CDAIII

My return was 0-dark thirty hours form the whirlwind CDA trip. You will recall that this one started towards Montreal but was diverted due to, ahem, shall we say, 'political technicalities'. There will be more (probably MUCH more) on this in the next few weeks. You know I love Warren Zevon, so maybe Send Lawyers, Guns & Money is the applicable inclusion to the post soundtrack. 

But today we celebrate the 10th anniversary of IM Coeur d' Alene. I have some history there, having completed the inaugural event waaaaay back in 2002 and subsequently filming all three courses. Yesterday marked the initial running of the third course (CDAIII)  and despite the usual suspects (wing and rain) it played well. Gone is the Centennial Trail, Dogtrack and I-90 crossing of the first course, as well as Hayden Lake and the rural country feel of the second. CDAIII puts you on the freeway (95) and says see-ya!!!! To be fair, the new course maintains the marquee out 'n back along Lake Dr and the infamous turnaround at Higginspoint cul de sac as well as two high-speed-go-fast with your race day face on jaunts through downtown. The new section has its share of intrigue with a series of 2-5% long-rollers and a "no-passing" section that can bottleneck and frustrate. 

I would like to pass along a couple of special thanks, If I might. 

To Jessica at Ironman for her 'above and beyond' work on our behalf. Remember she didn't even know we we coming until Friday. 

To my Honda pilot Ken for a superb three hours of safe and successful navigation of the challenging course. And for beating cancer.

To RD Mac Casavar for being the first race director in my twenty years of working IMs to get the pecking order nailed. The volunteers, security and staff WORK IN HARMONY with the media. We are not the enemy. We do this together. 

Thanks Mac, Jessica and Ken, you were terrific. 

I am processing the video and, again, despite some raindrops, it looks great. Way back in 2008 we released our first CompuTrainer Real Course Video, Ironman Coeur d' Alene. In the subsequent  four years it has sold thousands of copies and prepared hundreds of thousands of triathletes for the demands of the North Idaho 112. You know I love BTO, so this simply gives me anther chance to spin the lyric: CDAIII:

You ain't seen nothing yet!

A few pix from the day: A choppy swim, cold bike and hot run. Welcome to CDA.