Local triathlete brings flare to Lincoln event

Local triathlete brings flare to Lincoln event

BY MICAH MERTES / Lincoln Journal Star Posted:

Monday, August 17, 2009 12:50 am (2) Comments

Local triathlete Jake Fisher talks to friends after competing in the XTERRA B.O.L.T. Saturday, August 15, 2009. (Erin Duerr)
Related Links: Jake Fisher's Web site-->

Jake Fisher points at his faux-hawk. "It adds five horsepower," he says.

The professional triathlete's sleek hairstyle not only serves a practical function but also makes him stand out in a race of hundreds. As does his electric blue tri suit and the cheap red shades he bought in Tokyo.

Fisher brought the five-horsepower faux-hawk and the rest of his get-up to Nebraska's first XTERRA triathlon Saturday morning at Branched Oak Lake. The 27-year-old is missing his University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduation ceremony to be here.

"I was never really that athletic," he said. "But something just sparked in me, and I found something I love to do."

Fisher's dive into triathleticism happened by chance. Fisher, a guy prone to the travel bug, was living in Saipan, the capital of the U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a few years back, working at a resort. There, he happened to run into triathlete champ Jamie Whitmore. She had seen Fisher swimming and jogging at the resort, told him he had good form in both and should consider trying a triathlon.

So he did, competing in his first XTERRA there in Saipan. When he got back to the U.S., he kept it up, making it his new focus. He's now competed in 15 triathlons.

But this one at Branched Oak Lake on Saturday is especially important because "this is my backyard," he said. "Every dream I've had for the last three weeks has been a nightmare of everything that can go wrong."

In the race, a lot goes wrong. After swimming, his calf locks up. His knee hurts him. His ankle, which he rolled a few days ago, starts talking to him.

But he does well enough. He gets the time and ranking to qualify for the national championship next month in Utah.

Fisher graduated with a bachelor's degree in biological science this weekend. And he's glad he missed it. Because, well, why would you want to stuff an aerodynamically engineered 'do under a graduation cap?

Reach Micah Mertes at 473-7395 or mmertes@journalstar.com.

XTERRA B.O.L.T. Mud Edition

XTERRA B.O.L.T. Mud Edition

Nebraska's First Off-Road Triathlon Was Welcomed With a Spectacular Greeting

"It was 4am and somebody started banging on the garage door with a sledgehammer and then proceeded to come into my bedroom and flick the lights on and off. As I woke from my slumber, I realized there wasn't someone playing games with me, it was just a severe thunderstorm wreaking havoc on Nebraska" said race director Jared Carlson.

Apprehension levels were high as the storm raged on through the morning creating a muddy wonderland for over a hundred brave souls out at the XTERRA Branched Oak Triathlon (B.O.L.T.) . Around 7am the heavens opened up and cleared as if to grant permission to continue on with the masochistic festivities. Part of the aftermath of the storm shut down interstate I-80 with an accident which left 30 of the would be competitors at a stand still for over an hour. The couple inches of rain caused not only changes in most participants pre-race routines, but also caused some re-routing of the course.

Despite all the opposition, when the air horn blared the athletes charged into the water creating a virtual washing machine for over 300 spectators to watch. The athletes then swam the 1000 meter two lap course to try and gain good position before having to traverse the 14.3 mile mountain bike course and 4.5 mile trail run. Muddy mayhem then ensued taking its toll on everyone daring to answer its challenge. One of the casualties of the course, was the bike of XTERRA pro Brandon Jessop. After breaking a spoke and messing up his derailleur instead of calling it quits on the course, he began to carry his bike. According to Jessop, he was just having too much fun to not be able to finish the race. Carol Niemann made a fake wincing expression every time the announcer yelled out her age, to which she always received an enormous response from the crowd. Being 64 years young just sent a message to all of the spectators, that you're only as old as you want to be. Kaelly Simpson after breaking her arm earlier this season, decided to buy a mountain bike the week before the race to see if off-road triathlons were everything she hoped they were. She wasn't disappointed as she won the overall women's race and collected over $200 in gift certificates to Cycle Works bike shop.

It was stories like these that abounded and left an impression to all that participated that XTERRA embodies the spirit of strength. The strength to adapt and overcome any obstacles that are put in your way....even if they happen to be in Nebraska.

Post-race report by Jared Carlson - Race Director

XTERRA B.O.L.T. pictures, recap, results

XTERRA B.O.L.T. pictures, recap, results

Despite torrential pre-race rains that had many athletes wondering if ark-building would be a more suitable way to spend the day, last Saturday's inaugural XTERRA Branched Oak Lake Triathlon (BOLT) kicked off with nary a hitch, save a half-hour delayed start and a last-minute re-routing of washed-out singletrack.

