Memories and Save the Bees

As we change our calendars to 2018 and fill our lives with resolutions and fresh starts, it is beneficial to take a moment to reflect on what made 2017 one for the books. Join us in a trip down memory lane, you might want to bring some tissues.

Winter Training Camp

The team post run, looking thirsty as ever.

Within the first few days of January the whole team drove down to Tuscon Arizona for the University of Arizona's Training Camp. Throughout this 1,928 mile trek, we cleaned the local supermarket fresh out of sweet potatoes, learned just how many people can fit in a hot tub, and only got pulled over once.

One of our first workouts entailed ascending the infamous Mount Lemmon. The 7,300 foot climb left us all pretty wrecked, but some of us more than others. In what was supposed to be a victorious summit picture, Katrina Lems' body failed her. The bike-above-head pic (a right of passage for many avid cyclists) proved to be too much for Katrina's debilitated arms. In an unfortunate series of events, her bike came crashing down.  Pictured below, you can see the moment it all went south.

Katrina ruining the moment

The saving grace, however, was provided by Nimblewear, keeping the team looking snazzy in every moment, good and bad.

From the top of the LaCroix tower to the bottom of the pool, this year's University of Arizona Training camp was full of highs and lows, and we relish in every altitude.

Kiley Dindinger, our trusty architect, constructing a beverage monument. 

Pumpkinman

In October of last year the team competed in the Pumpkinman Triathlon in Boulder City, Nevada. The race proved to be less spooky than the name let on. Despite the hilly course, most competitors found themselves making the same face as Makena Ingham when we told her we were having mac and cheese for dinner.

For example:

Ian King, downright overjoyed.

Neil Lovell, excited to saddle up his two-wheeled friend.

Grayson Barber, throwing up some sort of gang sign.

Nick Johnston, thinking about how cute bees are.

And then remembering that they're dying at an alarming rate.

Although some looks may be deceiving, Pumpkinman was absolutely a standout in the highlight reel of 2017 and we look forward to competing again this year.

Green Events

We love that Green Events allows us to help out with local races. Their eco-friendly approach to race coordination is unmatched and the lighthearted, easygoing atmosphere makes for a fun and memorable experience. Not to mention the guarantee of a dog-rich environment at every event. This month we helped out/raced the Front Range Freeze 5k and the canine turnout did not disappoint. Here are some photos to commemorate that wonderful day:

In Conclusion:

Daisy, Scratch Labs, MP Multisport, what more could you want?

But let us not forget the most important pup of all, our loyal mascot Miss Daisy. Through thick and thin she is there for us, supporting and inspiring. Witnessing her accompany Laila on runs with legs of her size proves that you really can accomplish anything you put your mind to. Let us approach this new year with the courage and tenacity exemplified so consistently by Daisy. In a world so big and full of opportunity, it is only appropriate to make the most of every moment.

RAM IT!

Green (and Gold) Day

September came and passed swiftly with with the fresh, autumn wind. The Tri Team has joined Billie Joe Armstrong and awoken in the forefront of this upcoming October. But let us recap on the chilly happenings the past month had to offer.

Oktoberfest Sprint Triathlon:

Here, Sparky

Even though Tess decided to call a dog over instead of cheer for us, Oktoberfest 2017 went swimmingly. CSU earned a 2nd place spot! Despite inclement weather conditions, everyone persevered and shivered their way to the finish. Erik Peterson, Wilson Norris, and Ian King, (2nd, 3rd and 4th place respectively) buckled down and got their chores done, nearly sweeping the podium. In addition to cleanliness, the team exemplified a positive attitude, resulting in a good time for everyone. This was the first race for quite a few new members, and they proved themselves to be tough as nails. This season is looking good.
We were lucky enough to have a top notch photography crew (Laila Al Adwani, Matthew Burnett) who seamlessly captured some of the highest quality race faces to date. These faces embody the intense feelings of pain, agony and despair that are commonly considered enjoyable to a hardworking triathlete. Pictured below are Nick Johnston, Jacob Brown, Gracie Moore and Grayson Barber (top to bottom). Fun fact: Green Day wrote their hit, Wake Me Up When September Ends, after completing their first triathlon.

Here comes the rain again...

Falling from the stars...

Drenched in my pain again...

Becoming who we are...

The World of the Unknown:

With Halloween right around the corner, there seemed to be some spooky mysteries occurring this month. These questionable pictures appear to have no reasonable explanations. Could the paranormal be at work?

What could've been on the ground to illicit such a smirk? Probably gluten.

Is he really okay or is his thumbs up just a blatant lie? Hand says yes, face says no.

We've all heard stories of the abominable couch worm. Personally I've always believed it to be a myth. This weekend I was proven wrong. Photographic evidence courtesy of Eric Forbes.

Where is his other glove? Is his right hand cold? Is his chest cold? Lots of questions with this one.

ITU and 70.3 Worlds:

Not to brag, but we have some pretty impressive athletes on this team. Matthew Burnett, Erik Peterson, Coach Mace, and Elise Lagerstrom raced 70.3 World Championships in Chattanooga Tennessee. The toasty southern sun fueled them as if they were photosynthetic beings. There is no weather condition that can stop a CSU triathlete!

Matt repping the green and gold while munching on a snack.

Could Gatorade be Erik's next sponsor? I've said too much.

