Zoot Sports Ultra TT 4.0 Review

Posted on 19 March 2011 by admin

I purchased the Zoot Sports Ultra TT 4.0 shoes from Zappos.com for $140.00.  First off, let me say that I love Zappos.com.  They give me expedited shipping at no extra cost because I’ve ordered so much from them.  Returns (when necessary) are a breeze and they don’t give you any hassles.

The Ultra TT 4.0 shoes are made for triathletes.  They come with finger holes on the heel and (what would be) the tongue and do not require socks.  This makes for easy changes during transition.  These shoes also have weep holes in the soles so that water doesn’t pool inside of the shoes.  Finally, they have elastic laces that simply need a tug and lift in order to tighten.

At first I was skeptical about wearing shoes with no socks.  I know that many people do it and these shoes were made just for that purpose, so I figued I couldn’t go wrong.  They are definitely comfortable, but I started to get a hot spot on my right foot after 2 miles.  I have a bunion and the ball of my toe protrudes, so others may not have this issue.  Unfortunately, the back of the shoe with the finger hole rub the skin right off both of my ankles.  Now I’m wearing band-aids on both.  Perhaps I have wimpy skin or maybe one needs to build up to these kinds of things.  I’ve always used socks in the past with running shoes, but he shoes never go that high in the back.

Overall, I would give the shoes 4 out of 5 stars for the first three-miler.  I’m hoping that the material in the back will soften up or my ankles will harden up.

I read some reviews where the users thought the shoes were not cushioned enough for longer races, but I feel as though I could easily go long and not be any worse off than with my regular running shoes.

Pros:  Lightweight, carbon fiber arch support, quick lace, weep holes.

Cons: Rubs my ankles the wrong way.

Weep Holes

Weep Holes

Side View

Side View - Notice the blood stain

Rear View

Rear View

Tagged with: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Reviews, Triathlon, Uncategorized

Nautica South Beach Triathlon on the Horizon

Posted on 19 March 2011 by admin

My first tri this year is just 3 weeks away.  This will be the third time I’ve participated in the Nautica South Beach Triathlon.  This year I will be doing the “classic” distance as the olympic distance sold out very quickly!

I really enjoy doing this triathlon.  We get to swim in the ocean off of famous South Beach in Miami, climb up the hills of the causeways, and run along a nice wooden boardwalk.  There are quite a lot of people walking around by the time I get to the run portion, but it’s okay.

This tri for me is just a prelude to the two others I have scheduled for this year so far:  Rhoto Florida Ironman 70.3 in Orlando, and the Ironman CDA in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho.

Tagged with: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Training, Triathlon

Ironman Miami 70.3 Recap

Posted on 1 November 2010 by admin

What can I say?  It sucked.

I managed to finish in 7:36.

Most athletes I talked with were unhappy with the race organization – transition for bike checkin opened 3 hours late, packet pickup was a joke, people were pushed off the dock into the water, aid stations were missing or lacking severely, and on and on.

I won’t do this race next year.  Maybe nobody will – the website isn’t even up today.

Update:  The World Triathlon Corporation aka Ironman, has said it will take over production of this even next year.  This year’s race was organized by Paramount Productions.  It is also going to allow all participants of this year’s Rohto Ironman Miami 70.3 the chance to register for a 70.3 race next year, free of charge.

Tagged with: , , , , , ,
Posted in Ironman, Reviews, Triathlon

Nine days and counting…

Posted on 21 October 2010 by admin

Ironman Miami 70.3 is just 9 days away!  After nearly a year of training (mostly), I am ready for this race to begin.  I think I can finish the swim in under 60 minutes, which is the cutoff.  The bike should pose no problem…doing 56 miles in under 3 hours is totally possible now.  As for the run, well, I’m hoping to maintain at least a 12/min mile.  The total race time allowed is 8 hours, and I’m shooting for 7.

Stay tuned…

Tagged with: , , , , , ,
Posted in Ironman, Training, Triathlon

USA Triathlon Certified Coach

Posted on 26 August 2010 by admin

As of last week, I am now a USA Triathlon Level I Certified Coach!  This means that I have passed a background check, become CPR certified, attended a 2.5 day coaching clinic, and passed the USA Triathlon exam.

I have been involved in triathlon for about three years now.  All of my involvement has been as an athlete.  I wanted to challenge myself and also be able to educate other triathletes, so I decided to pursue the certification.

So, if you or anyone you know needs a triathlon coach, please let me know!

Tagged with: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Training, Triathlon

Ironman CDA, here I come

Posted on 4 July 2010 by admin

While I was in Spokane last week, after having completed the Seattle Rock ‘n Roll Marathon, there were other things going on.  First was hoopfest, second was the Ironman CDA (Coeur D’Alene).  This race is one of the best Ironman races (so I’ve read).  It has two 1.2 mile swim loops in Lake Coeur D’Alene, two 56.3 mile bike loops, and two 13.1 mile run loops.  It takes place the last Sunday in June when the weather is usually very nice.