At 9:30 am, with clearing skies and reasonable temperatures, over 100 racers flung themselves into the algae-colored water at Branched Oak Lake for the 1000-meter swim. But the story of the day was the mountain bike section of the course, which started with a 5-mile grass ride and culminated in 2 laps in the tangled, muddy trails just west of Branched Oak Lake's area 1. Bike handling skills, mud-shedding tires, and a good motor were at a premium, as many racers began to redefine success as simply not getting pitched over their own handlebars into the mud. But racers that kept their rear tires weighted and didn't stop till they were at the top turned in some truly amazing times for the mountain bike section, before dismounting and trotting back toward the dam for a 4.5 mile finishing run.

Afterward, winners received their bolts, and anyone willing to engage in stupid human tricks (or pushups) were further rewarded with gift certificates to a Lincoln bike shop. All in all, though, the race organizers did a terrific job, and a spirit of fun, cooperation, and camradery pervaded the entire event.

Pictures and results

If you sang the national anthem, volunteered to work at the race, participated in the race, or even happened to be water skiing at Branched Oak Lake that day, there's a really good chance that photographer Ken Coffman took a picture of you in one of these 400-some photos. Race results can be found here.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/google/20090817005272/en

The Active Network Launches “Go Green” Program with Athletes for a Fit Planet to Drive Eco-Friendly Practices within Endurance Race Community
More Than 15,000 Races and Events Offered Incentives to Go Green

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Active Network, Inc. (Active), a leading provider of technology and marketing solutions for community service and sports organizations, today announced the launch of its “Go Green” program in partnership with Athletes for a Fit Planet LLC, an organization that provides environmentally responsible solutions for endurance race and event organizers. Designed to encourage and enable the endurance sports community to embrace green practices, Active’s “Go Green” program recognizes and rewards race organizations that commit to adopting environmentally responsible practices, and gives consumers access to an extensive directory of green races around the country.

Active worked with Athletes for a Fit Planet, to identify criteria for its “Go Green” program that includes a Pledge of Sustainability. By signing up for the program and taking the Pledge of Sustainability, race organizations make a public commitment to initiate a minimum of 10 specific practices to reduce the environmental impact of their events. Active’s list of “Go Green” criteria range from the elimination of paper registration forms and providing onsite recycling bins to supporting local environment causes.

“Athletes for a Fit Planet is excited to be partnering with Active to integrate the Pledge of Sustainability into Active’s ‘Go Green’ program,” said Bruce Rayner, founder and chief green officer of Athletes for a Fit Planet. “This is the first program of its kind to provide event organizers with independent recognition for their commitment to a set of environmental initiatives. And athletes looking for green events can now register with confidence because the Pledge of Sustainability criteria will be available on Active’s Go Green listing and Athletes for a Fit Planet’s Green Events Directory.”

By registering for Active’s “Go Green” program and taking the Pledge of Sustainability, event organizations receive a number of benefits including:

• Pledge of Sustainability seal that can be featured on their event site, banners and other materials


• Events will be posted on a special Protect Your Playground section on Active.com, the largest participatory sports site in the world, and on the Athletes for a Fit Planet event calendar
  


• Access to the Athletes for a Fit Planet Resource Center that includes a Green Events Handbook, Green Business Directory and other valuable resources
  


• Exclusive discounts on Active and Athletes for a Fit Planet services and products
  

Upon completion of the event, the event organizer will provide Athletes for a Fit Planet with documentation that verifies that the event met its Pledge criteria. The event will receive a Verification Certificate and their seal will be updated with a “Verified” stamp on both Active.com and Athletes for a Fit Planet’s website to indicate the event has met its Pledge.

“Unlike any other organization in the nation, Active has relationships with more than 15,000 endurance races and events,” said Eric McCue, general manager of Active’s ActiveEndurance division. “We realized that by introducing a green validation program to race organizations and offering incentives to participate, we could make a significant impact in helping drive green practices. Interest from race organizers has been overwhelming, and we expect to see more and more participants seeking out races that feature the Athletes for a Fit Planet Pledge of Sustainability.”

Active’s “Go Green” program is part of Active Endurance, a division of The Active Network that delivers industry-leading online technology and marketing solutions to over 15,000 endurance events and organizations. Endurance race organizers interested in more information about Active’s “Go Green” program can contact Michael Wilson at (858) 964-3886 or go to www.ActiveEndurance.com.

