trade it for Nothing

I knew what I was getting into when I decided to try to establish a triathlon career (see “Risk,” written in February). Bridging the gap from “unproven first-year professional triathlete” to “professional triathlete, in the sense of actually making a living,” has been rife with challenges. I work part-time to make ends meet. I define financial security as “having two or more digits in front of the decimal in my checking account balance.” I’m based in Buffalo and Charlottesville, which aren’t exactly the triathlon meccas of Boulder and San Diego, but they’re home.

I’ve certainly had to make some sacrifices in order to give this a shot. The path to full-time pro will not be glamorous. But I only get one shot at it and wouldn’t change a thing about what I’m doing. I’m at a point in my life where a lot of my peers are beginning to settle into careers (“real” careers), own homes, and start families. It’s great, and I’m happy for them. But if one of them asked me to trade places with them, I’d refuse. I’d probably say to them: “Keep your home and well-paying job and steadily-growing investment portfolio. I have a tiny bedroom that smells like feet, a toilet that kind of flushes, and a dream of being a champion in my sport, and I won’t trade it for anything.”

Triathlon is Not an Individual Sport

Sam McGlone wrote an interesting article in Triathlete on the support system required for success in triathlon. In the article, she cited the importance of a coach, nutritionist, sports psychologist, and an “unwavering fan club.” Triathlon, and Ironman in particular, has become a symbol of supreme individual achievement. Ironically, as my career has progressed, I’ve found myself relying more and more on the support of others for success.

I don’t have a coach (to borrow from the legal adage, I have “a fool for a client” as a self-coached athlete). If you asked me to identify my nutritionist, I’d probably say “the Keebler Elves.” Sports psychologist? I got a B in sport psych in grad school; does that count? Unwavering fan club? Ok, check.

So I don’t have the traditional “support system.” But I do have some great support where it matters. I have a generous sponsor in Quintana Roo, who has provided me with the equipment needed to compete against the best. Having friends and family (my “unwavering fan club”) in my corner on race day has meant more than I can express here. Finally, and most importantly, I have my parents. Most sane parents would not support their son’s decision to cast aside seven years of post-secondary education to pursue an athletic career in a relatively obscure sport. Fortunately, I do not have sane parents. I have parents who have, without reservation, supported my decision from day one. “Mom and Dad” doesn’t often appear on a professional triathlete’s race kit, but parents are often the unsung heroes of a triathlete’s early career. Mine are no different. Whether it’s good genes, my “travel budget,” or simply the belief that I can do it, Mom and Dad have, more than anyone, given me everything I need to succeed. The rest is up to me.

Ironman Florida on November 6th will officially wrap up my 2010 season. Again, a very special thank you to everyone who has made this year possible. You know who you are. Thank you!

Thanks, Kyle. For more on his 2010 season, please visit his website at http://kptri.wordpress.com/

Outside Magazine Puts the QR Superfull to the Test

2010-11-30T15:26:00.009-05:00

Thanks to Outside Magazine's Material Girl for her delightfully honest review of the QR Superfull wetsuit. Be sure to check out the very scientific, step-by-step analysis of how a wetsuit should look and perform.

Enjoy this excerpt from the Outside:

...My first impression: Damn, this suit is hot! As in,"Erin, you look smokin' hot!" I posed for a photo. In the 2010 suit, the whale design is replaced by a sexy, technical-looking blue and silver motif. I thought I looked like an intimidating triathlete who knows what she's doing. The QR passed my first test of women-specific tri products: must look hot. But how would it perform?...

To read how it performed-spoiler alert, superbly-check out the rest of the Erin's Superfull experience at
http://outside-blog.away.com/blog/2010/11/an-ironman-swim-in-quintana-roos-superfull-wetsuit.html

For more information on the QR Superfull, please visit www.quintanarootri.com.

QR Athletes in Top Ten at Ironman Cozumel

2010-11-30T12:57:00.003-05:00

QR athletes and pros Pat Evoe and Charisa Wernick had fantastic results at Ironman Cozumel last weekend. Pat was delighted with his 6th place and new PR of 8:35 (Wow!), while Charisa was happy to earn 7th in a stacked women's field. Congrats to these athletes as 2010 comes to a close.

From Pat, post-race:
I couldn't be happier with my race yesterday here at Ironman Cozumel. 6th place overall and a huge personal best time of 8:35...

To see the rest of his mini race report for Pat, check out his blog at http://www.patrickevoe.com/Blog_and_Race_Reports.html Prepare for extreme jealousy when you see the gorgeous photography!

From Charisa about IM Cozumel:
My main goal going into this race was to break 10 hours. With the course being flat I figured as long as I set myself up with a good swim in my mind there was almost no way this wouldn't happen...

Be sure to read Charisa's race report-a bit of survival and a bit of family-available at her blog at
http://charisawernick.blogspot.com/2010/11/ironman-cozumel-race-report.html

Thanks and congratulations on a great 2010!

Race Report-QR Athlete Chris Berg at 70.3 Championships

2010-11-17T08:56:00.002-05:00

QR athlete and elite age grouper Chris Berg finished up a superb 2010 racing season at the 70.3 World Championships in Florida. Nutrition and sickness issues hindered his performance in 2010. But, it left Chris hungry for 2011 when the 70.3 World Championships move to September AND Las Vegas. Enjoy Chris's race report from Clearwater:

Unlike my last few posts, this one is being done day of the race, immediately after finishing. Given that, expect some opinions and thoughts that would normally be withheld to be printed in the words below.

The swim was as it should be, but a little weird. Some waves in the gulf, water temperature was just fine, however being in the last wave the buoys migrated a bit. Not in length, but the line to last buoy. Instead of straight, they moved left to right, so if one was swimming out towards the first buoy down the line, and then the next, it turns out your path would be zig-zag a little. So picking a line to swim to the end buoy was hard as the intermittent buoys were “roaming”. I hate being the last wave, constantly swimming over slower swimmers, lead groups never get a chance to form because they are constantly trying to move around slower swimmers. Having the faster age groups go last presents a danger to all athletes, those being passed and those passing. I was 6th out of the water in the 25-29 age group in a time of 25:53, a little slow, but not bad given conditions and other swimmers times’.

The bike course here is a joke. A bloody joke. The flat course just asks for large packs to form, and the lack of officials for the course doesn’t help either. To be honest I spent most of the bike alone, or sitting a few bike lengths behind a group of 50-100 riders. What is the point of a $10k bike if you are just going to hang out in pack? Amateurs posting splits faster than pros on the bike is laughable. And no offense ladies, but posting splits as fast as your male counterparts doesn’t make very much sense either, these things do not happen as often or in the quantity that they happen on other courses.

As for how my bike went, it was alright. Around 2-3 minutes slower than last year, but it seems the overall bike splits of pros were about 3-5 minutes slower, so I don’t feel terrible about my time of 2:16:15. My stomach was not happy with me though, anytime I would drink I would get queezy, and couldn’t stand to take any more nutrition in. Still I pushed on, knowing I would pay for it on the run, when I could go to my savior, cola.

Mind you, time wise at this point I am still within my goal of racing under 4:10. I just need to run well enough. If I ran around 84 minutes, I would be right at 4:10. But with no gas in the tank, I didn’t have it. My leg muscles spasmed the first 5k, and I was desperately downing cola at aid stations. At first I was fine, but then was bloated from playing catch-up. Eventually (the last mile) I felt great and started running the way I should have been running the past 12 miles. My horrific run split was 1:45. I should be 20 minutes faster, which would have put my overall time at 4:12, instead I put up a 4:32, for 65th in my age group and 419th overall. Disappointing, but to find some positives in this race, I swam well, I rode well and honest, and despite having a nutritional lapse I was still in a position to achieve my goal time of 4:10 or quicker when it came time to run.

I am very happy I never have to race here again, and really looking forward to a new venue for this race in 2011. A big thank you to my girlfriend and one woman support crew, Kristen. Also a big thank you to my sponsors, Quintana Roo (is it a coincidence I use your wetsuit and bike, and my run is the leg that suffered today…?). Also Breakaway Training, NYTRO (THE triathlon shop), Fluid, and Motor-Tabs.

In a 2010 season quick wrap up, to sway from the negative vibe this race seems to give everyone, I finished 2010 with two overall sprint wins, another sprint podium (2nd), two 70.3 age group podiums (1st Calgary, 2nd Boise), two top-10 finishes in pro fields at olympic/international distance races, and an age group win/overall win in an olympic distance race. Looking back, it was great, just a bummer to end on a sour note.

Thanks, Chris. Fantastic 2010. Thanks for being part of the QR Team.

Video Introduction to the 2011 QR Seduza

2010-11-16T09:52:00.011-05:00

Introducing the 2011 Quintana Roo Seduza ($2000 US MSRP). Improvements to the carbon frame include taller head tube for better fit and comfort for rider and addition of dual seat stay design (as found on flagship QR CD0.1) for improved aerodynamics and ride compliance. The exciting thing is that these great improvements come at no increase in price and upgraded Shimano wheels.

For ladies wanting something tailored to their comfort and preferences, QR offers the 2011 Dulce, which also retails for $2000.

