I usually do not post this stuff as self gloating is done too much I think, but this was pretty cool. Someone's race report for the Pacific Crest Triathlons had some awesome stuff to say. Thanks Pacific Crest, for an awesome race experience. We are making plans to go back next year!
Race Report: 2010 Pacific Crest Olympic Triathlon
(6-29-10) Submitted by Dave Campbell - After completing the Pacific Crest Long Course Triathlon eight times in the last 12 years, I was ready for a change so this year I raced the Olympic-distance for the first time. What a fun event! I may never go back to the hot, drawn-out suffering of the long course! To experience the beautiful views of the Cascades, the tall pine trees, the clean, dry, warm, mountain air and finishing your race by lunch time with enough energy left over to go swimming with the kids in the afternoon was wonderful! Nearly 600 athletes made their way up to Wickiup Reservoir for one of the final events of the magnificent Pacific Crest Endurance Sports Weekend.
The lake temperature was 63 degrees, but was paired with warm sunshine pouring down from above. The 1500-meter clockwise swim exited onto the boat ramp at the reservoir where athletes then saddled up for a 28-mile rolling bike ride with a moderate three-mile long climb at the midpoint. The steeper slopes of the climb were punctuated by several false flats, breaking it up, and allowing recovery before a long, fast drag down into Sunriver. The 10-kilometer run looped counter clockwise around the resort village on the bike paths.
The fastest swimmer was 30-year-old Lauren Thies of Portland, over a minute and a half faster than her nearest female competitor (Beth Steen of Phoenix, AZ) and over 20 seconds quicker than the fastest male. The honor of “first out of the water”, however, (due to the wave starts) was 30-year-old Chris Boudreaux of Portland, OR in 20:37. Boudreaux, owner of Athletes Lounge in Portland, was one of about twenty athletes starting in the elite wave, while age group wave racer Brady Childs (age 28) posted the fasted men’s swim split in 20:18.
Curiously, as I racked my bike Sunday morning, I had the thought that given the compulsive, driven nature of triathletes, it was only a matter of time until someone raced the long course triathlon on Saturday and then the Olympic on Sunday. And sure enough, it happened this year! Saturday’s third place finisher Adam Zucco, 35, from Elburn, IL, exited the water just behind Boudreaux in 20:43. Amazing. The day after PCT Saturday, I have usually feel like I had been hit by a truck, and have been known to get up and have breakfast and then go back to bed. And yet here was Zucco, after four and a half hours of high elevation, hot, intense racing, not only toeing the line AGAIN but up with the leaders. WOW.
Zucco, laid down the law on the bike with a blistering pace of 25.12 miles per hour for a fastest bike split of 1:06:52. Boudreaux, however, was giving him quite a fight. After leaving T1 with a 15 second lead courtesy of his swim and a faster transition, Boudreaux was only 17 seconds slower on the bike. These two competitors were nearly a minute and a half faster than the next cyclist, 28-year-old Josh Johnston of Portland with two-time defending champion David Gettle of Weiser, ID another minute and half back. Again, Boudreaux’s slightly quicker transition put him BACK into the lead exiting T2… by ONE SCANT SECOND. On the run, the fresh legs of the Oregonian were up against the man from the Midwest who raced 70.3 miles the day before.
Meanwhile, in the women’s race, the experienced legs ruled the day. 50-year-old Lisa Magness of Bend was tenth fastest on the day with a 1:12:42 bike, and over a minute clear of 46-year-old Ann Davidson of Portland; a past winner here (15th best overall). 30-year-old Sarah Barkley of Richland, WA was third best in 1:14:01 (17th overall) to rise up the standings after a 31:11 swim. Exiting T2, Magness was in the lead with Davidson only a minute behind and both women well clear of strong swimmer Angie Smith, 37, from Salem, third overall leaving T2.
Defying the rising heat, fatigue, and logic, the amazing Zucco tore through the run in 37:17, fourth best on the day to break the tape in 2:06:56 for a near two minute victory, the 35-39 age group title and a stunning feat of endurance excellence over the weekend. Boudreaux ran a solid 39:05 (seventh best) to claim second and the 30-34 win. The fastest runner of the day was 20-year-old Grant Eldridge of Happy Valley, OR with an amazing 36:19 on the winding, twisting, and quite warm running course, which was covered with friendly and encouraging spectators and vacationers. This run put Eldridge in 10th overall and gave him the 20-24 title. Bend’s John Craft, 37, came up to third overall in 2:15:58 with his impressive 38:57 run. Nearly a minute back in fourth was Robert Pritchett of Ellensburg, WA, 3rd best runner on the day with a smoking 37:07. 28-year-old Gettle was fifth overall in 2:16:52 and winner of the 25-29 age division, a little over a minute clear of strong cyclist Johnston with Nicholas Brown of Corvallis, OR less than 30 seconds back for 7th overall and third in a competitive age group. I was eighth overall in 2:18:44, just 31 seconds clear of a very hard-charging Andy Libert (Blue Lake Masters winner) of Eugene, and thrilled to take the Masters and 40-44 title. This being Central Oregon, the race would not be complete without 80 years young Lew Hollander of Bend, a past World Masters Champion, beating over 100 athletes much younger than he in 3:34:34!
Team Cooper of Bend, OR topped all relay teams in 2:39:25. 36-year-old Laura Cooper swam a 33:06, then hustled down to Sunriver to log a 45:06 run. 37-year-old Christopher Cooper, meanwhile biked the 28 miles in 1:19:54.
Perhaps the greatest thing about the Pacific Crest events is that you are in Sunriver, OR for the all of the weekend’s racing. Great swimming, weather, and outdoor recreational opportunities abound as you recover and enjoy family and friends and trade war stories over barbeques. And there is always the next race! For me, it will be the Haag Lake Olympic Distance Race July 10th, a Northwest classic, and the TRI NorthWest Regional Championship. It is hard and hilly and I hope to see you there!
Complete results for this year's races can be found at www.racecenter.com - click on RESULTS. Video highlights can be found here: www.ktvz.com.
Olympic Triathlon
Overall Men
1. Adam Zucco, 35, 2:06:56, Elburn, IL
2. Chris Boudreaux, 30, 2:08:43, Portland, OR
3. John Craft, 37, 2:15:58, Bend, OR
Overall Women
1. Ann Davidson, 46, 2:24:39, Portland, OR
2. Beth Steen, 29, 2:29:15, Phoenix, AZ
3. Lisa Magness, 50, 2:30:18, Bend, OR
Olympic Duathlon
Overall Men
1. Chris Harig, 37, 1:46:53, Issaquah, WA
2. Dave Florence, 43, 1:49:07, Canby, OR
3. Sean Campbell, 43, 1:49:39, Klamath Falls, OR
Overall Women
1. Angela Allen, 42, 2:10:28, Sherwood, OR
2. Heather Leach, 52, 2:12:39, Seattle, WA
3. Kathryn Davis, 44, 2:16:04, Stanfield, OR
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Adam Zucco has spent years figuring out how to improve performance. As a triathlon coach for 20 years he boils down what athletes need to know to get results. In 2016 alone he qualified 8 athletes for the Ironman World Championships.
