Madison Multisport

MM Teams Shine at the Mad City 50K

cindi — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:45:51 +0000

Madison Multisport continues to impress in 2012 with some great performances at the Mad City 50K relay last Saturday.

Here are our top 10 highlights:

1) 9 out of 10 athletes exceeded their expectations and ran faster than they thought possible

2) The Orange Team took home a case of beer for 1st place in their division (176-200 years accumulative age), the Blue Team was 4th in the 200+ division.

3) Of 34 teams, the Orange Team placed 8th and Blue Team placed 11th overall, both in the top 1/3 of the field!

4) Both teams placed higher than both BBMC teams and 1 of the 2 Sisu teams (not that we are competitive).

5) The Orange Team averaged 7:27/mile and Blue Team averaged 7:31/mile for the entire 50K. The mens solo winner averaged 5:53/mile and women’s solo averaged 8:01/mile. Wow!

6) The Orange Team wins the MM ‘fastest team’ award

7) BUT, the Blue Team wins the ‘closest to projected pace’ award

We definitely had the best cheer squad of teammates and friends that braved the cold and wind to encourage our runners.

9) Did I mention we won a case of beer?

10) Everyone went home with a giant box of chocolate truffles! Now that is a good race swag.

Well done team!

Hot in Clermont

cindi — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:58:19 +0000

Coach Cindi just spent a weekend in Clermont FL to spectate the Clermont Draft Legal Challenge Races and meet with USAT’s High Performance staff. Saturday was filled with inspiring performances from junior to elite. The junior races displayed the depth of talent coming up through the high performance pipeline, the amateur race showcased promise for the future of our sport, and the pros displayed how they take this sport to a whole different level with their dedication to the sport and incredible talent. Sunday was spent with USAT staff discussing training philosophy, sports psychology and optimizing performance in each athlete. No doubt it is opportunities like this that help Coach Cindi stay at the forefront of the sport and able to guide each athlete towards achieving their individual goals.

Photos-TeamMadisonMultisport-Do Not Delete

tony — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:14:25 +0000

Photos-Junior Team-Do Not Delete

tony — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:05:19 +0000

Asia Pacific 70.3 Championships

cindi — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:34:20 +0000

I’m finally sitting down to write my race report for the Asia-Pacific 70.3 in Phuket, Thailand. I am lucky to be traveling in such a beautiful place, distracted with visits to temples, meeting new people, Thai massage training and enjoying the Thai culture that being on my computer has not been at the top of my priority list.

As a preface to my race report I must share a little background of the week leading up to the race. As you know, I raced the previous weekend in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, had a blast and ended with a great result. The swim courses of the two races are nearly identical, so no preview needed there. The bike course, however, is very different, one because it is much longer and two, because the course travels in the opposite direction, leaving the challenging hills for the middle and end of the 90K course. The 2 run courses were different, but used some of the same areas, being mostly flat and traveling over pavement, grass, mud and sand.

The Thursday before the race, Martha and I thought it a good idea to rent motorbikes to preview the bike course and see a bit of the island. This was good in theory, except neither of us had driven a motorbike more than once or twice. So we traveled the first 30K of the course and I had a total operator error in driving my bike, nearly crashed into Martha, but instead, hit the pavement rounding a corner. With a quick assessment, I was thankful that nothing was broken, but managed a skinned up elbow and a bit on my knee and hip. This quickly led to me passing out on the side of the road and Martha taking over as medial service. All was OK after a bit and we drove (carefully) back to town, paid up for the damage to the scooter, and got cleaned up at the medical clinic… where they told me I couldn’t go in the water for 7 days. Yeah right! We devised a plan that would still allow me to race. The result would be a long T1 to remove the bandages and replace them with dry ones for the remainder of the race. The risk of an infection from swimming in both salt water and then a nasty lagoon was not one I was keen on taking, so I decided to play it safe, take the extra time in T1, and still get to race and enjoy the event.

So on to race day. It had rained the night before which made me a little nervous for the technical bits of the bike course but I also knew it was nothing I couldn’t handle. It was great having Martha there as race support, as well as a few new friends to share the day. The ocean is beautiful in Thailand and again I felt so lucky to have this experience. As the weekend before, we had 1300m in the ocean, a quick run over a sand spit, and then a final 600m in a warm, murky lagoon. The swim felt surprisingly good and I was happy that my bandages were secure and the shoulder not too sore to inhibit my stroke. No jellyfish and only a few sea-lice bites so I was elated. Into T1 I had 2 volunteers assisting me with changing my bandages and I was out of there with only an extra 3-4 minutes on the clock.