As much fun as they had racing, it's a good thing it's over because now Matt can finally get his knee fixed. After racing on a torn ACL it's now time for some much deserved rest and recovery before starting training back up for another busy season.

The ITU World Championship was also this month in Rotterdam. Coach Tess and Shea Mielke competed this year as well as explored the beautiful city. Tess even has family in that area, how convenient! Vacay goals if you ask me. The race and trip were undoubtedly unforgettable, pretty neat to see how hard work translates into huge pay offs.

Red Feather Retreat:

Photo of the lakeside cabin by the talented Tyler Morales

Coach Mace and his family are kind enough to open their cabin doors to us each year to hold our fall retreat. This is a great time for team bonding, awesome trail runs, and finding out who can't drink milk. This year we learned that Nick Johnston has had an intimate encounter with a spunky, open minded giraffe, Iz only got lost for 13 miles, and we were each individually stung by a wasp at least once. And I know I am not alone in saying I wouldn't have rather spent the weekend any other way. How lucky are we to be surrounded by genuine, supportive, like-minded people? It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, but it is important to take a step back every now and again and gaze longingly into Daisy's dreamy eyes. Let her puppy dog innocence remind you to enjoy this wild ride.

Miss Daisy Al Adwani sporting her winter parka.

Ram it!

  

10 Tired Racers, 9 Fluffy Puppies, and a Bird Turd in a Pear Tree

It was a big, full month for CSU Tri. We punched August in the eye and left it swollen with new members, a fresh start to another season of training, and a race for the books. The future is as bright as the Moby pool at 6:15am on a Thursday morning, let's dive in...

The Race:

One big Ramily

Four monstrous women and six terrifying men traveled to Boulder to compete at the Sunset Triathlon. As a group, they left the scene a barren disaster zone after tearing up the course. Let's take a look at the highlights:

Matt being gross, as per usual.

Before any of our brave athletes had even emerged from the water, our very own Matt Burnett got pooped on by a friendly seagull or some sort of native bird of Boulder. Photographic evidence is displayed above (see shoulder), showing Matt chuckling in disbelief as his pristine CSU spirit wear became tarnished with what I can most accurately describe as crap. Smelling bad enough as it is, Matt decided to attempt to cleanse himself of the yellowish, chunky dung and succeeded in doing so. I would say we started off the day with a W.

Determined architect or malicious race foiler? 

Shea Mielke reached nearly the same velocity in the swim as the flying bird turd falling from the sky. He was the first collegiate athlete to exit the water and narrowly missed the sandcastle construction that happened in the middle of T1. Pictured above, an unknown racer swerves around the unconventional artist. Shea finished 2nd Collegiate and 2nd overall!

Grant Haley and Grayson Barber powered their way through the oven of a run course. You could say they were cookin'...

Finishing 7th and 10th respectively they really burned the competition. 

Five exceptionally burly men. (Al, Grant, Neil, Evan, Shea left to right)

Neil Lovell and Al Alothman share a love of bikes and it really showed in their race performance. Neil and his bike, Cersei the Cervelo, kissed the bike course goodbye without remorse. It was as if Al had committed some sort of crime on the bike, because he got off and he was cruising. The kind of running you only see from a hardened criminal.

Evan DeVincenzo bounced back from being sick and put the pedal to the metal despite feeling like bird turd. He cashed in a whopping 17th place as he crossed the finish line. 

Collegiate and Age Group women seconds away from taking a plunge

Elise Lagerstrom proved herself a force to be reckoned with on the course. Her race looked more like a biological anomaly. She started the competition a horizontal aquatic sea creature, transitioned into a two wheeled speed machine, and morphed into her final form as a two legged antelope, galloping the 10k with incredible elegance. She trotted across the finish line in 3rd place (collegiate).

Molly and Laila, lost and confused.

Molly Lesser and Laila Al Adwani were found wandering the beaches of the Boulder Res like two wild elk that had gotten themselves hopelessly lost in a suburban neighborhood. They stumbled upon the Sunset Triathlon swim start and once pointed in the right direction, they were off like banshees. The word speed simply cannot do them justice. Molly finished in an inspiring 10th place and Laila earned herself the lucky number 17.

After learning about the race two days before race day and deciding to compete shortly there after, Isabel Dritz raced her first Olympic distance triathlon and absolutely killed it! On top of her valiant last minute decision, there has never been a racer so consistently camera ready. Her ability to not only smile, but also wave simultaneously while profoundly exhausted is an admirable quality few have and all desire. Finishing 13th place was pretty neat, too.

The men's wave start, ruining any chances of  a successful day for fishermen in the area.

And if all that just isn't enough good news, you're in luck, because there's more. I successfully captured 9 dogs on camera. Enjoy:

Wild dawg Grant, sleeping under a cop car.

In Conclusion:

Between all the new members, a shiny new season, and the expansive array of cute dog pictures that awaits us in the future, it is nearly impossible to fend off a smile or two. With Oktoberfest and Pumpkinman patiently awaiting our arrival, it's easy to spend our time happy and grateful. After all, everyday can be Thanksgiving if you're willing to cook for four hours or so.

To properly bring this month's edition to a close, I feel it is most appropriate to allow Molly to bid us adieu.

"Peace out" -Molly

RAM IT!