Recently returned from Colorado where my daughter Ciara "Pepper" Hopkins, age 11, was competing in the USA Triathlon Youth National Championship in Colorado Springs. She was defending her National title from 2007, but it was not to be. This year she was the 2nd youngest athlete in her division and placed 5th overall and was the 1st eleven year old across the finish line. She would have taken 3rd but made a wrong turn on the bike course...some lessons are difficult to learn. Congrats to those who finished ahead of her!

After Nationals we took a week off and stayed with family in a cabin at 9200 ft in the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) mountains...not much training...just having fun and spending time with family. We did get to climb Handies Peak a 14,000 ft mountain in the San Juan mountain range, went white water kayaking on the Rio Grande River in New Mexico, and managed to do some altitude running and mountain biking around the cabin....a challenge for a flatlander at that altitude.

Saw lots of wildlife while staying at the cabin. Each morning a Mule deer doe with fawn would saunter into the meadow just off the cabin porch to the delight of all. While driving around one evening we came upon a large herd of Elk grazing on a mountain side meadow...continued on and passed a young bear, maybe 225 lbs who, when startled by us, began to climb up a tree, stop and elongate himself making him much thinner and very difficult to see...he really blended in with the tree. On the way back, just before dark, a large porcupine crossed the road just ahead of us and slowly made his way down an embankment to his den...very unusual animal. There were also redtailed hawks, coyote, and beaver near the property. It was an interesting trip and a nice diversion from the training schedule but, alas, back I am..trying to figure out how to work in my training in the midst of tropical storm Faye...and the several hundred emails in my inbox.

Next race is the Nation's Triathlon in Washington DC on September 14th. I'm looking forward to this Olympic distance race..the swim is in the Potomac and the run course is a closed course around the Mall and past all the monuments and memorials...should be a great day....

It's Willamette "Damit"...said the wine barista...and then I remembered how to say it...not Willahmet. I also said Oregon like Ore"gone" instead of Oregen...which immediately pegged me as an outsider. Yeah..the Pinot Noir in this valley is outstanding at most wineries...as is the Pint Gris and Viognier, especially at Witness Tree vineyards. Nothing like a beautiful day of wine tasting before an Olympic distance race..hey it's like I've said before...it's why we do these things...right?

I rented a bike from a local bike shop...a Fuji Roubaix with Shimano 105...it was the best bike I could find. I brought along my pedals, shoes and clip-on aerobars...I only wish I had a cyclometer...riding without one is like riding blind. Anyway, it served its purpose just fine. It was an interesting race morning at Blue Lake Park outside of Portland. I awoke at 5:45 am with a BS of 46 and was a bit confused. Had difficulty figuring out exactly what to do, how to turn off the alarm, etc. Drank 12 oz of Orange Juice...You just can't take the Florida out of this boy!...and crammed a blueberry danish from Whole Foods down my throat. Hypoglycemia will do that to you. Fortunately, I had packed my race bag and other items the night before...so I was basically ready to go. I went down to breakfast and ate a bagel...mistake. Went to the race site where the air temp was about 53 degrees and the water temp was about 65 degrees..and, there was a very light mist in the air with overcast skies....And I had said I was tired of those hot, humid Florida race mornings...I sure was looking for one now! So, it was damp and cold. Checked my BS before race start and, as with the last race, it had climbed to 312. So..what to do? Take a small shot, or start the race and hope the exercise would bring it down. And, as with the last race, I started with the hope my BS would drop to a reasonable range. I had a remarkably good swim, leaving the water in 25 mins...and ran to transition to start the bike. At this point I felt confident there were probably 1 maybe 2 guys in my age group ahead of me...so I chose not to stop to check my BS...I just pressed on trying to pick them off. No such luck. I kept my place throughout the bike (along the Columbia River) which was flat out and back with wind and started the run. Felt good at the start but then I began to fall off my pace and at about mile 4 was passed by one in my age group..tried to pick it up but couldn't stay with him. At mile 5 was passed by yet another. I knew there were 2 more behind me closing in. With 1/2 mile to go I started to kick because the guy behind me started to close the gap...I outpaced him and came within 50 yrds of the guy ahead of me but it was too late to pick him off. Immediately after the race I went to the medical tent where there was a table for me to check my BS...it was now...343. Damn...took 3 units of Humalog and went to check the results....I took 6th place....So there was another guy ahead of me that I never saw. Now...the question is: What do I do next time when my BS is 300 before race start? Since I have now had 2 races in a row with this same situation and with the same result...I'll try taking 1 or 2 units of Humalog and see what happens...being mindful of the potential for Hypoglycemia during the race. Anyway...you've got to try new things..see what works and what does not...then, maybe the better option is to try not to have a low BS early in the morning..and eat much less. 

So, I'm off to Colorado Springs where my daughter (11 yrs old) is defending her title as the 2007 USAT Youth National Champion on August 9th...We'll then stay a week vacationing in the Sangre de Cristo mountains and maybe climb a 14er or two.....