The first 1/2 of the bike was fairly flat with the most interesting bit being a bridge crossing where we had to dismount our bikes, push them up a ramp, across the bridge, down the other side, and then rolling again. Around 40K we hit some major hills on the east side of the island with amazing views of the Gulf of Phuket. The hills were tricky with the wet pavement, I was in my easiest gear and yet I couldn’t stand on the pedals or my back tire would slip. People were falling over and pushing their bikes up the incline. (For those of you in Madison, it was like climbing Cleveland road covered in oil.) At 50K it started to rain, which quickly progressed to downpour and at 51K I heard the tell-tale pst-pst-pst-pst of a flat. I stopped, checked the tire, pouring rain, managed to get 1/2 way through the process before race support showed up and took over, eventually sorting it out to get me back on my way, crossing my fingers that is the only mechanical for the day. While standing on the side of the road, watching my race with the lead amateur females pass me by, I realize that out of 12 years of racing, this is only my 2nd flat in a race. I have beaten the odds thus far, so I shake it off and get on with the day. Even in the rain, there were groups of school children screaming encouragement and extending their hands for a high five. I could only smile, laugh and show them my gratitude for their support. The final 40K treated us to a few more significant climbs (more Cleveland oil slicks) and grinding in the saddle at 30rpms. I was elated when I made it back to transition with Martha looking both worried and happy that I had finally arrived.

I wase motivated to make up some time on the run so I’m out at a steady pace, through the elephant farm, past Canal Village, onto the golf course and through the mud onto the long out n back stretch along the coast. I count the girls in front of me… lots to catch. I felt great on the run, passed as many as I could, and think that must be one of my best 70.3 runs in my racing career.

At the finish I was both happy for what I was able to accomplish and frustrated for the bits I could not control. It is all a part of racing and I am just thankful for the opportunity to challenge myself and race in such a beautiful place.

At the end of the day, my place didn’t even matter, only that I am healthy, safe and gave it 100%.

If you are considering a destination race and up for an adventure, I strongly recommend the Laguna Phuket races be added to your list. Who is in for 2013?

Laguna Phuket Triathlon

cindi — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:54:17 +0000

One great advantage to traveling to a race is that you get to be on holiday for a bit and sometimes even have time to write a race report!

Thailand has been wonderful so far. I’ve been here nearly 4 days now and am fully enjoying the experience. I was able to stay with a group of people from Hong Kong (friends of a friend) and that was a lifesaver. I instantly had ‘groupies’ to share meals, organize for the race, socialize and support eachother. What a gift, cause without them, I’m pretty sure I would have been a hermit these past 4 days. They have now all left and my friend Martha will be arriving tonight.

The race on Sunday went great! I survived the ocean swim without getting stung by a jellyfish (which was my biggest fear going into the race) and came across the line as the first age group female. Traveling to a foreign place and not knowing a single soul before my arrival, I didn’t really know what to expect. I never check participant lists, and even if I had, it would not have alerted me to my potential competition. So to come out on top is a shock as my only goal was/is to have fun and enjoy a new adventure.

The swim was a 2 part swim, the first 1200m in the ocean, then a little run up and over a spit of sand, then across a lagoon for the final 600m. The ocean swim was warm, pretty clear (I did see one jellyfish- ahh!) and fairly calm. I stayed relaxed on the 100m sand run and then flopped into the even warmer, murky, dirty (yet ‘fresh’) water of the lagoon (which felt much more like ‘home’ for me).

The bike course was amazing. We had a couple pretty significant climbs in the first 1/3 of the race with a lot of twisty roads through jungle type scenery. The locals were out cheering and my favorite was a whole crowd of school children in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere on the course. We rode through a rubber plantation, along the Andaman coast, down a stretch of highway which was flat and fast, and continued to twist and turn through rural Thailand. It was absolutely beautiful, I cannot even count how many times I smiled at the local children cheering us on.

The run was kinda crazy as well with bits on road, sand, grass and gravel, your legs never really knew what to expect next, which for me was great since I prefer trails and challenging terrain. The coolest 2 parts were running through where they keep and train a couple elephants (as a tourist attraction) and running on the golf course which brought me back to my college cross country running days. I felt pretty good on the run but it was sure heating up by then. Ice cold sponges at every aid station were a lifesaver for sure.

Coming into the final bit of the run I actually had no clue where I was positioned in the field so when I heard them announcing my name and shouting that I was the first ag female I was surprised. What a perfect ending to an incredible and tough race.

Race results can be found here: Laguna Phuket Triathlon Race Results

The 70.3 next Sunday will be twice as tough with the sustained potential for jellyfish on the swim, a lot-lot-lot more climbing on the bike and nearly twice as far to go on the run… in the heat n humidity. Sounds like fun, right!? I can’t wait for the challenge. I’ll keep you posted.

Thats a wrap

cindi — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:53:43 +0000

Another season in the books, but not just any season, the best season in Madison Multisport history.

The athletes on this team are exceptional, and so are their results. Thank you all for an amazing season and allowing me the opportunity to be a part of your journey.

