Since my race in Florida I took a week off of swimming, biking, and running.  I did go hunting last Wednesday and got a small deer.  About 5min. after I got that one (wasn’t sure if I did get it) my father-in-law kicked up a 200lb buck and I tried to get it while it was running on a dike/swamp.  My scope was zoomed in too much so I only got two shots at it and missed.  Maybe next year.

I started with my new coach, Randy Bernard, this week and I have already learned a lot.  I think I am going to have a great 2008.  On Monday I lifted (not too heavy, lots of reps) for the first time in a long time.  Lets just say I have been sore for the past two days.

For Thanksgiving Shannon and I are going to Iowa (where my parents live).  We are leaving tomorrow (Thursday) so hopefully traffic won’t be too bad.  I plan on going on a run with my sister.  We did a half marathon together in October.  I helped pace her to her best time by almost 5min.  Her ultimate goal was to get 4th in her age group (for an award) and then go under 1hr 40min.  Although she did not get 4th (she got 6th) her time was 1:39:12.  She was awesome that day and I enjoyed every second, minute, mile, etc… you get the idea. 

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

 DD

The Big Race!

 I left for Tampa, Florida on Thursday, November 8th.  The plane I was on had mechanical trouble so we sat at the gate (in the plane) for almost two hours.  I passed to time by reading my itinerary and doing Sudoku.  The flight down was nice.  I got the see the sunset on the Gulf of Mexico from the plane.  So the delay wasn’t so bad :).

On Friday morning I met up with a few other Minnesotans and we did a practice swim in the Gulf of Mexico.  The race was in Clearwater and that is right on the Gulf of Mexico.  The salt water wasn’t too bad (as long as I didn’t drink too much of it).  The sand on the beach was very fine so it stuck to everything that was wet.  I went to the pre-race meeting where they talked about rules and that there would be more marshals to monitor drafting (you need to be at least 7 meters back while on the bike).  I got my race packet and was excited to race.  I went to the hotel and then picked up my wife, Shannon, at the airport.  We then went to the race site where I racked my bike and had my transition stuff ready (shoes, socks, gels, etc…).

On race morning (Saturday) I woke up at about 4:15am.  I was feeling good and confident.  I ate a little food at the house where the Minnesotans/Iowans were staying.  Then we walked to the race.  It was nuts when we got there.  I got body marked and made sure everything was ready.

The weather was perfect.  The water was pretty calm and there were clear skies.  The high was going to be in the mid 70s.  The pros started at 7am and my wave (18-29m) did not start until 8am.  My stomach started to feel weird.  I thought maybe I was hungry so I ate some but that didn’t help.  I think it was the nerves kicking in.

I got to the race line and lined up in the second row.  We started in the sand and when the gun went off we ran into the water with arms flying and water splashing.  I found out after the race that about 12 racers in the middle starting in row 2 fell down at the start.  Thankfully I was more to the right than in the middle.

I had a good start in the swim.  I wasn’t in a crowd and was able to draft on the way out.  I could feel the chop of the water against me but knew I would be going with it on the way back.  After the turnaround everyone seemed to be spread out.  I tried to draft of someone but they would go through some traffic from the other waves and I would lose them.  I decided to stay by the markers. 

After 1.2 miles I came out of the water feeling good.  I heard Shannon yelling and raced up the beach.  My swim time was 26:30 and that was over 1 min. faster than the Timberman half ironman.  I ran under the water sprayers (they cleaned off my feet) and went to the wetsuit strippers.  I got on the ground and they got my wetsuit off and I was up and running to transition.  I grabbed my bag with my racebelt and then ran to my bike.  I had a really good transition and was ready to ride.

 I felt good at the start of the bike.  I was riding strong, but not overdoing it.  It was a little crowded and starting passing a lot of people from the other waves.  After about 10 miles or so the traffic wasn’t as bad.  Then came the drafters.  Groups of 5 to as many as 15 would be in packs (illegal).  I began to get frustrated and was hoping to see some marshals.  I didn’t see a draft marshal until 40miles into the bike race. 

 I continued on at a fast clip.  I couldn’t believe how fast I was riding.  Granted I had a tailwind for a lot of the first part, but I knew I was going fast.  I went through the first 47 miles in just two hours.  About 8 of the last 12 miles was into a head wind (where someone tried drafting off me and I told them to get off my wheel).  I finished the 56 miles in just over 2hrs 25min. (23.1 mph).  On the bike I drank a lot of gatorade and had about 4 servings of power gel. 