About Athletes for a Fit Planet LLC

Athletes for a Fit Planet (AFP) is a leading provider of eco-services for athletic events in the US and Canada. The company offers support and validation for events that take the Pledge of Sustainability, including listing in the Green Events Directory. The company advises event organizers on cost-effective strategies for reducing, recycling and composting waste, reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, greening the supply chain, and minimizing the impact of the event on the local environment. And AFP works with event sponsors to provide opportunities to communicate their own green initiatives to athletes. Visit us at www.afitplanet.com or contact Bruce Rayner, Chief Green Officer, at bruce@afitplanet.com.

About The Active Network, Inc.
The Active Network delivers integrated technology solutions, marketing services and online media properties that enable and encourage participation in activities and events. For more information, please visit www.ActiveNetwork.com.

Triathletes compete in Nebraska's first XTERRA triathlon

Triathletes compete in Nebraska's first XTERRA triathlon

Kaelly Simpson clipped through the finish line, the first woman through - a unique accomplishment, not only because this was her first off-road triathlon or because she bought her first mountain bike just five days ago.

Simpson broke her arm in an early summer cycling accident. As if competing weren't impressive enough, she also had to go and win the race.

"My arm's still getting its strength back," said the 23-year-old University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate student from Dallas, flexing the afflicted arm and then pointing at the other one. "It's almost as big as this arm."

Her secret to speedy recovery?

"I lifted two-pound weights all summer," she said. "I started with my coffee mug. I went to summer school and just lifted my mug every day in class. Over and over."

Simpson joined 150 other triathletes at Nebraska's first XTERRA triathlon. Competitors dove into Branched Oak Lake on Saturday morning, kicking off a 1,000-meter swim, a 21-kilometer mountain bike ride and an eight-kilometer trail run.

The first XTERRA B.O.L.T. was part of the XTERRA American Tour, which consists of 60 triathlons throughout the United States. Triathletes earn points to qualify for the nationals (in Ogden, Utah) and the world championship (Maui, Hawaii).

This was one of the last races before nationals, said Jared Carlson, XTERRA B.O.L.T. race director, so "there are a lot of people trying to pick up some last-minute points to qualify."

Lincolnite Kevin Burke, 45, was one such contender. He needed to move up one more spot in his regional ranking to qualify for nationals. And he did, by scoring a sixth-place finish overall on Saturday.

He's going to nationals. Maybe. He has to overcome one more obstacle.
"Now," he said, "all I have to do is talk my wife into letting me spend the money to go."
Reach Micah Mertes at 473-7395 or mmertes@journalstar.com.

Twenty-first Sourwood 5K has record attendance | Black Mountain News

Twenty-first Sourwood 5K has record attendance

The 2009 Sourwood 5K saw a record 226 competitors, an increase of 22 over 2008, with 19 year-old Weaverville resident Josey Weaver emerging victorious with a time of 15:40. Weaver, a 2008 graduate of Madison High School who currently runs for Western Carolina University, was a three-time state champion in cross country, pole vault, and 3200 meters in high school. Sourwood 5K Photo Gallery

The race also featured the Cheshire Pump & Run, which allowed runners to lower their 5K time with bench presses before the race. Each bench press repetition would knock 20 seconds off of the competitor’s 5K time, with the amount to be determined by a percentage of the participant’s body weight.

Shanna Duvall, a 27-year-old from Asheville, was the overall winner with a time of 10:03.

With cross-country season rapidly approaching, several local high school students participated in the 5K to compare their times at the end of last season as well as challenge themselves against new competition.

“There is such diversity amongst the people running-all different age groups, genders, and fitness levels- so you really had to focus on running for yourself as opposed to beating the runners around you,” said Hannah Robinson, a 16-year-old rising junior at Owen High. “As any race is, pushing your body to perform as best as it can proves challenging.”

XTERRA! Portland's first off road triathlon | The Everyday Athlete

XTERRA! Portland's first off road triathlon

File this under “more cool stuff I’m going to miss”.

I am in San Jose at Anti-Training Camp, gorging on carbs and fat, not a bicycle in site. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, XTERRA Portland is set for August 15th out at Hagg Lake.

Hagg Lake holds a lukewarm spot in the heart of every roadie who’s ever braved February weather to race the heralded Banana Belt World Championship here. I don’t know why we insist on racing in February, but we do. And we pretend to like it - sometimes.

If you ask me, the knobby-crew has it right. Race Hagg in August when it’s hot, dry, and fabulous.