IM Florida Winner Jessica Jacobs in Action

2010-11-10T12:16:00.004-05:00

Some great photos of QR athlete and 2010 Ironman Florida winner Jessica Jacobs at last weekend's race.

QR CD0.1 bike photo courtesy of photographer Richard Freer

Finish line victory photos courtesy of photographer Kourey Gibbs

QR Athlete Jessica Jacobs Wins IM Florida

2010-11-09T09:24:00.005-05:00

Professional triathlete Jessica Jacobs brought her 2010 season to a close in Panama City Beach,Florida, with her first Ironman win. She completed Ironman Florida’s 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run in 9:07:49.

“Nine to ten days out from Ironman Florida, I was ready to race. I took a weekend to head down to Panama City Beach for a mini training camp. I got out the bike course map and rode that course like I owned it. Afterwards, I was truly looking forward to seeing what type of race I put together on the big day.”

Her bike course prediction came true. Jacobs rode a 4:52:36, the fastest female split of the day. She followed up her strong ride with a solid 3:04:52 marathon. The combination of her swim, bike and run added up to a first place finish by over six minutes.

“Not everything went perfectly out there today – my aerobar pad snapped off early in the ride, for example – but what can you do? I just stayed focus, stayed positive, and raced my race. It hasn’t sunk in yet that I just accomplished one of my biggest dreams.”

Now that the season is over, Jacobs will shift her focus to another lofty but attainable goal. Following her 2:48:29 finish at the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon in May, Jacobs decided to aim to go under 2:46:00 in an open marathon and qualify for Olympic Trials.

“Between my ultra-supportive husband, daughter, and family, my new coach Derick Williamson with Durata Training, and the confidence I have gained from the great results of this year, I have no excuses. I can’t wait to see where the next year takes me,” Jacobs said with a smile.

More on the race:
http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Cunnama_Jacobs_take_Florida_1788.html
and
http://ironman.com/events/ironman/florida/shawn-skene-recaps-this-weekends-ford-ironman-florida?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ironman%2Ftopstories+%28Ironman.com+Top+Stories%29#axzz14o8JSx4T

For more information of Jessica, please visit: www.jessicajacobsironman.com

IM Florida Preview-QR Athletes Abound

2010-11-05T10:30:00.003-04:00

Ironman.com has posted a preview of Ironman Florida this weekend. Among the names to watch on the women's side is QR athlete Jessica Jacobs. Having great success at IM FL previously, Jessica has been known to post the fastest bike split of the day at this race. Hopefully, 2010 will be another strong showing for her.

Other athletes of note include QR athlete and pro Kyle Pawlaczyk, as he wraps up his rookie season at IM FL and elite age grouper Brian Shelden, who looks to win the competitive 40-44 age group

All athletes will be riding Quintana Roo's 2010 CD0.1.

http://ironman.com/events/ironman/florida/shawn-skene-previews-this-weekends-ironman-race-in-florida?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ironman%2Ftopstories+%28Ironman.com+Top+Stories%29#axzz14PTjON7a

Video Introduction to the 2011 QR CD0.1 Dura Ace Bike

2010-11-03T15:07:00.004-04:00

Introducing the 2011 Quintana Roo CD0.1 Dura Ace bike ($5500 US MSRP). The CD0.1 Dura Ace is praised for its ground-breaking design using Shift Technology and competitive-out-of-the-box spec.

QR Demo Tour Visits Trisports.com from Novemeber 4th-6th

2010-11-02T13:36:00.009-04:00

On November 4-6, athletes living in and around Tucson have a great opportunity to see what Quintana Roo is all about. Thanks to dealer partner Trisports.com, you will be able test ride QR CD0.1 demo bikes and talk with QR representative Chris Brown as a part of Trisports.com's Demo Days. See, hear and feel what CD0.1 Shift Technology is all about.

Come out and enjoy refreshments, informative sessions and fun rides on the CD0.1.

Demo Days will take place at the Trisports.com store.

All you need to participate are your shoes, pedal and a helmet!

All demo riders are entered to win a free frameset!

Kelly, QR, and Kona-Grand Finale

2010-11-02T11:18:00.006-04:00

QR athlete and pro Kelly Williamson earned 15th at the Ironman World Championships in Kona in October. Quite a finish for a Kona debut! Almost immediately after qualifying for the world championships, Kelly set her sights on putting in a strong performance at Kona. Well, we can accurately say "Mission Accomplished"!

Enjoy the wrap up to Kelly's Kona Journey below.

It has been about 1.5 weeks since Ironman Hawaii, and I have had a bit more time to reflect upon the race. Despite this being my second ever Ironman and first time to Kona, I wanted to do well. I wanted to put an 'exclamation point' on the already strong season I have been able to muster. I walked away with mixed feelings, however when I look at it realistically (and I take away my too-often self-critical eye), I am very pleased with how it all played out and it has definitely raised the bar for what I would like to accomplish next season.

I went into this race aiming to finish in the Top 10. I knew that would be a tall order, but I like to put out BIG GOALS for myself. If we can race without fear, and know that it is ok not to attain every goal we set (at least immediately), I think that this encourages us to find the best in ourselves that we can. I don't want to sell myself short! I believed that I could be with the top girls on the swim, I knew that I would lose some time on the bike (which I was alright with) and I wanted to unleash a killer run that would secure a top spot. That said, even the best laid plans do not always come to fruition!
I swam a bit conservatively. They started the pro men and women together. For fear of getting pummeled and pushed 'inside', I started far wide and let the washing machine take off ahead of me. This was a costly mistake on my part and in the future, I will be more aggressive. I was about 2 minutes from the lead womens group and even further behind the top few professional women (women I have swum with in most races!). I exited the swim in 57 minutes, hopped on my trusty steed (CD0.1) and tackled the bike; cursing myself as I saw the swarm of women ahead of me but also realizing no point in dwelling on the past. I put my head down and found my groove.

The bike leg passed far quicker than I had expected, and I front-loaded my nutrition. I knew that the ~1 hour I would spend in Hawi could be windy and I wanted to be prepared to keep my hands on the bars. Despite being blown off my bike (but I recovered quickly!), I was pleased with the 5:22 bike split as I felt strong all the way through the finish. I went through every ounce of my nutrition, which was about 2100 calories, and exited the bike in 24th place; so, I had my work cut out for me to run into any sort of contention.

Exiting onto the run, I felt a bit weak. Not 'nutrition lacking' weak, but 'leg weak'. I just have not gotten used to the feeling on the legs of 112 miles of hard cycling, but I cannot expect to have it quite yet. I tried to roll with it, and tried to take in the energy of Ali'i Drive; I tried to hide the pain I was feeling and realized that in an Ironman marathon, things can change. When I hit the 10 mile mark on Palini, I felt rough. I was told, "Kelly it will get better." I was also told by my husband Derick "Kel you are in 20th!" That, I did not like. =) My only choice was to keep plugging away.

Similarly to in Coeur d'Alene, I turned a corner at about mile 16 or 18 and I started to feel much better. I entered the Energy Lab, took my special needs bag (a frozen water bottle which I doused on myself) and exited it with 10k to go, feeling stronger than I had 10k into the run. I reminded myself that after countless hard run sessions all season, 6 miles was NOTHING and I was determined to finish strong. I was able to pass a few women coming in, and finally saw the finish chute, which was a welcome sight. I crossed in 9:36, 15th Professional woman, with a 3:11 marathon.

There is not a lot that is 'easy' about Ironman. Any day that nothing goes wrong, you nail your nutrition (I actually GAINED 4 lbs!), you do not bonk and you finish still feeling rather strong is a good day. I can now sit and wonder, did I leave it all out on the course? Could I have been more aggressive on the bike? on the run? But, I feel I executed a smart, controlled yet aggressive race, especially for my first go at this event. This race really does have an amazing spirit to it, and I could feel that. To top it off, I was able to raise $6270 for Multiple Sclerosis in the process through the Janus Charity Challenge. My Aunt Sandy has had MS since she was 30. Ironically enough, the week after my race, she was told by her doctor that after 17 years in a leg brace, she is doing great and they want to get her out of it. She is now doing rehab exercises to accomplish this goal. She has taught me that it is not so much what life throws at us, but how we react to it, that determines our fate; that makes us who we are.

I have so much to be thankful for, and I am grateful for not only amazing sponsors, but family and friends support. 'Til the next one, keep looking forward and keep your eyes on the horizon; I know mine will be. Bigger and better in 2011!

~Kelly

Note: Since Kelly's tremendous race in Kona, she wrapped up 2010 on a less-than-positive note. After coming out of the water with the lead women during Ironman Miami 70.3 on Halloween weekend, Kelly had an unfortunate wreck on bike leg of her race. Banged up, but ever the competitor, Kelly finished the race. You can read about her race and send her wishes of a quick return to health at her blog http://kellyhandel.blogspot.com/2010/10/learning-experience-in-miami.html

Some Kona photos to enjoy:

Kelly heads to bike check in

Fun and family in Kona too-Kelly and Derrick

Dinner with Dad

QR Demo Tour Rolls to Scottsdale, AZ

2010-10-29T08:08:00.005-04:00

Tribe Multisport welcomes the QR Demo Tour on Saturday, October 30 for a fun and informative day of QR test rides and Q&A sessions.

QR head designer Brad DeVaney and QR athlete Kevin Taddonio will be on hand during the event.

