BPC's Blog

Duxbury Sprint Triathlon- The end of the Season BPC race!

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:29:00 GMT

The final race of the season....Duxbury Sprint Triathlon!

This has become one of the favorites from the BPC team. The race is a fantastic course, with a straight swim across Duxbury Bay (1/2mile), a 13.3 relatively flat bike ride through Duxbury center and then a 3.5 mile run around Powder Point. Not only is the race beautiful, but it's always at the end of September, which is a great time to race!

This year did not disappoint. What should have been a massive gray and rainy morning turned out to be a sunny and breezy race. It was a bit hotter than past years, but we were all so grateful for the nice weather that no one seemed to really mind the heat!

Our BPC athletes shone out there on the course. Coach Vic Brown picked up another AG win as did Coach Ali Winslow. For Brown, this concludes a very successful season of many 1st place AG wins, top 5 OA wins and another shot at Nationals in Burlington next summer. For Coach Winslow, this was the 5th 1st place AG finish this season and 3rd top 5 female OA finishes! Both Coaches plan to be at AG Nationals next summer in Burlington.

Other notable finishes came from Jason Gentili, a BPC athlete relatively new to the sport of triathlon. After coming off the Reach the Beach Relay, Jason posted a 4th AG finish and a top overall time! Also at Duxbury this year, the "post-natal" relay team of Lianne Cleary, Liz Dial and Dave Cleary. Lianne and Dave gave birth to J. Cleary in February, and Liz and Brad Ewald gave birth to J. Ewald in January. It was great to have them back on the race course!

All BPC athletes raced well and we now look forward to the "off" season! Thanks to all for their support and look for our BPC athletes in area road races, cycle cross races and fall duathlons!

Ali

Weekend Race Results: Reach the Beach Relay and The Fantastic Nantasket Triathlon

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:17:00 GMT

Fall is definitely in the air. We are heading down the final stretch of the 2011 Triathlon Season. Many of our athletes are preparing for their last tri of the season, while there are some out there doing marathon prep runs, adventure racing and longer bike rides to enjoy this beautiful crisp air.

This weekend we had athletes up in New Hampshire and the annual "Reach the Beach Relay" which is a 200 mile relay race (6 or 12 people teams). Jason Gentili, Charlene Jones and Andy Porter all participated and had super fast run times for their portions of the race. So far all three participants are happy with their race and their legs!

Result:

Team Achin Legs (Jason Gentili and Charlene Jones) 116th OA

Andy Porter 54th OA

Down in Southern Mass, Coach Winslow was joined by Sarah Filion, Jesse Wendell, and the Hingham crew of Gia Ramza, Cindy Maclachlan, Monica Martin and Sylvia Sichol. BPC took 2 podium spots and all the Hingham athletes succeeded in their first triathlon! It was a great race, with crazy high surf, head winds on the bike and a beach run that seemed to have a head wind in both directions:)

Coach Winslow picked up a 1st place AG finish, 4th female OA and Gia Ramza (first time triathlete!) picks up a 3rd AG finish! What a way to start a career in triathlon!

Check below for race results and some pictures. Be sure to check out next weeks race recap, as BPC will represent at the Duxbury Beach Triathlon!

Duxbury Beach Triathlon:

Ali Winslow 1:01:08 1st AG F35-39, 4th Female OA

Gia Ramza 1:07:53 3rd AG F40-44, 1st Triathlon

Sarah Filion 1:08:13 4th AG F40-44

Monica Martin 1:16:03, 1st Triathlon

Cindy Maclachlan 1:16:51, 1st Triathlon

Sylvia Sichol 1:20:41, 1st Triathlon

Lobsterman Triathlon, Hyannis Sprint 2, Title 9 Sprint...Big Weekend of BPC Racing!

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:11:00 GMT

What a great weekend to race! After a missed weekend of racing due to hurricane Irene, our BPC athletes were out there in full force! Some racers had the opportunity to have that final race of the season, while others were out there for there first Olympic or Sprint triathlon. What a weekend to race and congratulations to all! See below for race results and pictures!

Lobsterman Triathlon- Olympic Distance

Jeff Naylor 2:25:55 3rd AG M50-54

Laura Miyakawa 2:40:20 3rd AG F30-34

Sarah Filion 2:48:06 PR!