The mountain-biking will be fierce, the swimming watery, and the running bumpy as nearly 200 competitors compete for triathlete bragging rights. (The course covers a 1000 meter swim, 25 kilometer mountain bike and a 5.5-mile trail run).

So many questions to be answered - not least of which is who will take home the bulk of the prize purse. Beyond the big winner? Can XTERRA cool-ify triathlon? MTB crossover roadies are always just a little cooler than their roadie-exclusive counterparts, no? What happens when you mix the classic hyper-Type-A triathlon personality with the indescribable lightness of the fat-wheel assault?

I wish I could be there to tell you, but I can’t. If you get a chance, go watch. I’m pretty sure it’s going to be rad - and I know a few triathlete-turned-roadie-turned-mountainbikers (ahem, Kristin!) who might represent the untapped future potential of this growing sport.

XTERRA attack!!!

(Mucho information about the event available

online.)

Town hosts off-road triathlon

Mattie Govan ’11 won the standard triathlon and Nils Koons ’11 won the XTERRA triathlon for their age divisions at the STOAKED Off-Road Triathlon, held at the Storrs Pond/Oak Hill Recreation Area on Saturday. Stoaked, which included a standard triathlon and a 16-kilometer trail run on Saturday as well as an XTERRA triathlon on Sunday, drew around 440 competitors overall, including roughly 15 Dartmouth students.
The standard triathlon course consisted of a half-mile swim, an 8.5-kilometer mountain bike ride and a 4-kilometer trail run. The XTERRA course was roughly twice that length.
Govan, who finished first in the women’s 20-24 age division for the standard triathlon, said the experience was exhilarating.
“It was one long adrenaline rush,” she said. “I love competing, the excitement, and I love open water swimming. I knew I wanted to get ahead in the swim.”
Govan said she was ahead of her competitors coming out of the swim, but lost some time during the mountain bike race. Several students said they found the mountain biking portion of the race to be the most challenging because it required such a “technical” level of riding. The ride included stretches where competitors had to carry their bikes and called for balance and skill navigating around roots and other obstacles, participants said. It also took more time than the swimming or running portions of the race.
“It was just pretty long and pretty brutal terrain,” Karen Orrick ’11, who finished 21st overall on the standard course and fourth in the women’s 20-24 age group, said. “The bike was mentally challenging more than anything else.”
The toughness of the course, however, played to the strengths of those with mountain biking experience, according to Koons, who finished first in the XTERRA men’s 20-24 age division.
“I was a little nervous, because I hadn’t done too much swimming,” Koons said. “I really liked how difficult the mountain bike course was — it helps those with good technique.”
Many students said the most appealing aspect of the race was the fact that, unlike most traditional triathlons, the event was off-road.
“I just really like running in the woods as opposed to running on pavement,” Cristina Pellegrini ’11, who participated in the trail run, said. “I didn’t really treat it as a race; it was more like my run for the day.”
Participants who finished in one of the top 15 spots in their age group in the XTERRA race earned points towards qualifying for the XTERRA National Championships in Ogden, Utah, according to the XTERRA website. Paul Salipante ’07, now a student at the Thayer School of Engineering, qualified for the national competition, but said he will be competing in the XTERRA World Championship in Maui, Hawaii instead. Salipante finished third in the men’s 20-24 division.
Dartmouth students were able to enter the triathlon free of charge in exchange for volunteering during the events in which they were not competing. Students helped direct the runners and performed “sweeps” after each race was completed, running the course behind the last of the runners to make sure that no one was left behind, according to Erin Larson ’11, who organized the volunteers for the events. Larson finished second in the XTERRA women’s 19 and under division.
This year saw the largest number of Dartmouth students participate ever, in addition to having a record number of total participants, race director Chad Denning said.
“Last year there were about 375 total participants, and this year about 440, so I would say that’s a nice increase,” Denning said.
Some participants entered as teams, and all of the entry fees paid by teams will be donated to the Dartmouth Outing Club, according to Denning and DOC President Tom Flynn ’11, who finished in fifth place in the XTERRA men’s 20-24 division.
Storrs Pond/Oak Hill is used heavily for cross-country skiing in the winter but less frequently in other months, so it is a pleasant change to see the area used during the summer, Denning said.
“Oak Hill is [the DOC’s] playground, so it seemed like a natural fit,” Denning said.
Laurie Woodman ’11 placed third in the standard course for the women’s 20-24 division, Daniel Hochman ‘11 placed fifth in the men’s 20-24 division for the standard course and Marc Shapiro ’10 finished 8th in the XTERRA race in the men’s 20-24 division, according to the Stoaked web site. Results for the trail run were not published.