Saturday's event starts at 10 a.m. with an Information Session with Brad. Learn about his 15+ years of experience in design and how he came up with revolutionary Shift Technology that is found on the QR CD0.1

Q&A at 10:30 a.m.

Test rides start at 11 a.m. You will need to contact Tribe to reserve your bike. There will be CD0.1 Ultegra bikes of all sizes available. Don't forget your helmet and pedals!

Kevin Taddonio and his race machine-the 2010 High Modulus CD0.1 that powered him to a sub-nine hour performance in the 25-29 age group at the Ironman World Championships in October-will be present for the festivities at Tribe. After Kona, Kevin became a professional triathlete to conclude a super-strong 2010.

Kevin's photo courtesy of Madison Kirkman Photography

QR Tri Demo Tour Hits Triathlon Lab

2010-10-22T12:25:00.004-04:00

Don't miss your chance to ride the 2010 QR CD0.1 when the QR Demo Tour heads to Triathlon Lab's Santa Monica store.

When: Sunday, October 24th from 12:30-4:30

Where: Tri Lab Santa Monica store-call (310) 581-6100 for directions

Visit Tri Lab to see and feel what CD0.1 Shift Technology is about!

Kona Race Report-QR Athlete Brian Shelden

2010-10-20T09:27:00.008-04:00

QR athlete Brian Shelden had a spectacular trip to Kona. Finishing 18th (9:35) in the 40-44 age group on extremely limited training is very impressive!

Please enjoy Brian's colorful race report from the Big Day below. Thanks to photographer J. David Levy for the awesome photograph of Brian drilling it on the run!

From Brian...

Kona this year was a very interesting experience. As always, getting a start at Kona is like getting to play in Yankee stadium for me. My childhood heros were named Allen, Scott, Molina, Glah, and Newby-Fraser.

Yet, four weeks ago, I was considering not even going.Giving my training at that point, I didn't think it waspossible to be ready. I had done next to no training in August. No hyperbole. I think I swam a total of 2000y that month, and rode a total of 25 miles.

For better or worse, I ended up quasi-voluntarily losing my job. The little consulting firm I was working for likes me, but we lost the customer that was funding me. So I decided to take the four weeks I had left before Kona off, and pulled out the old Australian full-time training plans I used in 2004.

I survived the huge jump in volume, and I hooked up on Saturdays with some of the fastest guys in town for some hard riding. I was starting to feel good in the water and bike; but historically I have ran way more than 18 miles as my longest run leading up to an Ironman! Those long runs were not as quick either; the early ones were at 8:00/mile pace...which I couldn't hold. (Before Wisconsin last year, I was starting at 7:30s, and descending down to 6:45 or so.)

I arrived on Tuesday, planning to ride 100 miles on the Queen K on Wednesday. I actually had to add on a couple of miles because there are not that many places to stop for water on the Queen K, so it ended up being 107! I even did some intervals; holding a wattage target for 0h20. That was fun when was fun when I needed all 0h20 to catch one guy on the last one! Of course, he was a pro who was riding easy, but it was nice to have a target.

Race day arrived, and I was pretty relaxed. I decided my swim start strategy emphatically did *not* work in 2006 and 2009, and started as far to the left as possible. You know, that advice they give to poor swimmers doing their first triathlon?

This worked great. I didn't get boxed in like I have been in past years, and I didn't get elbowed until after the turnaround! I stayed on the outside; found good feet for the first half at least.

From the turnaround back to the pier seemed endless. Perhaps due to lack of swim volume? I couldn't even *see* the pier when looking up for the longest time! That sucked, so I decided to start counting strokes, and not look up until I got to 64. That should be 100m, right?

I must have only been 500-600m out from the end of thepier, as I got to the edge of the pier in 5 or six "reps"of counting to 64.

I was already wearing my number, and had my food in my pockets from the swim. So all I had to do was drop the speedsuit to my knees and hand the bundle to a volunteer,
and off I went.

As I left T2, Mike Reilly announced "and here goes legend Scott Molina, the champion here in 1988!" I looked to my right, and I'll be damned, The Terminator himself on my left. (And I just signed up for one of his "Epic" training camps in NZ in January!) I told him so, and we rode together -- him asking me if I'd gotten a watch on my swim split, which I hadn't -- until the turnaround on the Kuakini Highway (about mile 5.)

I zoomed on; up Palani into the Queen K. Big packs were forming...lots of people at Kona can swim a bit over an hour and ride 5h00. I was just biding my time, ridingeasy, and trying not to get a drafting penalty. We had a tailwind for the first hour; I was maintaining my target wattage (200); or a little higher, but basically riding my own race.

I ended up seeing a lot of folks from the tight qualifications in Wisconsin last year. Joe Kurian said hi, but I let him go (he was 1st amateur at IMW in 2009). I thought I had heard Stu Anderson's (4th amateur, just behind me last September) cheering section on climb up Palini in town (lots of Brits saying "go Stuie!"), but he didn't catch me until just before Kawaihae. Similarly for Stephan Dehane (3rd 35-39 in IMW), who caught me on the climb to Hawi.

I let them all go; knowing I wasn't in the best shape, and didn't get demoralized doing so.

A little before 60k (the 1/3 mark) -- where I allow myself to start racing the people around me -- the lead age-group woman went by me. Now, I don't mind getting passed by pro women; but I seemed to recall that the amateur woman who nearly won Lanzarote was here in Kona.

But this was the motivation I needed. I thought time it was the amateur woman who nearly won Lanzarote; but after I tagged her and tried to stay with her, I noticed her number belt said Coeur d'Alene. Hmm.

I lost a lot of position in the climb to Hawi; but I didn't let it bother me. The cross winds were crazy! Once you'd get aero, you wouldn't want to let go in case there was a gust!

2h25 for the first half. Yow! That was quite a tailwind!

Got to Hawi, dropped my wrist to the timing mat (did I mention that I almost lost my timing chip in the water, and had put it around my wrist for safe keeping? I had to reach down over every timing mat so that it would register!)

Maintained 200 W down the hill from Hawi. I was rotating places with a group here, riding my wattage, even though were flying (55-60 km/h; 35 or so mph). The crosswind remained heavy, but fortunately it wasn't very gusty. It sure is fun descending at high speed, aero, while leaning at while leaning at what seemed to be a 20 degree angle!

My Uncle David was planning on being at Kawaihae (a short climb up to get back to onto the Queen K) to take some pictures. Kawaihae being almost exactly 120k (2/3) into the race, it's my normal "time to hammer" point, if I have anything left.

Surprisingly, my conservatism early was paying off, and I felt pretty good. I also did the math at 120k, and I was 3 minutes under 5h00 pace at that point. If the headwinds on the Queen K weren't that bad, I should be able to break 5h00; breaking my 4h58 PR here (and at any IM course world-wide) from 2006.

I was able to keep my 200-220 watts going for the last 1/3, and I was slowing picking of people who had passed me earlier. Some had gotten away, but it was satisfying to not be "that guy" for a change!

Passed 180k by my computer at 4:59; but my computer was obviously fast, as I was still around the corner from T2. :-). I knew I had missed breaking five hours, but not by much. Oh, well.

Stepped off my CD0.1 and handed it to a volunteer. The first two timing mats did not register my "wristband," so I kind of fell forward onto the last one, until I heard the beeps.

Another quick transition -- so quick I forgot two of the loose gels in my bag -- and I was off.

The plan here was to run very conservatively: 8:00/mile pace aka 3h30 marathon pace. Really, this was my long run for the week, which it was supposed to be 20 miles. So the rule was, you can't walk until 20. And, as someone pointed out to me just last week: the Kona shuffle is faster than walking anyway.

As usual, started too fast: 6:45. Relax. Then 7:10. Better, but still needed to slow down. 7:45. That's more like it. Then 8:05. Oh, oh. I was feeling my hard effort for the last 60k of the bike, right when I got to the turnaround at St. Peter's church.

That turnaround was also right near our hotel. The plan was for my sister's family and my Uncle David and Aunt Lucy would be there, so I had to try and look good at that point.

My sister Phoebe was very excited, and started running along with me to the turnaround, asking me how I was doing:
"Not so good."
"Well, how are you feeling considering you're in the middle of an Ironman, I mean.")
"I rode too fast."

I went through the turnaround, gave weak high fives to my nephews, and tried to look good for my Uncle David andhis camera, tripod and everything!

Turning around, my pace started to slow, and I was getting passed by a quite a few people that I had passed while starting too fast. I knew I didn't have have a 3h00 marathon in me on that day, but I was concerned that my mile pace was slowing already.

At about this point, still on Ali'i Drive, a guy from San Francisco's Olympic Club caught me (home of Michelle Deasy, former pro & Cornell Track teammate.) He didn't pass me with much of a delta, and there was an OC cheering contingent telling him to take it a mile at a time; reminding him that the hard miles were yet to come, up on the Queen K.

This is good advice, and I listened to them. :-) I started taking each mile at a time, trying to get Perform (sports drink) into me at each aid station, and see what happened.

I climbed up Palani (a huge hill up to the Queen K at mile 10) with a group of guys; some started walking. About halfway up, a police car turned down the hill towards us. Followed by a Ford Taurus with a clock on it. Cool, here we were, about 1/2 mile from the finish, and we're going to get to see the winner celebrating!