At first, I wanted to volunteer for the race, but Seattle beat me up so badly, that I ended up staying an extra day there.  I didn’t even get to watch any of the race.  But, on Monday at noon, I logged on and found that slots for 2010 were still open, so I signed up.  I have yet to complete a half-ironman race (Miami in October will be my first), let alone a full ironman.  Looking at the results from this year, I see that there were 250 men in my age group (45-49) with 230 finishing.  I’m fairly confident that if I can keep my training fresh, that I’ll be able to come in at least 220!

There’s a lot of work ahead for this race, but I’m really looking forward to it.  Who knows, maybe after I complete it I’ll even want to sign up for other Ironman races or Ironman CDA in 2012.

Check back for more updates and my training schedule which I hope to complete by next month.

Tagged with: , , , , , ,
Posted in Ironman, Training, Triathlon

Seattle Rock ‘n Roll Marathon Recap

Posted on 4 July 2010 by admin

Last Saturday, I participated in the Seattle Rock ‘n Roll Marathon.  It was great weather for a marathon:  overcast and cool at the start (approx 60F).  In the end, I clocked 5 hours 46 minutes and walked the last nine miles.

This race starts in Tukwila, Washington and then runs past Lake Washington, up to downtown Seattle,  further North, and then back downtown.  This presents some issues.  The first is where to park.  Tukwila is about 12 miles from downtown.  The organizers had free shuttles from 4am – 6am running from downtown to the start at Tukwila.  This meant the most logical thing to do would be to get up very early, drive to downtown (with heavy traffic), and park in a garage for $10-$30.  I hate getting up so early just to be shuttle around, so I tried to find another solution.  As it was, I was staying in Tukwila about 3 miles from the start line.  I managed to find out that there are buses that run (Rt. 150) from downtown near the finish line to the Southcenter Westfield mall in Tukwila (two blocks from my hotel).  In the end, I decided to walk the 3 miles to the start and take the bus back from $2.  So, there I am walking at 5:30 am to the start line.  Nobody around save a few cars.  One car stops in from of me and the driver asks “Do you know where the start line is?”.  I guess the marathon bib and race outfit gave it away.  I explained to this guy where it was and he asked me about walking there, but not once did he offer to give me a ride.  I laughed.  A few blocks later and an RV pulls up and after the door opens a woman’s voice asks “Do you want to ride with us to the start?”.  Yes!  The very nice 10 women and the male driver were nice enough to give me a ride to the runner dropoff zone, though I think I could have walked quicker as there was a LOT of traffic there too.  After the race, it was like a cruel joke, when I had to walk up about 50 stairs to the street level in order to get to the bus station, but the $2 ride was well worth it.

As for the course itself, it’s mostly up hill.  There were some steep down hills in downtown, but really I would see a hill and then find that there were more after that.  There were also tunnels, and banked roadways (read on-ramps).  The banked roads are killer on my bad ankle and knee.  Around mile 19 I decided that I couldn’t jog anymore on my swollen parts, and walked the last nine miles.  Most of it was concrete and/or exposed aggregate, and that made it hurt that much more.

The bands and music along the way is pretty much what I’ve come to expect from the Rock ‘n Roll series, having also done Nashville and New Orleans.  In other words, it was no great addition.  I think Bloomsday in Spokane has better and more (based on mileage) bands.

Overall, the race route, organization, aid stations, etc. were all great, but as I’m a flatlander, I don’t think I’ll be doing this one again.

Tagged with: , , , , , ,
Posted in Marathon, Reviews

Mack Cycle Key Biscayne Triathlon Trilogy Race #1 Recap

Posted on 20 June 2010 by admin

This morning I completed the first in a series of three (actually four) sprint distance triathlons at Crandon Park, Key Biscayne, Florida.  If you don’t know, Key Biscayne is just south of Miami Beach.  The distance was a very short .25 mile swim (ocean), 10 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run.  The swim was fast due to currents and waves.  The bike ride was mostly flat, save for the up and over and back up and over the Rickenbacker Causeway.  The run was totally flat going through Crandon Park.  I believe the field was limited to 800.

At 6:30am, it was 80F, humid, and no breeze except for right on the beach.  It was mostly sunny, and thankfully, the waves were nowhere near what my last two ocean swims had.  We started in waves, separated by 5 minutes.  This was great as it took most people only 7-8 minutes to complete the swim!  I managed 8:54 – there were some slow guys holding me up.