Andy Porter 2:59:10 1st Olympic

Shannon Grande 3:05:05 1st Olympic

Patty Murphy 3:06:47

Hyannis Sprint 2 Triathlon

Ron Ulich 1:17:16

Title 9 Sprint Triathlon

Alison Calderara 1:31:02 First Triathlon

BPC Saddened by the loss of Triathlete and Friend, Pete Cadwell

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:05:00 GMT

On August 9, 2011, a dear friend and fellow triathlete, Pete Cadwell lost his life. This was a tragic and sudden end for Pete and he's left behind his wife Mary Beth, and twin boys, Ethan and Hayden.

Pete was the longtime President and driving force behind Boston Triathlon Team. As a top swimmer from college, he continued his competitive goals of countless age group wins, Ironman races, adventure races, mountain biking and hiking.

Pete and MB shared their enthusiasm for triathlon, the great outdoors and adventure with everyone whom they met. Personally, I spent many days in cycling class, running at the track, and chasing our matching dogs together. Pete was the kind of guy who remembered what was important to everyone else and kept in close contact with anyone he connected with.

We will miss you Pete. The world is not the same without your contagious smile and laughter, your big sexy hair, and your encouragement and enthusiasm.

Tomorrow I will race at the Age Group Nationals in Burlington, VT. I will be racing for you and dedicate this race to you, your family and the memory of a triathlete who left us way too early.

Ali

BPC Weekend Race Results: Westboro Sprint Triathlon, Sharon's Sprint Triathlon

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:57:00 GMT

Summer is really flying by here in the New England area. After a very hot July and many of our athletes participating in weekly races, we have had a few quite days. Last weekend BPC athletes raced in 2 competitive triathlons, Westboro Sprint Triathlon and Sharons Sprint Triathlon. Below are the results:

Sharon Sprint Triathlon:
Jason Gentili 1:15:18 4th AG M 30-34

Westboro Sprint Triathlon:
Patty Murphy 1:122:00 F 30-34

In other BPC news, we have some athletes in the final few days of preparation for Age Group Nationals, in Burlington, VT. Heading up this weekend are BPC athletes Laura Miyakawa, Vic Brown and Ali Winslow. All will be competing for the top slots in their respective age groups, and a chance to make TEAM USA, and the World's Competition in Triathlon (held in New Zealand). We have high hopes to represent the USA and BPC!

Good Luck racing and training....

Ali

BPC Weekend Race Results: Urban Epic and PMC

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:21:00 GMT

Another solid weekend of racing and training by the BPC athletes. Many athletes are now preparing for Age Group Nationals, Sharon Sprint Triathlon, Cranberry Sprint and Olympic and Timberman. Here's a listing for the last 2 weekends of racing!

Urban Epic: Boston
Sarah Filion 1:17:24 3rd AG F40-44
Andy Porter 1:18:14 6min PR

PMC:
Rachel Rubenson completes another PMC and raises over $6300! Congratulations to Rachel on another fantastic accomplishment. If you would like to donate to the PMC and Rachel, please visit:
http://www.pmc.org/profile/RR0095

MarshMan Triathlon
Andy Porter 1:08:09
Jen Stone 1:29:12 (10min PR)

BPC Weekend Race Results-Mass State Triathlon and Fairlee Triathlon

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:01:00 GMT

Great Team Race yesterday at Massachusetts State Triathlon.

Put on by Max Performance, race director Tim Richmond always puts together a fantastic race. Yesterday was no exception. I did this race last year, in very similar conditions- hot, humid, warm water, and with some rough road conditions. However, the team of Max Performance volunteers were at every potential dangerous spot on the course and although the roads were not buttery smooth, the rough patches were marked clearly and there were even cones over any potential hazards.

When I set my bike up in transition, I looked around at the other competitors in my area with similar race numbers. Looked to me like there was a tough set of women in my age group, and many collegiate athletes. I shut out all the "noise," set up my transition area, and took off to warm up on the bike. It was nice and cool in the morning and I felt ready to race my first Olympic race of the season. I came back into transition, said hello to all the other BPC athletes participating: Coach Vic, Lauren Walker, Laura Miyakawa, Jason Gentili, Jesse Wendell, Bret Fortenberry, and Jeff Tassi. It's always great to have other BPC folks at a race, it provides a bit more incentive as a coach and an athlete to do my best.