But who turned the corner but Chris McCormick and Andreas Raelert, shoulder to shoulder. Both floating down the hill, relaxing; looking like they were waiting for the perfect time to start their sprint. Exciting!

I didn't know that Macca won for hours!

The exciting race got me chatting with the guys near me on the climb. One of them was from Wagga, NSW, Australia; the hometown of Brad Kalefelt: former ITU #1 and fellow Bill Davoren athlete. As I chatted up my new friend, about mutual friends, my Fantasy Kona picks (as they passed us with a couple of miles left), and me doing mile-to-kilometer tranlations for him :-) our pace gradually increased...until one mile was 6:45!

Ok, that's way too fast. While I had dropped my Wagga mate with the 6:45; but I slowed back down to 7:30s. I knew I was going to crack, but I really only had to run 20 miles without walking for the day to be considered a win.

Turned into the Energy Lab, starting to pay for my Queen K pace. Although I was running 7:45 - 8:15, depending on the contour, so it wasn't too bad.

Just before the turnaround, I caught Ken Glah; 80s legend, and a friend from using his tours. I told him that I had waited a long time to beat Ken Glah and Scott Molina...but
I had been planning it in an earlier decade! I asked Ken to come with me, but he told me I was running too fast.

Got to mile 20, and I desperately needed a gel. But I must have missed them. I asked a kid to go back and get me one, and run forward to catch me. (I had started to walk for the first time through this aid station.)

The kid ran back, got me a gel, and ran it forward to me.
Aren't the Kona volunteers awesome?

I started running again after I got the gel. I was conscious of my cocky statement to Ken, so I knew I had to keep my pace up, or he would come back around me.

The gel picked me up, and I was soon running 7:30s again. I started to pick off some of the folks who had passed me while I was walking (including my friend from Wagga).

There was one guy James (it said on his number) who I had been passing and re-passing that I was slowly reeling in through the last four miles. We'd both pass some groups, but I was making very very slow progress on him.

At the top of Palani (mile 24) there was a group of 5 guys, that I thought I could get after I caught James. We both caught and went through the group at the bottom of the hill.

At the bottom of the hill, you are 100m from the finish...as the crow flies. The crowds are awesome, and you can hear the announcers announcing finishers. However, there is a wee rectangle you need to follow to get onto Ali'i Drive. I always think it's only one block square. But it's not. It's about 5!

This was probably good, because I was running as fast as I could for 400m....even though it was more like 1600m. It was painful, but I was picking off people left and right.

Turned the corner, and saw a white "Ford" arch, but I knew it wasn't the finish line, because it was to close. (This was about where my sister and here family were waiting...when she saw me sprinting for the finish. :-) They basically missed me!)

I don't think James knew that the Ford banner wasn't the finish (3rd-timer for the win!). I caught him at the arch, and kept going. Passed one last guy who was giving high-fives to the crowd, and crossed the line for 9:35.

Very pleased with the result. I fun week in Hawaii was had with my sister's family and my Aunt Lucy & Uncle David. A good four-week block resulted in a better result than I had expected. (Cycling and swimming apparently come back for me faster than marathon speed. :-)

1h04/5h04/3h22 = 9h35. My 3rd fastest IM of my 9 IM starts. My fastest swim in Kona, on a swim day that was considered long and/or slow. 3h22 isn't that great, but at the end of the day, it's my 3rd fastest marathon (only the fresh Suntrust National Marathon and IM Wisconsin were faster).

I'm back home in Austin for some active recovery. Here's hoping that I can crunch out some speedwork for the excessively fast course at IM Florida in four weeks.

Thanks for your attention if you got this far!

Thanks, Brian! Awesome race! Good luck as you prepare for IM Florida!

2010 Ironman World Championships-QR Athlete Update

2010-10-11T08:59:00.003-04:00

Here is just a quick update of QR athletes and their outstanding performances in Kona last weekend.

QR athletes and pro women Kelly Williamson earned 15th (9:36) in her first trip to Kona, while rookie pro Jo Carritt earned 35th (10:23).

Multi-national champion and QR athlete Donna Kay-Ness earned 3rd (10:09) in the 45-49 group.

Elite age grouper Kevin Taddonio earned 4th (8:58) in the blistering fast 25-29 group.

40-44 elite age grouper Brian Shelden surprised himself with a 9:35 for 18th place.

QR athlete and elite age grouper Wil Emery earned 131st (10:33) in the fast 30-34 group.

Way to go, guys! More to come on the successes from Kona!

The brand itself also experienced success, moving up one spot from 2009 in the all-important Kona Bike Count to #9. Increased numbers of almost 20% paved the way for increase over 2009.

Kona Contender, Brian Shelden

2010-10-08T09:01:00.001-04:00

Kona contender and veteran, QR athlete Brian Shelden, competing in the 40-44 age group this weekend, knows that sometimes your best plans do not work out in the end. A good example of this was last year about this time-Kona 2009-when Brian was preparing to race, but received a broken hip after being hit by a car during the week leading up to the race. Big bummer.

2010 was supposed to be the year to avenge that. With a solid age group win and 7th overall place at Ironman Musselman 70.3 in July, it appeared Brian had overcome serious injury and would be in great form heading to Kona. But, as any elite age grouper can tell you, a big hurdle was thrown his way shortly after Musselman...killer work weeks. 60+ hour work weeks. Big bummer.

When the work project and killer schedule came to an end in mid September, Brian opted to take a long break from work to prepare for Kona a bit and a bit more for Ironman Florida. Most readers see "long break" and get giddy on the thought of all the training they could get in...and that is just what Brian did!

So, for Kona 2010 Brian has adopted the philosophy of superstar Paula Newby-Fraser who said "Ironman is a long training day with 1800 of your closest friends."

Enjoy, Brian and best of luck from QR!

Kona Contender, Wil Emery

2010-10-07T08:19:00.001-04:00

QR athlete Wil Emery will be racing 30-34 this year at Kona. Injuries and illness have followed Wil off and on in early/mid 2010. Solid, consistent training has been hard to come by. As Wil describes it, the "season has been like roller coaster". While he frequently is an athlete who admittedly overtrains at times, Wil cannot help but feel a little under-trained heading into Kona.

However, with a good head on his shoulders and years of fitness to rely on, Wil is optimistic as he prepares to race. "At this time I feel like I'm riding the roller coaster back to the top. I feel like myself, and I know that is a good thing." The good news is Wil finally feeling confident about racing. It may not (or may) be his best Kona ever. He remembers the best training advice he gives athletes: take care of the issues you can control, and let everything else go. Specifically for Wil that means managing his pace, being mindful of nutrition, and starting the run easy.

Thanks, Wil. Good luck in the final days of preparations.

QR Contender, Donna Kay-Ness

2010-10-06T08:26:00.000-04:00

QR athlete Donna Kay-Ness is a veteran when it comes to the Ironman World Championships in Kona. She has been world champion for her age group numerous times over the last 15 years. This year, in the women's 45-49 age group, she looks to earn another championship. So, when you have the "Kona thing" dialed like Donna, do you even worry about racing at all?? According to Donna, yes...a little...

"Let's just say I don't get as worked up as I used to, but for Kona, I still get nervous. After so much hard work, I just hope and pray it all comes together well on race day," says Donna. Her last couple races have been fun ones just to stay sharp. She feels strong and prepared. Look out, ladies!

It won't be hard to spot Donna on race day-look for the woman out front on her CD0.1. Go Donna!

Kona Contender, Kevin Taddonio

2010-10-05T08:29:00.002-04:00

QR athlete Kevin Taddonio has been touted as "the guy to beat" in his 25-29 age group in Kona this year. If you don't believe us, check out Ironman.com. He has also been marked as a potential contender for the overall win in the amateur ranks. That is a lot pressure for a guy that has never been to Kona and has only done one other Ironman race (2009 IM Arizona-AG winner and time of 9:07)

You might think that this sort of pressure might get to an athlete, but not Kevin. He puts emphasis on preparation-both mentally and physically-and plans to let his mind, legs, and lungs do the rest. Relaxation, equally from both mental and physical standpoints, are squarely in his plan for Kona 2010. Physical relaxation-to keep power to the pedals on a notoriously-windy and difficult bike leg-as opposed to wasting valuable energy with tense muscles. Mental relaxation-visualization of various race scenarios as well as finding comfort in repetitive checklists in which things like nutrition, cadence, etc can be assessed all contribute to a balanced race plan.

While mental preparation is key, obviously physical preparation cannot be overlooked in a 9+ hour race! Kona race preparations for Kevin began last February. Each of Kevin's races for 2010 was hand picked. Kevin comes to the island in the best physical condition of his life. Last, life in Arizona heat will undoubtedly give him an edge in dealing with the heat and humidity of Kona.

Put it all together and you have a winning formula for Saturday's race! Best of luck, Kevin!

Photo courtesy of Madison Kirkman Photography at www.MadisonKirkmanPhoto.com

Kelly, QR, and Kona-Part 4

2010-10-01T14:22:00.010-04:00

A big thanks to QR athlete Kelly Williamson for her blog series on her preparations for Kona. The insights into training, racing, and her family life have been fun, intriguing, and educational.

