SCORE THIS !!! (logo and top banner graphic)
         
    Check out all of the Keuka Lake Tri GO Green and Social Initiatives
June 8th, 2008

The Council for Responsible Sport (CRS) has selected the KLT as a "seedling" event to take place in the certification process to help us Green Up our event.  We are trying to make the KLT more sustainable and environmentally friendly.  Check them out at: http://www.responsiblesporting.org/

How can you help?

1) Carbon Offsets - Athletes have the change to offset their carbon emissions when traveling to the race during the  registration process using Onemillionrevolution.org green registration system.  Score This!!! has selected Carbon Fund as the recipient. One Million Revolution software calculates how much carbon you would put into the atmosphere by using some simple math based on the size of your vehicle and its efficiency.

  • CarbonFund: CarbonFund is a non-profit organization based in Silver Spring, Maryland. CarbonFund supports renewable energy, energy efficiency, and reforestation projects globally that reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the threat of climate change.
  • Score This!!! has elected to all participant travel whether they offset their own or not to make this a carbon neutral event
  • Score This!!! will also make this a carbon restorative event by offsetting the carbon of all participants x 2
  • We also pledge to make the carbon footprint of our entire staff neutral by choosing to offset the entire staffs travel with high-quality carbon credits

           

 

Athlete opt in $44.86 Athletes paid this portion using OneMillionRevolutions.org Carbon Offset Module
Athlete opt out $86.23 Score This!!! covers this portion for athletes who opt out during registration
Total $131.09 23.999 tons of carbon dioxide being offset
Carbon Restorative $262.18 47.998 tons being covered to carbon restorative
Staff Travel $11.64 2.042 tons of CO2 from staff travel being offset
(2 gasoline trucks w/trailers, 1 diesel truck w/ trailer, 5 cars)  All staff carpooled except one.
     
Total contribution to CarbonFund.org $273.82 50.04 tons of CO2 being offset
Here is the link for certificate sent to us for the KLT offsets.
 
Over 54% of the electricity produced in the USA comes from the burning of Coal. For each Kilowatt-hour (kwh) you offset, you are eliminating the burning of approximately 1 pound of coal for energy. To put this into perspective, it takes 1 pound of coal to power a 100 watt light bulb for just 10 hours.

2) Participant Carpooling - KLT participants can use the interactive registration map to locate athletes that they may be able to carpool with. This helps reduce the amount of carbon emission by half. Score This!!! also has a page on their website where an athlete can post their info for carpooling.

Carpooling helps the environment. Burning one gallon of gasoline produces about 18 pounds of CO2.

3) Recycling

  • All Score This!!! Multisport Series events in 2008 will institute a recycling program.  Please keep your eyes open for for the Recycling Station at the race.  it will separate bins labeled for paper, cardboard, metal/aluminum, plastic, glass and general garbage bins this year. This helps the amount of trash being sent to the landfill.  Our hope is at the end of the event we have less than 1lb of landfill waste per participant.

We had 14 bags of trash which were a total of 100lbs. This didn't even fill one Dodge Ram 1500 truck bed. Most of this was composed of  gels packets and HEED cups from the run aid stations. This was about 33% of our trash. 66% was recycled. This works out to 0.17 lbs per athlete that went to the landfill for 2008.

In plastic alone, we recycled 16 bags in 2008

Businesses can use pdf printing and save archives to cd or dvd instead of printing records and storing paper copies.
  • Recycle by Donating your old cell phone(s) to the American Red Cross of Yates County. It's simple and FREE! Donated cell phones are sold to a company that recycles them. The money we receive from recycling cell phones is used to help others in time of need in Yates County.  The Red Cross will collect these under the volunteer tent.

We collected 5 cell phones for 2008 and will continue this initiative in futures seasons. Look next year to also bring your old print and toner cartridges and small electronic devices.