I finished my last set of details for transition set up, put on my wetsuit and headed into the water to warm up. Boy, that water was so warm, it's a beautiful lake and it was crystal clear. I swam out to the final buoy, and then back to the beach for the final race meeting.

After the national anthem, we headed up onto the grass to wait for the sprint racers to start. I ran into some old friends and we chatted as we waited. I always hate to wait for the race to start, it seems like forever. Finally, 30minutes after the first sprint wave started we were ready to go. We entered the water and swam out to the start line. The ground below the waters was gross and mucky, so we all treaded water waiting for the starting gun. And then the 10sec count down...we were off!

I swam hard to the first buoy. Usually, I can get some clear water and find a slightly faster swimmer to hang with. Wow- not this time. We were bumping up against each other all the way thru the race. By the time I reached the second of 7 buoys, I started passing the men's wave that started 4minutes prior. This gave me some confidence that I was swimming well, as I noticed a small group of women in my heat set off about 50 yards ahead of me. I came out of the water...25:10. Definitely not my fastest 1500m swim, but fine for me today. I ran up into transition area and worked on getting my HR down...I had to remember that this wasn't a sprint race and I needed my head to be clear for the long 25mile bike ride and 10K run.

Out on the bike- Always my best event in triathlon, I was happy to be out on the bike. I am definitely the strongest on the bike leg of the race and usually I end up passing all the people who beat my on the swim. So, I rode carefully, trying to keep my effort in check. My power tap wasn't calibrated correctly, which I didn't notice until my warm up ride, and at that point I didn't want to fiddle with it prior to the race. So, I had to go on perceived exertion. I felt like I did a good job holding my self back, even with the hills that I encountered. What was disturbing during the first 7 miles of the bike ride, so many people were off the side of the road with flat tires! The road conditions didn't seem too bad to me, and I just kept my eyes focused on the task at hand, not worrying about my tires. Last year at this race, my elbow pad holder cracked and I couldn't go into aero for the second loop of the bike. So, I wanted to be cautious, but I knew that in order to be a contender, I needed to do a solid ride, and be aggressive about the descents. I passed pretty much all of the sprinters and many of the men and females who came out of the water before me. I passed the other BPCer's who were out there except for coach Vic. I figured if I passed him, then he must really be having a rough day!

I came into transition and knew that there must still be some women out there ahead of me, since the bike racks were completely empty except for the bike next to mine and a few others in the one next to me. So, I put on my shoes, and headed out for the "dreaded" run. Last year, I remembered the run to feel like a LONG 10K course and the road conditions to be unfavorable. Nothing had changed for this year. Although much of the course is shaded, which was great, since it was about 96 degrees, the footing is just awful and my injured heel was not happy. First two miles in, I felt pretty good, but not that I was able to run any faster. 7:30s so far...ok, I can be happy with that. Then came the first male as I was headed into the sunny section and hilly area of the course (it's an out and back race). Cool- ok, I know that I have about another mile out, so he's about 3 miles ahead of me. Ok, so now I start looking for Vic, because I know that he usually comes in the first 10 people of the race and that took my mind off the race. All of the sudden, footsteps behind me...crap, a 28 year old MIT women passes me. Not good. I NEVER get passed by women in the bike or run...males yes, but not females. I just kept on going, and then I saw Coach Vic, who looked solid and headed up towards the short out and back. Boom- first women passes the other way, ok, she looks about 21 and she's also a MIT racer. Ok, I can handle that. Following her were several other young men, and then 2,3,4 other women, plus I knew that I had been passed. Ok, so now I am in 6th place overall, fine, that means that unless I pick up the pace and get these girls I am out of the top group for the Best of the US. I wasn't feeling like I could run much faster, so I just kept on. The turn around I saw that there were 2 other women right on my heels and that if I wanted to keep my place, I needed to pick it up. Well, I just didn't have it. I was passed by the two other women and that's how it stayed thru to the finish. I knew that I didn't have much left to give when I couldn't even sprint it out to the line!

However the results fell, I am still happy with the race and now know what work needs to be done prior to USA AGE GROUP Nationals in Burlington on August 20th. Congratulations to all the racers, and especially the BPC athletes. We had 4 podium finishes!