By the time most of you read this final entry in the "Kelly, QR, Kona" series prepared exclusively for the QR blog, Kelly will be in Hawaii getting acclimated and further preparing for the Big Day. Kelly brings a three race win streak to the table when she hits the water at Kona next weekend, including a big win at Ironman 70.3 Branson on September 19th. Talk about being "on form"...

From Kelly...

It is hard to believe that I leave on Friday for Hawaii! While I can say 'time has flown by', I am not sure I fully believe that. It has been a great season but it does start to feel 'long' by October, so while I am sure the nerves will continue to build over the next week, a large part of me has the 'let's just do it' attitude as well. Since my last QR update, I have done another race. Some may think that this is a lot going into Kona, but I feel best when I race regularly, and among all of the Ironman training, I feel like racing 70.3 events keeps some 'spunk' in me...speed, if you will. After recovering from Austin Triathlon (which took me a few days more than expected!), I headed to Branson 70.3 the weekend of September 19th. This was to be a special race for me, as not only was my mom going to be there, but also my Aunt Sandy, Uncle Del and my cousin Brian.

Kelly with Aunt Sally

My aunt and uncle live in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma so they were able to drive to Branson. The last time that they saw me race a half ironman was in 2007 when I did the Redman Triathlon in Oklahoma City. You see, my aunt has had Multiple Sclerosis since she was about 30 years old. While this has slowed her down a bit physically over the years, her attitude and outlook have always been something I have admired and respected and she and my uncle are huge supporters of my racing. Additionally, I am raising money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through the Janus Charity Challenge via my Ironman Hawaii participation. So, it really meant a lot to me that they were going to be there to support and get to see me race only three weeks out from Hawaii. The race was better than expected, and even on somewhat tired legs, I was able to pull out a win, over some very talented ladies. It was also nice to be able to 'back up' so to speak my Steelhead 70.3 victory, and I feel like this event really solidified some confidence going into Hawaii. The Branson 70.3 bike course was by far the most challenging I have EVER done! I was quite surprised, as everyone was raving about how tough it would be; but I found myself checking my watch at the Mile 20 mark in utter shock at how slowly the time was passing! I have so much respect for everyone out there, and if you ever want to seek out a good tough course, this is the one to do. It was a great inaugural event and I was extremely pleased to have come away with the win.

Kelly's support, husband Derrick and Amico

The week following Branson, I gave myself a good 3-4 days of active recovery, and then hit one more 'moderately' big weekend of training, though nothing compared to what I was doing a few weeks prior. I found myself a bit tired and worn down, and it seems that by this time of year, the cumulative effect of the season begins to take its toll on the body. I am sticking to the same plan I took going into IM Coeur d'Alene, but I am also tweaking it a bit (mostly decreasing a bit of volume and intensity) to assure that my body is recovered and rested adequately for Kona.

This will be my first trip to Kona, third trip to Hawaii. I have not seen the course. I do not know the winds, the hills, the ins and the outs of the Queen K. But, I am alright with this. While I am not taking my first time there lightly, I also do want to enjoy myself. I know that racing Hawaii is something that many dream about, and I am very excited and humbled that I was fortunate enough to qualify on my first 'go' at it. I have immense respect not only for the event itself, but for all of the fellow women that I will toe the line with. When I start to think about the loads of talent and experience that I'll be matched up against, well, THAT makes me nervous. But I am trying not to think of that. I believe that a lot of how we perform is in our mindset, so I will pull upon my past races and try to re-create my approach going into this. In Coeur d'Alene, I was relaxed, confident and also excited at the unknown. I am sure that a week from Friday, the nerves will be inevitable; but I will do my best to remain calm, relaxed and keep perspective on the event. It's funny; we can all attest to the fact that once the gun goes off, the nerves often subside. It is controlling them up to the start line. My goals? People love to ask this question. I like to keep the numbers and such quietly tucked away in my head, but my ultimate goal is to go out and execute a smart race. To remain calm, relaxed and patient throughout. I do not intend on being one of the first few women off the bike; much like in CDA, I will ride within myself and try to prepare for a strong run. Of course, it's racing, so anything can happen. But I will control all I can and let the rest take care of itself. And most of all, I'll try to smile (even if I am grimacing on the outside!) as I know this is an incredible opportunity. Thanks so much for reading!
~Kelly~

Thanks, Kelly! Best wishes for a superb race at Kona!

Kona Contender, Jo Carritt

2010-10-01T11:07:00.005-04:00

QR athlete Jo Carritt arrived to Kona 10 days before race start and is ready to race. She is also ready for it to be over-the pain and anxiety with which Kona taunts racers, that is! Though she has raced Kona two times before as an elite age grouper, the experience this year, as a pro, has a different feel.

Not necessarily expecting to qualify for Kona this year, a fantastic season of numerous top ten finishes paved Jo's way to Kona. Jo is making sure that she mentally prepares the best she can for this not-necessarily-expected accomplishment. Jo says, "my mental preparation is to try to imagine a range of scenarios and find strategies for how to feel confident and get the most of out of each situation. I've been thinking about what are my OWN objectives for the day and will work on focusing on them, rather than the rest of the race."

To further prepare for race day, Jo is getting used to the ocean swims, getting good rest, laying off caffeine till race morning, and saving alcohol for the finish line!

For more on Jo's adventures in Hawaii, check out Jo's latest blog entry at http://velojoc.blogspot.com/2010/10/kona-diaries-2010.html

Thanks, Jo and best of luck from QR!

Interbike 2010

2010-09-29T10:07:00.007-04:00

Interbike 2010 was extremely successful for Quintana Roo. Fantastic graphics, creative booth displays, and gorgeous 2011 bikes combined to be a feast for the eyes. Media and dealers all had great things to say about QR's lineup for 2011.

Below are some photos from QR's CD0.1 Corner.

QR athlete Kelly Williamson looks on as features of the CD0.1 are explained.

2011 CD0.1 Ultegra graphics do not disappoint.
A cool, new shatter scheme has an eye-catching distressed look.
2011 CD0.1 Ultegra MSRP is $3100.

2011 CD0.1 Dura Ace is decked out this year with Reynolds Assault 46mm wheels,
but is still a value at $5500

Ladies! Introducing the 2011 CD0.1 Women's bike (MSRP $3100)
Spec'd like the Ultegra bike but rocking a pink camouflage paint scheme,
QR continues to fly the flag as industry leader committed to women's triathlon.

The 2011 CD0.1 High Modulus frameset priced at $2600 features improved rear brake design and BB30.

More to come from the 2011 Quintana Roo lineup at Interbike! Stay tuned.

Kelly, QR, and Kona-Part 3

2010-09-14T15:44:00.004-04:00

Kona is only a few weeks away! QR athlete Kelly Williamson is putting the finishing touches on an awesome 2010 season as she enters final preparations for Kona. Fresh off a win at an Olympic distance triathlon in Austin, Kelly is feeling great. Read as she talks about beating the heat in Austin, making time for a little rest and relaxation, and the occasional struggle to be a "normal person".

From Kelly...

It is pretty hard to believe that it is now less than 5 weeks until Hawaii. I cannot say that is 'bad' news, since I am quite ready to have the 100 mile rides and 20+ mile runs behind me by this point! Doing an 'early' season Ironman (Coeur d'Alene in June) forces you to really start to ramp up the big volume very early in the year (for me it started in March/April), so by September, I start to have the urge to want to sleep in on the occasional Saturday, make a big breakfast with my husband, maybe do a sane amount of exercise... and enjoy a 'weekend' like a normal person. That said, I know my life is far from normal and I love it. But the break off season is one of my favorite times of the year and it will be a welcome change come October!

The adjustment the past few weeks back to Austin from our stint in Colorado has been great. While we have had our fair share of 100-degree Austin days, I have handled the heat very well and I feel like my run legs and turnover have returned to my body a bit. Since my last update, I have put in quite a bit of volume but also included many longer high end efforts within my workouts; things like long time trial intervals on the bike, longer tempo efforts with my running (2-3 x 4-5 mile Tempo Run efforts) and also fallen into the routine with the UT Masters swim group again. Some workouts have been moved indoors, I would say one ride/week and the occasional run workout on the treadmill, usually due to the fact that I want to avoid the afternoon heat in Austin. I know that by doing a run indoors, especially a key run where I need to run faster, I can elicit better times and get a more quality run out of the session. On the bike, I will do some indoor sessions to spend quality time in my TT position knowing that I am not interrupted by stops and the power can be held very steady. The trainer and the treadmill may be a bit mind-numbing, but when you consider I am training for a "race" that takes longer than most people spend at work in a full day, there is a mind-numbing aspect and it is good to be mentally tough in that respect.

I raced the Austin Triathlon on Monday, Labor Day, and although I had a pretty big week and Saturday leading into it, I was extremely pleased with the result: a win and a time of 2-hours flat for the Olympic Distance event. I was also stoked to have posted a 34:55 run split, for what I believe was fairly accurate 10k run course (at least I'd like to think so!). It is quite encouraging to have been able to race on slightly tired legs and know that I was still able to elicit a good amount of power on the bike and speed on the run. And racing in Austin, the competition is never easy, so it was great to come away with a win as well.