Electric Appliance
Average Wattage
Average Kilowatts
Pounds of Coal Consumed Annually
       
Dishwasher
1,201
1.20
363
Microwave
1,450
1.45
190
Stove
12,200
12.20
730
Clothes Dryer
4,856
4.86
993
Iron
1,100
1.10
60
Washing Machine
512
0.51
103
Refrigerators/Freezers
2,250
2.25
1,500
Hair Dryer
600
0.60
25
B/W Television
45
0.05
100
Color Television
145
0.14
320
Clock
2 0
.01
320
Vacuum Cleaner
630
0.63
46

4) Sneaker Return - Please bring your old running shoes that are of no use to you anymore and place them in the collection bin.  We will box them up and donate them on behalf of the race to a soon to be determined charity.  We are looking for a local charity right in the Penn Yan Keuka Park area.

This was the most successful out of all of the innovative feature that enhances sustainability of our event.  We collect 55 pairs of sneakers in 2008 and donated them to St. John's Community Outreach Center in Lockport, NY.

5) Charitable Giving - Since the inception of this event the original race director Jay Hollister started giving back to the American Red Cross of Yates County.  Since that time the race has given back almost $15,000 to help the ARC with its helping of others.  You can also make a tax deductible donation when an athlete use the OMR Green Registration System.  In 2008, 24 athletes made additional donations of $120

6) The American Red Cross of Yates county relies on donations to helps others in time of need whether it be a natural disaster or a fire.  The easiest way to make a non-monetary donation to the ARC of Yates County is to bring any of the following to be collected at the ARC Volunteer tent race day or in the designated box during packet pickup: toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss and deodorant.

We only collected one tube of toothpaste for 2008.

7)  After the race is over, everyone is full of the all you can eat buffet provided by the Keuka College food service, and your award is in a great place in your home, please look for our survey via email to let us know how you think our sustainability efforts went for the 2008 event.  Our goal is to get at least 10% of the athletes to tell us how we did!!!

8)  FREE Clinic for all whether they are racing or not 06/07/08 in Dalhstom Hall.  This event will take place in a room TBD from 3-4pm.  This is the hour before packet pickup starts.  Coach Doug Bush from Endurancefactor.com with break this event into two 30 minute sessions.  This is the second of 6 clinics this year in the clinic series.

Clinic #2A Get the most out of your transition!!!-Session 1
 
With USAT Certified Coach Doug Bush of Endurance Factor
Free 3pm-3:30pm
 
Beginner-Advanced:
Learn how to effectively and properly set up your transition to make your race smooth and fast! We will teach you everything you need to know from where to rack your bike, stash your helmet, and mount the bike! We will have 3 types of trisection racks for you to see.
No equipment necessary!
 
Clinic #2B Everything you need to know to get thru your first triathlon!!! Session 2
 
With USAT Certified Coach Doug Bush of Endurance Factor
Free 3:30pm-4pm

Beginner:
Everything you need to know to get thru your first triathlon.

Clinic apps can be found here so we know you plan on coming to this event:

9) Check the website to see what else we have in store: http://keukalaketri.com

 

   
    Score This!!! gets mentioned by USAT as a
Regional Qualifier in Inside Triathlon
May 2008


   
    Score This!!! helps out at the Lockport YMCA Healthy Kid's Day
April 12th, 2008

   
    Score This!!! own Mark Hryvniak get thirds in the 2008 IHA Shoes for Shelter 5K
 
   


 

   
   
Council for Responsible Sport announces 2008 pilot events
March 4, 2008 -- Press Release: The Council for Responsible Sport, a non-profit corporation based in Portland, Oreg., has selected twelve events to take part in a pilot program which will establish standards and processes for a sustainability certification for athletic events. Triathlons were selected to represent large and small events in a variety of geographic locations, and they include both first-year and established races. The following events make up the “seedling” pilot program:
 
  • CB&I Triathlon (May 3, Woodlands, TX)
  • Keuka Lake Triathlon (June 8, Keuka Park, NY)
  • Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon in Fairmount Park (June 21-22, Philadelphia, PA)
  • Deschutes Dash (July 19-20, Bend, OR)
  • Boulder Peak Triathlon (July 20, Boulder, CO)
  • Urban Epic (July 26, Portland, ME)
  • Oregon Trout City of Portland Triathlon (August 31, Portland, OR)
  • San Francisco Triathlon (November 9, San Francisco, CA)
  • USA Triathlon Age Group Nationals (September 20, Forest Grove, OR)
  • Peregrine Charities Triathlon (September 28, Waterloo, IA)
  • Land Rover Pumpkinman Triathlon (October 18, Las Vegas, NV)
  • Marin County Triathlon (October 26, San Rafael, CA)

The Council for Responsible Sport (CRS) provides an objective, independent certification for sustainable athletic events. By defining realistic standards and providing a framework for achieving them, CRS enables event directors to incorporate environmental responsibility into their events while informing consumers which events adhere to these standards.