Heading down the causeway at nearly 35 miles per hour, I saw a fire truck.  On the other side were two (that I saw) men who had crashed.  I didn’t see any blood or mangled limbs, but they weren’t doing much.  I think it’s a requirement of the FD for them to hold still until they are checked out.  After the race, I heard someone mention that some idiotic woman caused another crash on the other side of the causeway when her wheel hit someone else’s.  That’s odd to me because in non-drafting races, they shouldn’t be that close.  Then again, a lot of the people I see in these races don’t know the rules.  To make matters worse, a small lane of the same causeway was “coned” off so that Saturday bicyclists could use their regular route.  This confuses many athletes who think it’s the racing lane.  I know, because it happened to me two years ago in another tri.  After crossing in front of a line of bikes to get into this lane, another athlete called me a “Fucking Moron” as he zipped by.  BTW, I was nowhere near any of them and would not have caused an accident.

The run here was uneventful except for some silly woman who, not an athlete, but someone going to the park/beach, drove her car onto the foot paths all the way to a picnic table.  She was following the signs that said “left” and “right” which were intended to tell runners where to go.   She wasn’t even a senior, which really shocked me.

Okay, this was a great race for first-timers and experienced tri-athletes.  I have already singed up for race #2 next month.

Stats:  .25 mile swim in 8:54, (no T1 time as their timer was broke), 10 mile bike in 39:13, T2 in 3:31, and 3.1 mile run in 33:58.  I finished 31 out of 37 in my age group (M45-49) and 521 out of 649 overall.

Tagged with: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Training, Triathlon

CDA Marathon Recap

Posted on 20 June 2010 by admin

It was about three weeks ago (30 May 2010) that I completed the Coeur D’Alene Marathon.  This was my fifth marathon start this year and fourth completed.  The Nashville Rock ‘n Roll Marathon was cut short due to weather.  As it turns out, I also set a new PR of 5:20:40.  Really slow, I know, but hey it’s a PR.

The weather in Coeur D’Alene was cold – 47F at the start of the race.  As we neared the lake, it was also very windy and the cold cut right through me.  I was wearing a long-sleeve tech-t and tri shorts.  It is now my belief that the really cold weather is the thing that actually helped me get the PR.  The skies were overcast, so there was no sun beating down on me either.

This was a good race.  There were only a few hundred marathoners and many more half-marathoners.  So unlike the Rock ‘n Roll races or the Disney World Marathon, the course was not crowded.  The down side is that it’s not really possible to go more than six hours, but who wants to do that?  They did have marathon walkers and they started 1.5 hours earlier than the rest of us.

In the end, I got a new PR, a cool tech-t, tech-hat and enjoyed it a lot.

Tagged with: , , ,
Posted in Marathon, Training

Riviera Beach Triathlon Recap

Posted on 24 May 2010 by admin

With just under twenty-three weeks until the Ironman 70.3 Miami, I completed the Riviera Beach Triathlon on Sunday.  This is one of the Family Fitness Weekend series of triathlons.  It’s the first of this series that I have ever complete.  Touted as a sprint distance tri, yet with slightly higher distances (600m Swim, 15.5 mile Bike, 3.5 mile Run), it was a fun, and challenging triathlon.

The wind was blowing on Sunday a.m., so much so that they were unable to get all of the buoys out on the swim course.  The race was delayed at least 10 minutes and they finally told us to turn at the lifeguard.  In addition, the wind contributed to very rough waters.  Many people were changing to the duathlon at the last minute.  I decided to go for it.  It was no worse than the Nautica South Beach Tri last month.

As I hit the water, it reminded me of my last tri in South Beach.  I decided early on to do the side stroke instead of freestyle.  Being out of breath, it’s a lot easier to do a side stroke as my head is out of the water the whole time.  After turning at the first buoy, I tried freestyle every now and then, but mostly did the side stroke.  Only two people asked me if I was okay :).  Total swim time 20 minutes.

Once on the bike, I was feeling good and wanted to test my new cassette and high cadence training.  The course was two loops, with traffic, and in the first mile I saw a rider that had crashed or been crashed into, I don’t know, but the firemen were there and he was sprawled on the ground, no bike in sight.  The course was easy, but windy, and quite bumpy at times.  It felt like cobblestones.  My water bottle was giving me fits.  One of the rubber bands had broken so it was mostly held on by the velcro.  My Garmin Forerunner 305 was also coming loose off my wrist, so I lost a lot of time fiddling with equipment.  In the end, I passed many people and maintained an average cadence of 95.  Total time 49:25 with an average speed of 18.81 mph!  My best time ever.

I was fairly tired when I hit the pavement for the run course.  There was a water stop right out of the gate, which I walked through.  I somehow manage to get myself running, and only walked when I went through the water stops.  It was two loops through the neighborhood before finally turning left down the finisher’s chute.  Total time was 40:18 with an 11:30 pace.  That’s about right for me.

Overall, I came in 29 out of 33 in my category (M45-49) and had a good time.

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Training