This week entails a few days of active recovery, and I will put in my final big ride and big run this weekend (Friday and Saturday). Derick and I will then head to Fredericksberg, which is about 45 minutes away, on Saturday night to celebrate our 2-year anniversary. The actual date is September 20th, however he will be in Bend, Oregon and I will be in Branson, Missouri that weekend (both doing races!) We are going to stay hit up a winery or two on Saturday afternoon and then stay at a B&B in the downtown area. This is what I'd call a Stay-cation; a vacation where you don't wander too far. :) After this weekend, I will prepare to head to Branson, Missouri next week to race the new 70.3 event there on September 19th. My mom will fly down from Indiana to make the 10-hour drive with me, and my Aunt and Uncle in Oklahoma will also get to come and see me race! All the better to get to see family at a race. I hear it is hilly, which is what I love! This puts me 3 weeks out, so after this race, it is all about rest, recovery, and being extremely diligent with the little things; massage, recovery from key sessions, getting enough sleep yet also maintaining as much normalcy as possible to prevent the nerves from building up too much.

I'll update again post-Branson and let ya'll know how things are looking! Thanks so much for following along!
~Kelly

Thanks, Kelly!

QR Athlete Charisa Wernick Earns 7th Place at the San Fransisco Triathlon at Alcatraz

2010-08-31T10:52:00.009-04:00

QR athlete Charisa Wernick earned 7th place at the inaugural San Fransisco Triathlon at Alcatraz last weekend. Described as "not a race for the faint of heart", Charisa completed this international distance triathlon (1.2 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 7 mile run) in 2:48. Wow!

Below is an excerpt from Charisa's race report from this epic triathlon.

The day before the race we went down to scope out the swim. There is no other triathlon swim start that compares. Standing on a 6" rail on the edge of ship in the San Francisco bay facing the Goldgen Gate bridge before a race start is nothing short of breath-taking. And if that doesn't take your breath away, jumping into the frigid water will. The bay was full of swells and waves and often when sighting all I saw was the wave in front of me.

So I most likely led a small pack of pro women in zig-zag lines across the bay. But it was still nice to have some company out there. Once I jumped off the boat, except for the girls tapping my feet occasionally, I saw very few other athletes during the swim. This isn't to say I swam exceptionally fast, this is just the nature of the swim and how spread out everyone gets. My swim time for the 1.5 miles was 34:12.

Out onto the bike and my only goal was to work hard. The QR CD0.1 and Zipp 808s were awesome on the technical, hilly course. I pulled my heartrate up and felt horrible. My watts were good, my heartrate was good. I just felt awful. I think that's what happens when you go from massive mileage for Ironman training to a short hard race. Around mile 23 (it was a 25 mile race) I started to feel good. Bike split was 1:20.

I came into T2 excited to get onto the run. I headed out hard and immediately got a side stitch. I spent the next three miles at what felt like a jogging pace trying to get rid of it.

I recovered from my side stitch and was able to push the last few miles enough to run into 7th place less than 200 meters from the finish. My 7 mile run split was 51:38. I went to San Francisco for a great weekend, a hard training race, and some fun. I accomplished all those goals and came home with a paycheck in my pocket, so it exceeded my expectations.

Next up is Ironman Wisconsin in two weeks, I am very excited for this trip. Thanks for following my adventures!

Thanks, Charisa! Congrats on a great race, despite feeling miserable at times! For Charisa's full race report, please visit her blog at http://charisawernick.blogspot.com/

QR Athlete Scott Johnson Competes at the 2010 U.S. Transplant Games

2010-08-24T16:00:00.009-04:00

QR athlete Scott Johnson had a stellar showing at the 2010 U.S. Transplant Games in Madison, WI at the end of July. Scott participated in a number of individual events including running, swimming and cycling, and brought home the medals to prove it! His results from the Games include:

6th in age group in 5K running race

Silver medal (missed gold by 2.5 seconds!) in 500 m Freestyle Swim with time of 6:57

Silver medal (missed gold by 2 seconds!) in 5K Cycling time trial

4th in age group in 20K Cycling Road Race (average speed was 22 mph)

7th overall in the Virtual Triathlon (only double lung transplant recipient in this one)

Way to go, Scott!

You may recall reading about Scott, a double lung transplant recipient and elite athlete, in an earlier post to the QR blog. (http://quintanarootri.blogspot.com /2010/06/meet-qr-athlete-scott-johnson-ironman.html)

Scott readies for the TT on his 2009 QR CD0.1

Scott (left) on the cycling podium

Amped for the TT!

Kelly, QR, and Kona-Part 2

2010-08-24T14:21:00.004-04:00

The second post in a multi-part series called "Kelly, QR and Kona", read how QR athlete Kelly Williamson is preparing to be screaming fast in Kona this October. Time at altitude, endurance runs and swims, and some fun time with family are a recipe for success.

Please enjoy Kelly's entry below, prepared exclusively for Quintana Roo fans.

After about 5 weeks out in Colorado, we have returned home, back to balmy Austin, Texas. The trek back was interesting; about 16 hours in the car with 3 bikes, many boxes and bags, a cat and a dog; the 22 pound cat crammed in a small carrier bag. (I though he had died when about 15 hours in, I was poking and prodding the bag and hearing nothing in return. I think the kitty drugs had taken full effect by that point). While the altitude training was incredible and the lack of stoplights and endless climbing even better, it is always nice to be back to home sweet home, even if it is near 100-degrees every day.

The bulk of the time spent in Salida was doing longer rides, very much endurance swims (though I did have a swim partner the last week and we rallied to do a few more challenging sets!) and endurance runs with some nice challenging trail runs thrown in there, many at 9000+ feet. I scouted out a nice dirt road which I took to for mile intervals a couple of times. The Arkansas River is really what the town of Salida revolves around, and we were only a 3 min walk from the river. So, I had the luxury of soaking in the cool river after all of my bike and run workouts and we also enjoyed taking our dog Amico down there at least once a day to play. While scared at first of the water, he became quite the little swimmer and even started leaping off the rocks to fetch his stick. This was by far my most favorite part of the day! We finished off the trip with spending a few days in Durango, CO with my aunt and uncle who live in Bayfield, near Vallecito Reservoir. While this past week (traveling back home) was a 'down week', I did get in a nice 3 hour ride from their place into Durango and back; losing about 1000 ft of elevation on the way in and of course gaining it coming back. The roads are incredible outside of Durango, and it really just makes you want to ride forever; absolutely beautiful part of the country. We celebrated Derick's birthday on August 17th, and he wanted to fish, so we headed to Purgatory where he and my uncle found a stream to spend the day. Thursday was spent in the car for 16 hours, and Friday back in Austin we were greeted with the typical 100's right off the bat. One thing I actually missed about Austin in terms of weather was the air conditioning! Nothing is air conditioned in Colorado, whereas here we at least have some reprieve from the heat!

Friday I did a loosen up-welcome back to the heat-50 minute run and 4000 meter swim, and Saturday jumped back into the volume with a 101 mile ride. I opted to nix the off bike run, since I finished at 2:00 pm and the temps were creeping up there. I believe there is a fine line between doing just the right amount and getting yourself into the trouble zone, especially at this time in the season. I decided best to call it a day and recover. Sunday was a 15 mile run with about 6 miles of this at an up-tempo pace, which was a solid and fully-drenching effort.

Looking forward, I have got 2-3 more weeks of big volume but I will also hit some harder workouts to take advantage of the gains made from being at altitude. I will race the Austin Triathlon on Labor Day, which is put on by Jack & Adams and High Five Events; an awesome, local Olympic-distance event only 4 miles from home! After that will be one more big week and then I will race Branson 70.3, 3 weeks out from Kona, after which the name of the game is R-E-S-T and I have no doubt I will be fully ready for it by then.

Thanks for checking in ~ more to come in a few weeks! In the meantime, stay cool; that is what I'll be trying to do!

...I somehow skipped over the details in my first Kona Update, but while in Salida, I did compete at Steelhead 70.3 on July 31st in Benton Harbor, Michigan. I was lucky enough to come away with my first 'official 70.3' victory, albeit a small field of 4 women, with a big PR of 4:15. It was very cool as both of my parents were there to support me and I also had a handful of friends there (as I am originally from Indiana). Also pretty cool to note that I biked a 2:22 for the bike portion, which was a stellar ride for me! Anytime you only give up a few minutes to someone like Heather Jackson is a good day on the bike. So, this was a little confidence booster to see that my speed has not disappeared since Coeur d'Alene! It is easy to do an Ironman and feel that you lose the 'speed' gear. It was encouraging to see that that gear is still in me. :)

Support Team Magic and the Gulf of Mexico While Having Fun!

2010-08-20T08:51:00.005-04:00

Please support Team Magic and the Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Commission in their efforts to put on a great triathlon weekend while bringing visitors to the Gulf of Mexico. The Brett Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon will be held in Gulf Shores, AL and features both sprint and intermediate distances on Saturday, September 11. The festivities continue on Sunday, September 12 with huge prize giveaways to triathlon participants including TWO 2010 Quintana Roo CD0.1 Ultegra bikes!

Team Magic organizers have just returned from a visit to the beautiful coast-there were lots of swimmers and lots of sun! Grab your bike and swimsuit and make a weekend out of it!