A set of Draft Standards is currently available for review and public comment at responsiblesporting.org. Publication of an initial release version will occur in early April, and the pilot program will allow CRS to develop a knowledge base of case studies, test certification processes, and further refine the standards. In 2009 certification will expand to other mass participation sports, including cycling and running events.

The Council for Responsible Sport was founded by Jeff Henderson and Jonathan Eng, with support and guidance from Portland-based non-profit Oregon Trout. Jeff Henderson is a USAT-certified race director (City of Portland Triathlon, Musselman Triathlon, Fly by Night Duathlon), official, journalist, and former pro triathlete. Jonathan Eng is a USAT-certified coach, personal fitness trainer, and triathlete.

Further information about the Council for Responsible Sport is available through the website responsiblesporting.org.

http://www.triathletemag.com/Departments/News/2008/Council_for_Responsible_Sport_announces_2008_pilot_events.htm
 

   
   
Score This!!! gets thanked by the Lake Erie Beach Volunteer Fire Department
 

 

The "Y-10" Mile Race- Older Is Better
Contributed by: Buffalo.com/YourHub Thomas Proctor IV on 2/10/2008

With a near record turnout of 224 finishers of the 2008 edition of the Y-10 Road Race in Lockport, all laws of logic were thrown out the proverbial window when it comes to the aging body in the sport of long distance road racing. Of the first ten finishers, an astounding seven were ages thirty-five up to forty-nine.

First place went to Berea, Ohio's Jeff Day, who completed the ten miles with a time of one hour and forty-one seconds. With near ideal conditions to race in February, it still didn't make the top theme of this challenging race. Mile nine dominated in that department. Your body takes a toll on this course at the three to six mile section, with rolling hills that keep your effort honest and at times, even in question of finishing altogether.

 

The finish line in sight, provided by 'Score This!!!' timing company.
 
The finish line in sight, provided by 'Score This!!!' timing company.
Provided by: Buffalo.com/YourHub Thomas Pro
Pat Occhino of South Buffalo and veteran marathoner (that's racing 26.2 miles for those of you scoring at home) placed seventh overall in the race and when asked about the bear of a hill, he simply said, "That hill takes a lot out of you and my body is going to take some time to recover from it."

Tom Somerville of Bond Lake Athletic Club stated otherwise.

"I feel great," Somerville said.

"Why would two other races even try to be run elsewhere on this very day?"

Multi winner of this race, Judy Arlington of Lockport, won another for her hometown. Arlington clocked in an impressive one hour, eight minute and twenty-two second performance. Arlington's age group? You guessed it---40 to 44 years old.

Race Director Jeff Tracy was pleased at the overall turnout and pain free results with an outstanding crew of volunteers.

"I am very happy about this year's race, absolutely." Tracy said.

Western New York's second oldest continuing road race is showing no signs of letting up anytime soon.

Final results can be seen on www.score-this.com and www.buffalorunners.com
 

 

LOCKPORT Y-10: A great day for the race

By Bill Wolcott/wolcottb@gnnewspaper.com
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal Published: February 10, 2008 12:47 am  
 

LOCKPORT — Dreary, drizzly, 36 degrees, feels like 26. Just right.

A near-record 224 runners thought the Lockport weather was great for the 37th Lockport Y-10, which starts the road race season on the Niagara Frontier.

Jeff Day of Berea, Ohio, won the 10-mile test in 60 minutes .41 seconds on Saturday. That’s a 6:04 per mile pace. Judy Sparks-Arlington of Lockport, the female race record holder, led the women again in 1:08.22.

With runners from the Niagara Frontier and beyond paying $12 or $22 (with goodie bag), the Y-10 raised money for Camp Kenan. The start and finish was the YMCA on Main Street. The course included trips down and up the Market Street hill and onward to Slayton Settlement Road.

Day, who is from a Cleveland suburb, was visiting the in-laws in North Tonawanda for Chinese New Year. He scoped out the Niagara Frontier’s first race of the season on the Internet.