Results: Mass State Triathlon
Vic Brown 111   2:14:25 2nd AG, 8th OA
Jason Gentili      2:29:27 10th AG
Ali Winslow       2:32:59 3rd AG
Bret Fortenberry 2:42:00 19th AG
Laura Miyakawa 2:44:20 2nd AG
Lauren Walker    2:44:51 3rd AG
Jeff Tassi            3:12:38 28th AG
Jesse Wendell     DNF (flat tire) 26:39 swim- 6min PR!

Other Races:
Fairlee Triathlon
Sarah Filion 3:01:00 6th AG

Cohasset Triathlon, Summer Steamer and Vermont Half Marathon

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:29:00 GMT

Great few weeks of racing by our BPC athletes! Many athletes are gearing up for this weekend's Mass State Triathlon by Max Performance. This year the Olympic Distance Race is the "Best of the US" Look for many of our BPC athletes out there!

Past week's results-

Cohasset Sprint Triathlon:
Ali Winslow 1:08:58 (1st AG 35-39, 12th OA)
Sarah Filion 1:20:21
Lauren Walker 1:14:46
Jesse Wendell 1:18:29

Summer Steamer at Casey's
Stef Howlett 48:59

Vermont Mad Half Marathon
Jesse Wendell 2:07:00

Wellfleet 5 Mile Road Race:
Ali Winslow 37:55

Stars and Stripes Run to benefit Project LACE

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:14:00 GMT

This 1-mile run around the Boston Common was organized by Olivia Kalmanson, a member of Boston University's Triathlon Team. Project LACE works to end poverty and neglect of children all over the world.

Date
Monday, July 04, 2011 @ 8:30 AM
Address
Boston Common
Corner of Beacon St. and Charles St.
Registration Closing Date
Monday, July 04, 2011

Brief Description
This is a one mile race and half mile kids’ run through Boston Common celebrating the Fourth of July! The one mile race will be professionally timed – perfect for you to test your limits. Dress in your Red, White, and Blue to jumpstart your Independence Day the right way! All profits will go to the charity organization Project LACE (www.projectlace.org). To avoid processing fees for the kids’ run, which is free, simply register your child the morning of the race.

Race Day Information
Registration: 7:15am Race Start (1mi): 8:30am Race Start (kids’ run): 8:45am

To register go to:

http://www.active.com/running/boston-ma/stars-and-stripes-run-2011

Race Reports: Pat Griskus Triathlon, WellFleet Sprint, Webster Lake

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:34:00 GMT

BPC Shows Off Talent at the Pat Griskus Triathlon and New England Regional Championships!
Race Results:
1:55:26 Vic Brown (1st M30-34)
2:03:49 Colin Kipping-Ruane (9th M20-24)
2:39:25 Sarah Murray (5th F20-24)
2:20:49 Laura Miyakawa (2nd F30-34)
3:12:21 Rachel Rubenson (17th F30-34)
2:47:35 Christina Taddei (14th F30-34)

Race Report by BPC Athlete and First Olympic Distance Racer--Rachel Rubenson
Prior to the race, I was not feeling so great about it. First, between the weather and work, I didn’t get in as much training as I would have liked and just felt generally unprepared. I didn’t spend a lot of time analyzing the course in advance, and my race plan was just to have some Gus and get through it. Second, for the past two months, my workouts have suffered from a bit of marathon PTSD. Every time I run, my body flashes back to the pain that was the last few miles and my pace has slowed down considerably. Third, I have anxiety issues with the swim part of triathlons. Though I do plenty of swim training, something about the race atmosphere makes me freak out.

Luckily, I had great BPC coaches and teammates to help get me in a better mindset, and when I set out for the race on Saturday morning, I had two goals: to finish and have fun. I wasn’t going to worry about my time, just about pushing through. And that is exactly what I did.

Swim

When we got down to the beach to start the race, we realized there was a bit of a problem: the lake was completely fogged in and we couldn’t see the buoys. Eventually, the decision was made to shorten the swim to about 800m, which I was not at all sad about. Despite a great open water swim on Friday, as soon as we got in the water, anxiety took over. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t find my rhythm. I paused for a minute and remembered Ali’s advice: just get to the buoy. So I focused on that—slowly, one stroke at a time. And I did it. As I made the turn, I saw that someone I knew was right next to me—Christina’s friend Caitlin. I wasn’t alone! I was able to follow Caitlin all the way to the next buoy, then to the buoy after that. It wasn’t pretty, but I made it, and I was proud of myself for being able to get it together after the initial freak out.