For more information on the event, please visit the Team Magic website at www.team-magic.com.

QR Athlete Wil Emery Shares Insight on Return From Injury

2010-08-18T10:04:00.004-04:00

INJURY is a dreaded word for any athlete. The related mental problems can be just as tough as the physiological problems. QR athlete Wil Emery at ACME Multisports appears to have overcome a few issues this summer and is now ramping up again for Kona.

Read Wil's insightful look at injury and why it is so tough to deal with. A must-read for any athlete:

I decided not to do the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon considering I had a tooth out that week. Then I could not participate in the ACME Multisports Music City Triathlon because I was reduced to a limp with my hamstring injury. After much patience and home therapy, I think I'm back on the road. I've played high level sports since I was in college, and while I know better, my fears about getting ready for Kona led me to put in a massive week after my dental problems were over. That was a mistake. The hamstring injury put me down for another week. At least this time I could at least swim, so I was staying active. However, I was very concerned about my leg. I was limping, and could not run or ride without pain. Of course, that did not help with my fears about preparing for Kona. I had to let it all go for a few days, concentrate on my swim, ice my leg, and use my foam roller at home.

Wednesday was the first day I rode my bike in about six days, and after taking it pretty easy I was feeling a little better, but I had no confidence in how much I could test the leg. Thursday was only swim, and Friday I was back on the bike. I don't let this out too much, but honestly, I'm not one for having any lack in confidence, and that was frustrating me. So, Friday it was time to let it out. I'm glad I did, because my leg was feeling pretty good, and while I could feel that I lost the smallest bit of strength, it was nice to know that I could still put in a good effort pain free. Passing another test, I still had to wait to see what my leg would feel like in the morning. Up early today, I was feeling good and looking forward to the next test. Learning from my previous mistakes, I knew I needed to run easy, and also relatively short. This was my first run in about ten days, and much more high impact on the hamstring tendons that had been such a problem. But, my leg was only going to feel better, or hurt, and there was only one way to find out. Plus the only way I was going to feel more confident, was to get out there and make some moves. A somewhat easy 30 minute run followed, and again, I was feeling pretty good. The only problem I had during the run was, I could not keep a regular pace. But, those things come with time and regaining strength and fitness.

From here, I do feel confident that I am back to about 90%. Tomorrow will be a somewhat long bike as I work my way back, around 2.5 to 3 hours, but I will need to pay attention and not add any intensity (thank you powermeter). I should be able to get back to a regular schedule, very soon. However, there are only eight real weeks of training until Kona, and that is not a lot of time. The good part is, it's not like I've never swam, biked, or ran this year. I have a fitness background to fall upon, but I still have a lot of hard work to do in preparation. But, it's not like I've never done Ironman before. I know what key sessions will continue to boost my confidence, and help me get to that starting line in the best shape possible. I've missed four important weeks of training at a key time, but those weeks are gone, and I don't have time to sit around wishing and hoping. However, I do have time to grind out the miles, and that's what I do best. I've never been the most talented athlete, but I made up for the lack of talent by putting the hard hours in when it counted. So, here we go. If you come in the shop between now and October, and I have a blank stare, bare with me, I've more than likely just finished a hard session, or I'm thinking about the next one. Either way, I know I have a lot of people who support me, and I want to put on the best show I can in Hawaii to repay them for how much they have helped me. Plus, I love that race!

Thanks, Wil! Good luck on your return to training

QR Athlete Kyle Pawlaczyk Featured in Hamburg's Sun

2010-08-17T11:39:00.004-04:00

QR athlete and Hamburg native Kyle Pawlaczyk is the pride of his hometown. The local newspaper, the Sun, featured an article about Kyle, from his success in high school and collegiate running to his first year as a professional triathlete. Along with highlights from his first year alongside top level professionals he had seen in magazines, Kyle gives a great introduction to the sport of triathlon.

For the article titled "Pawlaczyk eases into first pro triathlon with 13th place finish" by Michael J. Petro, please visit the Sun website at http://www.metrowny.com/sports/864-Pawlaczyk_eases_into_first_pro_triathlon_with_13th_place_finish.html.

QR $100 Rebate-Get Yours Before It's Gone!

2010-08-10T16:11:00.001-04:00

Click on rebate form for printable version

Kelly, QR, and Kona-Part 1

2010-08-10T13:52:00.006-04:00

QR athlete pro Kelly Williamson has been an Ironman phenom this year at both the full and 70.3 distances. Fresh off her a win at her last race, Steelhead 70.3, Kelly has shared some thoughts with us about where she has been and where she is hoping to go for 2010.

Kona is squarely on her radar. Not just racing Kona "for great experience for the future" but to kick butt in 2010, Kelly has a plan on how to be 100% ready for Kona. From the physical preparations to the mental preparations, read about Kelly's training and racing plans for the next few weeks. The first in a multi-part series called "Kelly, QR and Kona", please enjoy Kelly's entry below, prepared exclusively for Quintana Roo fans.

We are still chilling out in Salida, Colorado, ('we' being myself, my husband Derick and our cat and dog) where we will stay for about 2 more weeks. We will finish our trip off with a few days outside of Durango, where we'll visit with my aunt and uncle who have a cabin in Bayfield. I am about one week post Steelhead 70.3, so the past few days have been fairly relaxed, and training was mostly recovery or endurance type intensity. It is sometimes tough to come off of a big race and have the patience to give yourself a full week to recover! But, the season started back in February so I know that recovery right now is crucial to continuing to perform well another few months.

In terms of my training the next few weeks, I will take full advantage of the mountains and altitude out here next week aim to get in some rather big volume on the bike, hills with running and keep the swimming pretty steady (4000 meters a few times each week). I am sorely missing the Longhorn Aquatics masters group back in Austin, which is headed up by Olympian Whitney Hedgepeth. I am fully convinced that Whitney has eyes in the back of her head. She is the most attentive and effective masters swim coach I have ever seen! That said, I will have a friend join me next week, who races in the W 30-34 age group (also doing Kona) but she could easily carry a pro card herself. She is a phenomenal swimmer and cyclist, so she will make the final week here a bit more fun as we will drag eachother around Sailda and the surrounding area riding and running ourselves crazy. To be quite honest, at this point I have not fully laid out my final 'build' the next couple of months but this is something I will do with Derick over the weekend. I actually 'coach myself', which works out quite well. I write my training up a few weeks at a time, and he will look it over, tweaking things here and there. We have played with the idea of him coaching me in the past, and after a few spats and my stubborn nature, we decided best not to go there as our marriage is more important!

So that is where things currently are about 2 months out from Kona. I always try to keep my attitude as laid back as possible, even going into a race week; nerves typically work against me. Sure, there will be some big weeks between now and then, but I will also do a couple of races to keep myself sharp and keep the body from getting too bogged down with volume. I believe that racing is important because when I race, I give myself a short rest going into it and of course recovery post, so it seems to keep me healthier all around. Then of course there is the added bonus of fitness gains made from racing, and it is a win-win situation. Thanks for checking and more to come soon!

Thanks, Kelly. Stay tuned for the next installment of "Kelly, QR, and Kona".

QR Athlete Jo Carritt's Race Report From IM UK

2010-08-10T09:03:00.003-04:00

QR athlete Jo Carritt earned her first podium at Ironman UK on August 1st with the help of a new PR on her run and a strong ride on her 2010 CD0.1 Ultegra bike. Overjoyed with her superb third place finish, read Jo's race report below for the range of emotions an Ironman athlete experiences during a 9+ hour event.

From Jo's website:

For an early 6am start, Transition opened up at 4, and i was there a little anxious to check the tyre that i'd been persuaded to change ( rather than filling the large nick with glue) last thing the previous evening. Its always good to have plenty of 'faffing time' on race morning, isn't it? I'd say that's probably my best discipline ;o)

Bike checked and loaded with race nutrition by 4:30am, there was time for me to return to my hotel. We'd been lucky with a cancellation at the Leigh Park Inn and I'm so pleased about that since the hotel was not only ideally located for a logistically complicated and geographically spread race, but the made such a great effort in catering for the ironman athletes.

The swim was nutritious swim of two triangular laps in Pennington Flash. People do not usually swim in this water which has an interesting bright green opaque quality due to the floating organisms. I'm not sure why. The Pro start was quite a low key gathering - maybe a dozen of us at the front, separated from the rest of the field by a line of canoes. we had a little while to warm up and wait in the water whilst the 1500 athletes made their tentative way into the pond and to the in-water start. It's pretty cool being able to look back and see the whole mass o bodies bobbing in the water and extending back up the banks of the shore. Many of those will be pounding my head on their way by in a moment unless i get a chop on! My plan was to go out as hard as a i possibly could and grab some pro feet. i knew j who was in the race and that i couldn't afford to loose too much on the swim after Yvette's strong cycling at the 70.3 Uk in june. That didn't work out so well for me , but luckily i did not get too much of a bashing. it just didn't seem that busy in my area, and with such low visibility hard to find feet or stay on them. so i swam mostly solo, all hard and felt pretty knackered from it by the end of the two laps. Knowing i'd not swum very 'smart' i was not expecting to see a paticulary fast swim time, so when i glanced at my watch on my run to transition, i assumed that it'd been stopped at some point as it said 58.....