XTERRA National Championships Come to Snowbasin Sept. 25-26 | Utah Skier

XTERRA National Championships Come to Snowbasin Sept. 25-26 SNOWBASIN, UT

Snowbasin will again host the XTERRA National Championships September 25-26 where the best off-road triathletes in the country compete in a 1-mile swim in Pineview Reservoir in Ogden Valley, a 20-mile mountain bike ride that climbs more than 3,000 feet up to Snowbasin Resort, followed by a 6-mile trail run.For the past three years, Snowbasin has hosted the XTERRA Mountain Championship, one of four key regional US events in the 60-race XTERRA American Tour. As the grand finale and last race in the XTERRA America Tour, there is more than $100,000 in prize money for the pros. For more information, call (801) 620-1014.

Weaver wins Sourwood 5K

Girls Gone Outdoors: Post details: Weaver wins Sourwood 5K

Weaver wins Sourwood 5K

Josey Weaver, 19, of Weaverville, was certainly not moving like the race's namesake sourwood honey today when he won the Sourwood 5K in 15 minutes, 40 seconds.
Race director Andrew Marsh said the race brought out a record 226 runners, as it kicked off Black Mountain's annual Sourwood Festival, which continues on Sunday.
The first overall female finisher was 18-year-old Sarah Willingham of Hendersonville, with a time of 18:45.
The race also included the Cheshire Pump and Run, in which 5K runners were able to deduct time from their runs by pumping a certain amount of weight before the race began. The overall Pump and Run winner was Sarah Duvall, 27, of Asheville, who won with a time of 10:03.
For full results from today's race, visit www.CITIZEN-TIMES.com/outdoors and click on "races/results."

ADVENTURE OF THE WEEK: Sourwood 5K

ADVENTURE OF THE WEEK: Sourwood 5K

What : Sourwood 5K Road Race/Walk and Cheshire Pump and Run.
When : Pump and Run starts at 6:45 a.m.; 5K race starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
Where : Start line is at Cheshire Fitness and Racquet Club, 25 Jane Jacob Road, Black Mountain.
Cost : $25 for the 5K and $30 for the Cheshire Pump & Run.
Details : The annual 5K race, part of the two-day Black Mountain Sourwood Festival, will again feature the Cheshire Pump & Run, where participants earn deductions off 3.1-mile run times for doing bench presses before the race.
Pump & Run participants must be at least 18 years old, said race director Andrew Marsh. Pumpers earn a 20-second deduction off their 5K finish for each repetition, based on a percentage of their body weight.
“Running is a good cardiovascular for the legs, but it doesn't do much for the upper body,” Marsh said. “On the flip side, guys who spend too much time in the gym have no (running) legs. The Pump & Run provides more of an all-over body fitness.”
If you're not into weightlifting, however, anyone can just do the 5K race. The course features rolling hills and great scenery of the surrounding mountains. Runners are welcome to use the Cheshire Fitness Club's shower facilities after the race.
Directions : From Asheville, take Interstate 40 east to Exit 64/Black Mountain. Turn right and follow N.C. 9 to the club on the right.
Information : Call Event Mercenaries at 669-1902, e-mail Sourwood5K@eventmercenaries.com or visit www.Sourwood5K.com.
Karen Chávez

Sourwood Festival set for this weekend - Black Mountain, NC

Sourwood Festival set for this weekend: Black Mountain News

The 32nd annual Sourwood Festival is set for Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9. The event, sponsored by the Black Mountain - Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce, has grown into one of Western North Carolina’s most diverse street festivals, featuring crafts, foods, music, and a lot of fun.
“The Sourwood Festival is a family, hometown celebration with vendors, including local craft people, and non-profit organizations raising money for special projects,” Bob McMurray, Black Mountain-Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce executive director, said. “We have free music throughout the festival, and a large children’s area with a lot of different activities.”
Beekeeper Edd Buchanan hasn’t missed a Sourwood festival since it started. He will return with his bee display, but with no sourwood honey due to the weather conditions this summer.
The Sourwood Idol Contest will be held on Friday night, August 7, at 7 p.m. in the parking lot across from the Old Depot. This is a competition for single, musical acts. Prizes are given. There are still openings for competitors. Those interested should call the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce at 669-2300 for an application, or arrive at 6 p.m. on August 7 at the entertainment tent and register to compete.
For more information, consult the Sourwood Festival Guide in this week’s Black Mountain News.