Here are our champions (apologies for all the inside jokes):

*Alperen – 70.3 trifecta

*Amol – Tri junkie

*Anna – life is a zoo,

*Brodie – Forrest Gump

*Charlie – Papa Smurf

*Christi – Extra Credit

*CJ – Ms. Incredible

*Daniel – Even Keel

*Ed – Living the Dream

*ErinB – Splash n Dash

*ErinW – Varsity

*Heather – Tri-virgin (not any more!)

*Jarrett – Project 2014

*Jeanine – The Little Engine that Could

*Jenn – Boston Bound

*JessicaO – Quinquaginta, 50

*JessicaR – BOB – baby on board

*Jim – Rookie of the Year

*Justin – Team Captain

*Ken – Happy Feet

*Lisa – Leggs Sheer Energy control top

*Martha – Spirit of MM

*Meistro – Gold Standard

*Miranda – Big Love

*Pete – Grand Slam

*Ryan – One hit wonder

*Scott F – Clean bill of health

*Shaun – Red Shirt

*Stephanie – Most Improved

*SueS – Podium Queen

*Tino – MM for life

*Taylor – Laffy Taffy

*Tom – Hubby of the Year

*Walter – Hakuna Matata

Congrats Ironman!

cindi — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:50:29 +0000

YOU are all an inspiration!

Brodie “you knew this was gonna hurt” Birkel
Daniel “strong and steady” Hearn
Jenn “puke n rally” Madson
Tom “husband of the decade” Zuhlke
Miranda “staff sergeant” Zuhlke
Ed “the survivor” Peirick
CJ “official finisher” James
Jim “this is easy” Keneally
Ken “I’m having fun” Kurszewski
Erin “no whining” Wiedemann
Christi “can’t stop me” Halleen
Jeanine “PR” Ramsdell
Pete “just finish” Loughrin
Heather “next year” Dzick

Proud of you!

Racine 70.3

justin — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:38:56 +0000

Congrats as well to Shaun, who completed the Racine Half Ironman despite needing to walk the entire run portion of the event due to his aching Achilles!

For those who know him, you probably aren’t too surprised he was able to grind it out, his determination is inspiring!

Door County Triathlon Weekend Race Report

justin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:40:14 +0000

Door County 7/16-7/17

Sprint Juniors

Jarrett – A steady improvement from 2010 in all 3 disciplines and nearly 5 minutes faster overall!
Lauren – A super finish for the longest race completed to date and ready for the next racing opportunity!
Madeline – Fantastic 2nd place finish in the girls 11-14 age division at the Door County Kids Triathlon.

Sprint MM Team

Martha – A spectacular 6th place in her division and top 50 women overall.
Jessica O – Top 10 in her division with big improvements over last year’s results on the swim and bike.
Stephanie – Made huge improvements over last year and is excited to see all her hard work paying off.

Half-Ironman

A brutal day of heat and humidity did not stop these athletes from achieving their goal of the DC1/2 finish line… it just took most of them a little longer than they had expected J. We are proud of them for displaying true mental toughness and pushing through a tough day.

Justin – Completed his first 1/2IM in some of the toughest conditions we see here in the midwest.
Brodie – Pushed beyond the hurt to earn top 10 in his division and the two IVs he was treated with after the race.
Tom – Has improved a ton over the past few months and moved right up to top-20 in his division.
Ken – Is learning with each new race experience that it often truly is a matter of toughness, are you tough enough to push through whatever the day presents to come out on top? Ken will always come out on top.
Alperen – Put together a solid day for top 1/3 in his division.
Jim – Has now put race #4 and his first 1/2IM under his belt and is on his way to IMWI.
Taylor – Put it all out on the course with the rest of the crew and has some new sunburn tattoos to tell the story.
Tino – Did not give up and kept moving forward toward his goal of the finish line, another one in the books.
Daniel – Wasted no time in transitions with some of the fastest of the day and finished in the top 50% of his division.
Scott – Posted the fastest swim split in his division and held on for a solid day on the course.
Pete – PR! One of the few personal best times of the day and feeling good about this awesome accomplishment on a tough day.
Ed – Champ! In the 60-64 age group with an attitude that says ‘never quit!’.
Charlie – Another award winner placing 3rd in his division with the fastest transitions of the bunch.
Miranda – An awesome race for top 10 in her division and a solid run split despite the heat.
Anna – Definitely a confidence boost that she can go the distance, crossing the finish line in the top 50% of her division.
Jenn – Wow, 5th place in her division with a super consistent race (it’s almost like the heat didn’t get to this girl!).
ErinW – Battled through like the warrior she is for a solid 1st 1/2IM experience (also top 50% in her division).
Christine – Rallied through a rough spot on the run to prove that she ‘gets things done’ and isn’t going to give up on her dreams.