I spent some quality time with a cute volunteer in T1 who was very enthusiastic about getting those tricky compression socks on just right , saw me flustering a bit and let me know ' an hour' had just gone. wow! under an hours swim - that's a great split for me but given the lack of bike left around mine on the rack, reality is that it must have been measured a good 300m short. Anyway that gee'd me up a bit and in my haste to get out and ride, decided against the gillet and arm warmers. i'd just ride hard and stay warm.

The cunningly positioned speed bumps on the exit road spared me the additional weight of carrying superfluous liquids with me. There'd be an aid station within 45 minutes, anyway. I got my head down and focused on ripping up the 15 mile section of urban roads that lead us from the lake to the start of the three loops of the 'real' course, where we'd experience some much nicer scenery as well as some pretty gruelling terrain. There were few riders around me at this stage - its a relatively small field for an M-dot race - and little to help push me on. I felt i was battling my self somewhat, struggling to keep my HR up or maintain positive focus.

it was a relief to reach Rivington, an aid station and the steep climb of Sheep House Lane that had attracted a good amount of supporting spectators. On the climb I rode by one of the girls I coach (a great swimmer and out there looking for a kona slot )and she gave me a shout. I'd just passed another woman, from her age group and was battling to stay in front - turns this lady was in the age cat above, and rode impressively giving me something to focus on for the entire race. Steven was out on the course - appearing at different points and had been taking splits between me and the leading ladies. this can be of great use - as long as you hear correctly. I was 20 minutes down on Bella (leading) at the first time i saw him, so knew i'd lost ground to her...but what i failed to hear was that i'd halved the gap that Yvette had on me in under an hour of riding, so assumed that i wasn't gaining. This seemed to verify how i felt - just not quite on it today - and it was a real battle to retain a positive focus on a cool day and challenging course. A particular pattern of potholes early in the day had been just such that my front mounted bottle rattled against the buttons of my polar HR computer and somehow programmed it to bleep at me at confusingly random intervals throughout the ride. i eventually figured that it was a count down of about 30 seconds, which reset itself after each subsequent bout of surface induced jarring - so it was going off almost constantly which turned out to be quite a useful means of bring my attention back to my heart-rate and effort levels - usually i need to check its not climbing too high to eat ; today it was a case of using it to ensure my intensity was high enough. Steven's information on each lap told me that i was loosing about 2 min per lap to Bella, and my own timings at each lap told me that i was dropping my own pace at a similar rate, the former piece of information was crucial - i was not concerned about finishing times or positions, but my goal is to finish within 5% winner's time. Bella had won in 9:34 last year (different course) - which gave me 28 min as long as she went no faster than that! There were certainly some tough patches that morning, at times the internal dialogue would have shocked Irvine Welsh as i amused myself with the foulest expletives i could think of. It was well over halfway through the race before i really settled to a pace and was able to use other riders around to keep one another focused. Some guys just dont like to be passed by a small girl on a bright green bike, and will very quickly put on a se=urge to overtake, making themselves an alluring target for me to reel them in again a little way up the road ( i passed you because i'm riding faster , mate) and sometimes its just that our strengths are not the same - i'll slow down less for corners, he'll pull away on those gradual inclines. After a bit of this one fella remarked ' we might as well hold hands' a little later he comes by and says 'not even Bella gets her own poilce escort'. i have a few moments to think about it before i'm back alongside him 'perhaps she hasn't got the record that i do ;o)' - i always feel a lot better with a bit of interaction; i enjoy racing and this is part of it for me. It was near the end of the second lap when i realized that this one a really long bike ride - close to 5hrs done and another 30 miles to go - i'd better get some food in me pretty quick. the loss of several water bottle ( must come up with a more robust system or keeping the bottles in!) meant that i'd not been able to take on as much fuel as i'd have liked, so at the next aid station i really slowed down enough to grab 2 drinks and 3 powerbars...which i consumed immediately with an ibruprofen and a couple of pro plus. i was starving, and felt a whole lot better for some refreshment and determined to hit the final lap hard as i could, though this was made a little more difficult by the increased number of riders out on the course ,and the building traffic in some parts.

At long last it was into transition, and after all that the dismount line was much sooner than i'd expected so i found myself running ( waddling) through with my shoes still on. very fast turn around and out onto the course to see where the others were. the first part of the run is approximately 3mile loop, so i reckoned that if i saw the leaders still up there that was good news and i'd just have to run my best to not loose anymore time. I'd recce'd the run course and knew what to expect the moment that I left transition - an extremely steep climbing track - followed by 3 miles of muddy off road running. Yvette was on her way out of the woods as i went in - i calculated 8-10 min ahead. My plan had been to pass her on the bike, put as much distance into her as possible and then run as far as i could before she caught me -then i'd have another go at sticking to that run pace which nearly killed me at Wimbleball. but she wasn't up for that, refusing to be caught before she got her run shoes on! So, no i'm just out for a run in the woods, but feeling good, enjoying the terrain, the looks of everyone's face when they see where the course takes them and having a pee in my pants. fro the small amount that i drank today, i'm peeing a lot. after about 12minutes i see the 2mile mark. That's a bit fishy - even at the start of a race i don't generally run 6 min mile pace, especially up sheer hills and off road. that was about the last mile marker i saw before no 23, but i knew how far i'd be going so just got on with it. i was feeling pretty ropey as i hit the pavement to begin the rolling out and back and out again portion of teh run, the scenery is not so inspiring and the undulating terrain at times reveals long stretches of road to be run ahead. However, Steven, my sister and her bf Andy were all out on the route - again taking splits and i was pretty encouraged to learn that i was making pretty rapid gains on the girls ahead. My running in recent ironman races has been a source of frustration - certainly i have not been running to the potential as suggested in training and some of my previous age group performances, so my other target for this race ( apart form to be in 5% one) was to produce a sub 3:20 marathon split. i know that if i execute the race well, that's a no brainer for me. So here i was, executing the best i could without mile markers or a watch on the start, but the tremendous motivation provided by other guys out on the course ( friends and strangers!) and my fab support /info crew. each time i saw them i learned that i was gaining ground on both Donna (in 3rd) and Bella (in 1st). I knew what that meant - Yvette would soon be taking the lead in the race, and my sister soon conformed that. I passed Donna at roughly half way and from then on there was no way i was slowing down. at the last turn around i took a split on Bella and Yvette as well as checking how much i'd put into Donna. 6 minutes. was plenty of time for a loo stop and well worth the short delay!

The final leg of the run was net downhill ( though did include a b*** of a steep hill and a few undulations) and i reckoned that if Bella slowed much more, or walked at all, i had a chance of catching her. So i grinned and bore it. I grinned a lot. and waved at a few people- i was finally really enjoying my day...and he words of my coach ' plenty of people have had a great run of a crappy bike...' resonated as i ran. it hardly hurt at all ( that i can remember now) and when i asked someone how long we'd been running he told me about 2hr 50. i reckoned we were less than 2 miles from the finish- i was elated. as it happens, we were a bit more than 2 miles but, what ever - 3:09 was still a run PB and my first podium finish made crossing the line very exciting . i just wanted to go and hug and thank steven and lotte for their support but there were interviews to do, and pee samples to be provided, and team managers to be congratulated by...

Congratulations from QR as well, Jo!

QR Racing Highlights 7/31 and 8/1-Fast All Over the World!

2010-08-06T13:37:00.006-04:00

In addition to the win at Ironman Steelhead 70.3 by pro Kelly Williamson, QR athletes posted top results in three different countries over weekend.

QR athlete Chris Berg headed north to Ironman Calgary 70.3 and proceeded to win his age group (25-29). His time of 4:27 earned him 19th overall, and he was the third fastest amateur. As expected from a champion swimmer, he posted a blistering 24.29 swim in his QR Superfull wetsuit-good enough for 11th overall. Chris lead out of T1 on his 2010 QR CD0.1. Though caught right at T2, he said he had a "great bike" leg. No worries for Chris on the catch, however. He caught his main competition within 2 kilometers on the run and put 40 seconds on him by the end, earning first in his age group.

For the full race report from Calgary, check out Chris' blog at http://chris-berg.com/

QR athlete David Glover raced the Full Vineman this past weekend and earned third overall. Touted as the oldest Ironman distance event in the Continental U.S., the race covers beautiful land in Sonoma County. David had no time to enjoy the scenery, however. He was busy posting one of the fastest bike splits in the field on his 2010 CD0.1 Dura Ace. Way to go, David.

QR athlete and professional Jo Carritt earned 3rd place at Ironman United Kingdom. No race details as of yet, but keep an eye on Jo's always-enlightening-blog at http://velojoc.blogspot.com/.

QR athlete Kyle Jorgensen rounded out a superb weekend of racing for Team QR. Kyle finished 3rd in the competitive 16-19 year old group (and 17th overall!) at the Pyramid Lake Sprint Triathlon. Adding to the excitement of the race, was a dramatic run into second place for Kyle who posted a 20:35 time for the 5K distance. While his third place finish is GOOD, the fact that he is now well-placed for the Junior Development Series Sprint Triathlon Championship is GREAT. Look for Kyle to compete in the Championship this weekend in Santa Cruz. Go fast, Kyle!