I got the the transition where you give your bike to a volunteer and they rack your bike for you.  I ran to my bag with my shoes, socks, and two gels.  I got onto the run with a bad cramp.  That lasted for a little over a mile.  I ran the first mile in about 6:50 and was happy with that.  It felt like I was crawling.  I began to clip off 7min. miles and wanted to stay in control.  I wasn’t sure how I was feeling.  My legs were tired so I didn’t want to have a bad second half.  I took gel at mile 2 1/2 and had gatorade/water and squeezed soaked sponges on my head and the back of my neck to stay cool.  It was now past 11am and the sun was high in the sky.

At the halfway point on the run I went just over 45min. and was having a good run.  I decided that at mile 7 I would start running harder.  I picked up the pace and ran a hard mile (6:50 with uphill).  I eased back a bit and then on the downhill and into the flat portion I sped up again.  I took some more gel at mile 8 and mile 11.  I ran mile 9 in about 6:40 and knew I was going to have a solid run.  I kept pushing and looking for anyone in my age group.  I was cruising by people at every turn.  Mile 11 was the last hill and I powered up it knowing I was near the end.  With one mile to go I knew I had a chance to go under 4hrs 27min. for the race.  I thought I had to go 1.1 miles in 7min. but forgot I started my watch 15 sec. before the gun (so that I wouldn’t be distracted at the start).  I really had 7min 15 sec. (6:35 per mile).  I started running as hard as I could.  I was sore, but energyzed seeing the finish.  I crossed the line with my fists in the air and a big smile (my sister saw me finish online).  My time was 4:26:34 and the last 1.1 miles I went just over 6min. miles.  Maybe a little too much energy, but I had a lot of adrenaline going. My 13.1 mile run to 1:29:36 (6:50 per mile).  I got a little emotional at the finish.  One I was happy to be finished and two I was so thankful to have such an awesome race.  I ended up 52nd my age group(25-29) out of 123.  I was the 17th american in my age group.

Thank you to everyone that was praying and thinking of me during the race.  I was safe and had a great race.

 That day and until yesterday (Tuesday) I had a tight hamstring.  It has been strange not swimming, biking, or running since the race.  I plan on swimming tomorrow (Friday) and then I will ease into the other two.  I will just do some base work and enjoy reflecting on such a great race season.  I raced a total of 13 times (3 half ironmans, 5 olympic distance races, and 5 sprint distance races).  I got to race in front of family and friends, had my first win, and had the wonderful experience of racing in the Half-Ironman World Championships.  What a year!

I know this is late, so here you go.

 I got up early ready to race on Sept. 9th.  I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I went into the race wanting to use what I learned from the Timberman and use it in this race.

 The weather was cool at the start, 50 degrees.  I could tell the swim was going to be short and was a little frustrated, but knew it wouldn’t make a huge difference.  I started in the first wave with 29 and under men and relays.  Since there were relays I had no idea who was racing individually.  I swam pretty well and was 3rd out of the water, 5th overall (including relays).

I got on the bike was feeling pretty good.  There were many rolling hills and that made it a little hard, but the wind was the worse part.  I used my disc and really had to lean a few times.  While taking some gel at mile 16 I dropped the flask.  I had to stop and go pick it up.  I’m sure I lost about 30sec.  That is okay since the bike took over 2 1/2 hrs.  By the end of the bike I was tired, but ready to run.  I had a quick transition and there was another guy who was about 10 sec behind me.

I went out easier on the run that Timberman.  I took short strides and made sure I wasn’t working too hard.  The guy behind me passed me, but not for long.  By mile two I passed him and could hear he was breathing hard so I knew he wouldn’t last if he stayed with me.  I took a gel at mile 2 and at Timberman I took my first of two gels at mile 4.  I was feeling pretty good (going 6:45-50 per mile).  At timberman I was going about 6:35 at the start.  The wind was to my back ont he way out so I knew I had to conserve a bit.  After the turnaround I could fee the wind right away.  I did a good job conserving so I picked it up a bit.  I took a gel at mile 7 and then mile 10.  I ended up negative splitting the run by about 15 sec for a 1:29:35.  I felt great at the end.  My legs were tired, but I didn’t feel that I needed food right away.  I place 5th in a good field of athletes.

 I will post my race from Sept. 16th soon.  Stay tuned!