Bike

As soon as I got on the bike, all the anxiety of the swim went away, the sun felt great on my shoulders, and I started to really have fun. I had been warned that the course was hilly, and that warning was not a joke. The course literally had no flats. I have never been a strong climber, so it was a huge challenge for me. But I kept powering through, slow and steady, and somehow the miles kept ticking away. About 75% of the way through, I hit two steep hills that freaked me out a bit—I just thought I was going to fall backwards because the grade was so steep. Luckily, I noticed that I didn’t have anyone that close to me, so I zig-zagged a bit, and I survived.

Beyond the hills, the bike course was rather scenic. Overall, my speed was not as fast as some of my other races, but I was really happy with how it went. I genuinely had fun on the bike, despite the hills. And, I was really proud of myself for powering through the tough parts. Throughout the hills, I never once thought about getting off the bike and never once doubted that I could do it—that in itself is a huge accomplishment for me.

Run

Unfortunately, the ability to push through and not think about the magnitude of the task did not translate over to the run. As soon as I slipped into my sneakers, I started to worry about how far I had to go. 6.2 miles seemed like forever—which is odd, considering I was coming off running a marathon. The run was a loop—one went out and back, out and back again, and then turned into the finish line. When I started off, I told myself to just get to the water stop at the first mile, then I would stop and walk for a second while I had some water and Gu. That actually went fairly well—finished the first mile in 9:36 (including a stop to tie my shoe) and saw my friend Laura on her second loop, on her way to an amazing 2nd place finish in our age group. I had my Gu and got back to running again, but I hit a spot of the route that was rather sunny and was really bothered by the heat. I made it through mile 2 in a decent time and then found myself at the bottom of a gigantic hill. At this point, I lost it. Prior to the marathon, I never walked on road races—even on hills, even where my running was just as slow as walking, I could always keep myself actually running. But around mile 21 of the marathon, I lost the ability to do that, and I have yet to get it back. So I walked up the hill, and it was a rather large hill, and that slowed me down a bit. Ran the rest of the mile out to the turnaround and then through the first part of the loop to the waterstop, but it took all my energy to get there. When the Garmin beeped mile 4, I couldn’t go any further. I walked to the water stop, somehow found the strength to run again, and made it all the way around to the hill…where again, I just couldn’t do it. I did, however, manage to run at a good pace from the hill to the end. The nice thing about the course was that one had to go past the turnoff to the finish, turn around, and come back to it—so I could see and hear my teammates waiting at the finish and their cheering gave me energy to speed up the last hundred yards. I picked up the pace, and a few seconds later, there I was, on the other side of a balloon arch, having completed my first Olympic triathlon.

In retrospect, the run was not as bad as I thought it was. I had a good pace for all the parts that I ran, and I spent less time walking than I thought I did. I just wish I had been able to push myself up and over that hill.

My total time was 3:12. Most importantly, I had a lot of fun racing with my BPC teammates, which means that I met my two goals for the day. The race left me hungry for more, and I can’t wait to improve upon this time!

Prior to the race, I was not feeling so great about it. First, between the weather and work, I didn’t get in as much training as I would have liked and just felt generally unprepared. I didn’t spend a lot of time analyzing the course in advance, and my race plan was just to have some Gus and get through it. Second, for the past two months, my workouts have suffered from a bit of marathon PTSD. Every time I run, my body flashes back to the pain that was the last few miles and my pace has slowed down considerably. Third, I have anxiety issues with the swim part of triathlons. Though I do plenty of swim training, something about the race atmosphere makes me freak out.

Luckily, I had great BPC coaches and teammates to help get me in a better mindset, and when I set out for the race on Saturday morning, I had two goals: to finish and have fun. I wasn’t going to worry about my time, just about pushing through. And that is exactly what I did.

Open Water Swim Practice

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:37:00 GMT

Looking to improve your open water swim experience?

Join our swim coach, Christina Taddei, as she leads you thru open water swim practice, right in Boston!

Wednesday mornings, June 22, July 20th, Aug 17th
6:30am-7:30am
Carson Beach, South Boston

If you are looking to learn more about sighting, fighting open water fear, race starts, pacing and transition practice, then this open water clinic is for you!

