Fit-Pic: One Chilly TriRock Morning

Funny how Midwest weather works. The last time I was in Lake Geneva for a triathlon we were having one of the warmest days of the year. The temperature soared into the 90s--oddly enough warm turned out to be a theme for most of the triathlons I did this season. That was June 23.

Not even three months later, the weather did a complete 180. Forget trying to figure out how you were going to stay cool on the bike and the run, at TriRock Lake Geneva, we were bundled in winter clothes (hats and gloves included) and wondering how cold we might get on the bike.

When I parked my car in Williams Bay, the car thermometer read 36 degrees--and that was five degrees warmer than it had been when I woke up. I had nearly convinced myself to bag the race and return to my warm hotel room while I prepped my bike. A 6:30 a.m. start--and I was in the third wave, not third to last, which was the case at two other races--would be COLD...and dark. The redeeming factor was the announcement I heard as I walked to transition: Start time was postponed until 7:15 a.m. That was partially because it was cold, especially out on the bike course away from the lake, but mostly because Geneva Lake was covered in fog. You couldn't see the swim course and race officials were waiting for the fog to lift before they allowed a bunch of triathletes to navigate the water.

As for the race itself, I'll save that for another day. Time for bed...there's another race in the morning.

Get Yer Tri Gear to Lake Geneva for TriRock

TriRock heads to Lake Geneva Sept. 14

Just because the Life Time Tri Chicago is over doesn’t mean Chicago’s tri season is done until next year. While Ironman Wisconsin draws tons of Chicago area triathletes this weekend, there’s still another race on tap for next weekend. And it’s in one of the most beautiful resort areas just a stone’s throw from Chicago.

That resort town is Lake Geneva. That race is TriRock, a newer race to the area that in a way replaces the Lake Geneva triathlon series that used to happen the same weekend as Ironman Wisconsin (Ironman spectators were known to race in Lake Geneva and then drive to Madison to cheer). The race’s date is Saturday, September 14, and Sunday happens to be the final day of online registration before packet pickup on Thursday.

Whether your triathlon season got a late start or you’re ready to take a dip in the sport after watching #ChiTri or #IMWI, Lake Geneva is the place to be. The swim won’t be as thrashing as Chicago (sorry Chicago, but your swim is chaotic), and it takes place in the calmer, quieter lake area of Williams Bay. The bike promises some hills you can’t get downtown—yes, Lake Geneva is hilly but not as crazy as say Madison. The run offers beautiful scenery to help the miles fly by (I've run far more than planned on more than one occasion in Lake Geneva). And like any CGI race, who bring the Rock 'n' Roll races to cities across the country, there's one festive finish line. But better yet: You're getting another triathlon under your belt before calling it quits for the year.  OK, so maybe that's my justification for keeping my triathlon season going until it's nearly fall...without having to leave the Midwest.

The final chance to register online for TriRock Lake Geneva is Sunday, September 8. If you use the code LGTOWEL, you'll receive a free triathlete tri towel with your registration. Or register at one of the packet pick-ups before race day: Fleet Feet Sports Old Town on Sept. 12 from 10am - 8pm, or in Williams Bay on Sept. 13 from 2pm - 8pm. But don't wait until race morning to decide because there is no race day registration.

For more details about the triathlon or to register, check out 
http://trirock.competitor.com/lake-geneva/register/.

Photo courtesy of the Competitor Group and TriRock Lake Geneva.

Who's Ready to Run?

Grab your running shoes. Grab your favorite summer running gear. Grab your Garmins, Nike+, Polars and other mileage logging devices. Tomorrow not only marks the start of June (yikes, where did the last five months go?) but it also marks the third annual National Running Day.

You may not need an actual holiday to go for a run but Competitor Group, Inc. (CGI) wants to help you make the day even more worthwhile. When you're grabbing your must-have running items, you'll also want to grab your credit cards and computers. CGI is offering a one-day registration discount for its Rock 'n' Roll Marathon series, Muddy Buddy and TriRock events. Can we just say awesome?

Basically any CGI event--and there are a lot roaming the country throughout the year--are discounted. Running, run/bike/obstacle relay, and triathlon (with music along the course, a rarity in the sport)--all your active bases are covered. The savings include $26 off a Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, $13 off a Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, $10 off a Rock 'n' Roll 10K, $5 off a Rock 'n' Roll 5K, $20 off a Muddy Buddy race, and $20 off a TriRock event. Now you can run the Las Vegas strip for $26 less, or the Virginia Beach boardwalk for $13 less. Or you'll save when you romp through the mud pit before crossing a Muddy Buddy finish line or rock out to a triathlon near a Civil War battleground.

Ah, but wait, there's more. CGI also invites runners to log the miles they run today at competitor.com. Share your miles, share a story about why you run, download a badge to post on your Facebook page. Their goal is to hit 500,000 miles over these 24 hours of June 1. With marathoning and half marathoning participation numbers continually on the rise, that can't be too hard to hit. Who's going to get running?