I had a great weekend.  On Friday I went fishing and got a hit on my bass lure and the line broke (there was a knot in it).  That wasn’t the great part, but it lead up to it.  On Saturday I got up early and rode just over 60 miles in three hours.  My neck was sore because for 90 percent of the ride I stayed in the aero bars.  After the ride Shannon and I packed up and went up to Grand Rapids for Shad and Roxy’s wedding.

 The wedding was great.  Shad and Roxy make a wonderful couple.  We really enjoyed seeing the others on the team.  The next day we went to Roxy’s parent’s house for a grill out.  It was a perfect day and the food was great.  Shad had Jeff, Nicholas, and me do some action shots for the website.  The pictures should be coming soon.  In the morning I went for an 8mile run and had some soreness in my hip.  It was the same type that I had a year and a half ago in my other hip so I am doing exercises that should help it.

 Shan and I came back on Sunday and I went for a swim in Cedar Lake and then went fishing again.  I had new line put on and got a new lure in Grand Rapids.  After about 30min. of no bites I was realing in my line over some scum and when the lure was about 10ft from shore I got a hit.  I hooked the bass and it didn’t fight much because it was in the shallows.  I pulled the weeds off the fish and pulled it out of the water and it was really big.  The bass was about 19″ and probably weight close to 4lbs.  I took a picture of it with my camera phone and then let it go. 

 On Monday Shannon and I had a good day.  We moved our futon to the basement, replaced the kitchen faucet, I got two pallets for stacking wood, and I got a ladder.  Shannon’s older sister came that night and is staying with us until Friday.  She is taking insurance classes near our house and she lives about 100miles away. 

 Now I am looking forward to my half ironman that is on Sunday.  I did this race last year and did really well so hopefully I can use that experience for this race.

 Have a great day everyone!

On August 26th, 2007 I raced to my first win.  I wasn’t expecting to win the race.  The prior year I finished second to Jeremy Sartain and he was supposed to race this year.  He has been having a breakout year so I was hoping to race strong and finish second.  I also wasn’t sure how I would feel after racing the Half Ironman (70.3) the week before.

 On race morning I woke up at 4:50am and got some breakfast with Shannon.  Then we headed to the race start (10min away).  I set up my transition and saw Anthony Hirschman (Kona qualifyer) and his wife, Casey.  I also saw Jesse Adams (two time winner at this race, 3rd in 2006).  Word got out that Jeremy wasn’t going to race due to an injury so that opened the door.

 I got a quick warm up run and swim and was ready to go.  My plan was to go out strong in the swim and then draft Jesse on the way in.  The swim was 1/2 mile so I had to think fast (last weekend the swim was 1.2 miles).  My plan worked.  Jesse and I were side by side, then he passed me at the turn around and I got on his feet.  We were first out of the water and headed to T1.  I had the fastest transition of the day and was out in front.  Jesse passed me on the bike at about mile 3 and I told myself to not let him go.  I was not feeling the greatest but pressed on.  After a long downhill I was feeling better and passed him at mile 9 of 17.  I went hard and opened a gap.  I came into T2 with a 16 second lead.  I tried to work hard on the first mile of the run, but the legs were feeling a little tired.  After the 1st mile I thought, okay 2.65 miles to go.  I started to run harder and saw I was starting to pull away.  After that I wanted to keep opening the gap, but make sure that I could bring it home.  With a half mile to go I realized that I was going to win and it felt awesome.  As I got closer I could hear Shannon cheering me on and crossed the finish line with a smile.  Second place, Matt Leibsch (elite cross country skier), came in 1min. 14 sec. after me.  Jesse was 3rd and Anthony was 5th.  What a great day!

 On the way home Shannon and I celebrated with some DQ and reflected on the race.

 08/30/07

This is my first journal posting.  I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences, training, and races in this journal.  I’ll be sure to journal at least once a week. 

 I’ll start by saying that this year has been a great year for me.  Last weekend (08/26/07) I raced and got my first career win in triathlon.  It was a great feeling and I’m hoping that I can do it again.  My next race is Sunday September 9th.  I am racing the Stillwater, MN Square Lake Half Ironman.

 This weekend Shannon (my wife) and I are going to Grand Rapids, MN for Shad’s wedding.  We are very excited for him and Roxanne. 

That is all I have for now.  I will have other posts after races and updates on my training.

Have a great day!

Check back soon to read more about Dennis Dane.