Sign up on our classes section on the website.

http://www.bostonperformancecoaching.com/store/classes/summer-open-water-swim-clinic

BPC Race Reports: Escape from Alcatraz

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:56:00 GMT

Words from a BPC Athlete....
Going into the event, I had worked hard since the late fall and committed to my training program. My run had improved significantly, my bike was sold and regular strength training had made a big difference. I had also focused on nutrition and felt great. The only issue was my swim, since I had hurt my shoulder and was only able to get back in the water for 6 weeks prior to the race. Fortunatel, I got some intense workouts with the Wellesley Masters and, while not at peak swimming condition, was a solid b/B- in the pool.

Leading up to the race, we did several weeks of super intense, time consuming work, tapering down a bit two weeks before the race, and focusing on shorter, speed-oriented workouts and recovery the week before the race.

I arrived in San Francisco two days before the race. I had a written race plan for each of the days, including what I'd eat, timing of meals, timing or prep work, packet pick up, course talks, etc. Having this was key, as it took a lot of the guess work out of what I needed to do, and kept me disciplined. I also had a detailed plan for the day of the race, including time I would get up, what and when I would eat, and my strategy for the race itself. In retrospect the most important part of the race was getting in the water and swimming about 1500 yards the day before...this allowed me to experience the very cold water, and realize that I could manage it. When I jumped in SF Bay on Sunday, there was no trepidation, and I was highly confident. The other key prep activities were 2)riding a couple of the hills on the course, to again take some of the uncertainty out of the race, and to ensure my bike handled well (especially on the downhills) b)checking out the half-mile run from the beach to the transtion area, ultimately deciding I wouldn't wear shoes, and c)talking to alot of people who had done it before and accumulating "local knowledge."

The morning of the race, I downed the food I had ready (about 800 calories), then did a warm-up ride over to the transition area (about a 5 mile warmup) doing several 30 second spin-ups to get my heart rate and legs going. I set up my transition area, did a short one to two mile easay run, with a couple of pick-ups in the middle, and then did my BPC warm-up exercises. During this time I hydrated heavily with water/nuuns mixture, consuming two bottles, and also downed another 300 calories (banana + power bar). I got on one of the last buses )didn't want to get to the dock too early), and boarded the boat that took us out to Alcatraz. On the boat, I downed a GU, drank another bottle of water/nuuns, and put on my wetsuit as we neared Alcatraz.

in terms of the race, my strategy was to feel strong on the swim, but cruise it rather than crush it. I ended up doing it in 27minutes, which was 66th out of the 2,000 participants. While the water was cod, and the current strong, I had figured out how to sight certain landmarks (based on course talks) to get to the beach in the most direct way. On the bike, I concentrated on maintaining good form, and staying within a set power range on the uphills (so I didn't crush my quads/calves for the run). I ended up averaging 18.2mph on an extremely hilly course, and finishing around 200th in the field. Saving myself for the run ended up paying big dividends. I averaged around 8min miles, despite running brutal hills and deep beach sand...on the flats I was going 7:30 pace... and this was much faster than my last Olympic race in which I average 8:30 min/miles.

Overall, I had a great day, and finished 196th out of 2000 participants, and 6th in my AG. The course and venue were fantastic and the experience was an amazing one which I hope to repeat very soon!

Jeff Naylor

Mooseman Races, Onset Sprint, Covered Bridges Half and more!

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:24:00 GMT

Wow. Big Weekend of racing at BPC! We had athletes racing as far as San Francisco and as near as Onset, MA!

Congratulations to the following athletes on amazing races and accomplishments this weekend:
Jeff Naylor, Jason Gentili, Laura Miyakawa, Lauren Walker, Jen Stone and Rob Cummings

Escape From Alcatraz:
Jeff Naylor 2:42:16 (6TH AG)

ONSET SPRINT:
Rob Cummings 1:13:58 (8TH AG)
Jen Stone 1:39:17 (first triathlon)

MOOSEMAN HALF IRONMAN:
Jason Gentili 5:39:16 (first half!)

MOOSEMAN OLY DISTANCE:
Laura Miyakawa

COVERED BRIDGES HALF MARATHON:
Lauren Walker 1:41

PPROVINCETOWN 10K:
Rob Cummings (double header) 40:48 (2nd OA)

Last Weekend:
Killington Stage Race:
Colin Kipping-Ruane 48th OA in GC

Awesome Job to Everyone! Next Up:
Hyannis Sprint 1, Wellfleet Sprint, Cohasset Sprint

Can't wait to see more BPC athletes put up terrific performances!!!!!

Triathlon...the good, the bad and the prepared...

Mon, 23 May 2011 00:43:00 GMT

The past May weekends BPC athletes raced both near and far.
1. BPC Athlete John Fox tackled the Ashland Lions Sprint Sprint, a race that is notoriously fast but can suffer the ill effects of May in New England.
Overall Time: 1:07:30, 3rd in Clydesdale.
2. BPC Athlete Jason Gentili raced to a 3 minute PR in the Twin Lights Half Marathon, with an overall time of 1:31:04 (25th place overall)
then followed his race with a strong training day on the Mooseman Half Ironman Course.
3. BPC Athlete Sammie Levin (18years old) completed her first triathlon ever at the Columbia International Triathlon, one of the oldest and most competitive triathlons in the country.
She raced to a 3:24:27 overall, 4th in her age group.
4. BPC Athlete Jesse Wendell races The BIG LAKE HALF MARATHON (May 7) with an
overall time of 2:05:20.

Congratulations to all these athletes on their accomplishments. I would especially like to highlight our BPC athlete of the week, Samantha Levin.

Sammie came to me with less than 5 weeks to prepare for her triathlon. She choose training for a triathlon as her senior year project. She had been training all on her own, at a local pool, indoors on a spin bike and treadmill.

When I met Sammie she had a solid base of training, but no experience or knowledge of proper equipment, nutrition or transitions. We set up a series of appointments. First to teach her about how to properly shift on the bike, which gears are the right ones to be in for hills and flats, how to have an ideal cadence and how to be comfortable clipping in and out of proper cycling shoes. Next, I gave Sammie a 5 week plain on training peaks, keeping the bike, swim and run workouts very basic, as we were not worried about speed, just about her ability to complete the distance in the allotted amount of time. She followed her plan and then at our next meeting it was time to learn how to put on a wetsuit, how to swim in a wetsuit, how to transition from that open water swim to the bike and how to transition out to the run. We practiced several transitions and I had Sammie write out exactly what she was to do for each transition. At our next meeting we went over her plan as well as any questions and then spent that time on sighting, open water swimming, and ideal cadence and shifting to tackle the challenging conditions of the race course. After the practical we sat down and I had Sammie write out each event, from 2 hours prior to the race all the way to crossing the finish line. She needed to include what clothing she would need, how she would lay our her transition area, what items she would need on the run, bike and swim. We created a complete and indepth nutrition plan to follow, which she was to commit to memory to insure that she would had enough water and calories for her race.

After our in person meetings and multiple email conversations, Sammie was ready to go! I am extremely happy to report that she succeeded in her race. Here's a quote from her excited post race email to me:
"I finished alive! It went really really well I enjoyed it much more than I expected it would. I was so nervous at the start but as it went on I started feeling very comfortable. It felt sooo good to finish. It was all so surreal but so exciting I'll definitely be doing many more in my lifetime I loved it."

Congratulations to my youngest triathlete for 2011 and good luck to all BPC athletes in your upcoming races!

Here's to a successful season.

Ali

New England Season Opener and Sudbury Spring Sprint

Mon, 09 May 2011 15:57:00 GMT

Congratulations to all our BPC athletes who came out to race on this beautiful weekend!  BPC saw 2 podium finishes, 
Coach Vic Brown places second overall and Jeff Naylor places 2nd in his age group!  BU athletes Colin Kipping-Ruane 
and Dave Berry both have solid performances in their age groups.

Great job out there!

Race Results May 7 and 8th 2011

New England Season Opener:

Jeff Naylor           1:03:56  (2nd AG)
Victor Brown III      55:22    (2nd OA)
David Berry           59:50
Colin Kipping-Ruane   1:00:55
Jason Gentili         1:06:19
Andy Porter           1:18:15

Sudbury Spring Sprint
Sam Levin             57:25  (first triathlon)

BIG LAKE HALF MARATHON 
Jesse Wendell         2:05:20