“I would have like to run under an hour,” Day said. “On New Year’s eve I ran just under an hour. This course a little bit harder. It was nice, not too much wind.”

Day, who sells machinery tools, ran cross country in high school. He does not belong to a club but runs all year around “to keep out of trouble.”

Sparks-Arlington, 41, has won the race so many times, she could run a clinic. In fact, she does at the YMCA. Sparks-Arlington trained three men and a woman to run for the first time.

The quartet succeeded. Kevin McDonough, Michael Florio, Tammy Ludwig of Newfane and Kevin McKenna all finished in under two hours.

Sparks-Arlington is on the YMCA board of directors and holds the course of in 1:04.36, which she set in 2001. She has three children and was cheered on by her biggest fan, David Arlington, her 8-year old son.

“He is my biggest fan,” said mom, whose hair was dripping with sweat. “The only time I missed the race is when I was pregnant with him ... I run to set an example for my children, to stay fit and to set an example for the community.”

Her three children, ages 14, 13, and 8, are all active in YMCA programs. Dad David Arlington finished the race with an 8:40 per mile pace.

Sparks ran for Lockport High School and SUNY Cortland.

“Today was a great day, perfect weather, not too windy,” she said. “I just wish I could have gone faster.”

Emily Truesdell, 19, of Ransomville, ran for the first time. The former Wilson High School harrier was cheered on by Mike Gillis of Pendleton, who ran the course in 1:59 two years ago.

“You want to make sure you don’t go out too fast and make sure you save something for the last five miles, which is always the harder part,” said Truesdell, a Starpoint grad who was sidelined by an Achilles injury. “The conditions are great but a little windy. The last mile is a huge uphill over Market Street.”

Truesdell finished in 1:122.21.

Melissa and Jon Melnik came for Colden to compete together. “It’s a good course and very hard at the end with the big hill,” said Melissa, who is a software engineer.

“We stay together,” the husband said. “We don’t get to do it very often so this is a treat.” The Melnik’s came in together, a split second apart at 1:17.

Joe Holler, a University at Buffalo graduate student from Jamestown, is race regular. “It’s a great race,” he said. “All the guys who are really serious about training in the winter come to this one. It’s always a good time.”

He was sixth in 1:03.21.

The money raised is to benefit children who cannot afford to go to Camp Kenan.

 


Running The Y-10: Hills And Hardcore Fun
Contributed by: Buffalo.com/YourHub Thomas Proctor IV on 1/16/2008

On February 9th, at 11AM, an expected 200 runners will step up to the starting line to test their levels of fitness and their sanity. The 37th annual Lockport Y-10 mile race is the precursor to the start of the area road racing season in Western New York, and what a better way than to roll through Lockport, New York for ten challenging miles through the hills to find out.  Tom Somerville of the Bond Lake Athletic Club dwells on the race's tradition. "Baseball purists is a term often used for people who love the sport. I think the Lockport Y- 10 attracts the running purists." Summerville said. With the ten mile race, and the course's layout, a runner who attempts it never really expects a perfect raceday condition. Western New York's second oldest footrace had former Buffalo News Runner Of The Year and 2006 Y-10 winner, Matt Glynn, running the course ahead of time, as if to study for a final exam.
Matt Glynn, 2006 winner of the Y-10. Glynn won the event by over a half-minute margin. Glynn clipped seven seconds off the course record, running it in 54 minutes and 31 seconds. Picture, courtesy of Checkers Athletic Club.

 
Matt Glynn, 2006 winner of the Y-10. Glynn won the event by over a half-minute margin. Glynn clipped seven seconds off the course record, running it in 54 minutes and 31 seconds. Picture, courtesy of Checkers Athletic Club.
Provided by: Buffalo.com/YourHub Thomas Proctor IV on 1/16/2008

" The conditions were horrendous that day, with snow blowing everywhere." Glynn said.

Glynn understood that the Y-10 was not only hilly, but realized that any weather condition can rear its ugly head. Not on raceday, though.
" On raceday, we really lucked out with clear skies and mild temperatures." "I think we even had a tailwind on the way back in." Glynn said.
The previous description, 'the way back in', is also at the start, where runners glide downhill for one mile into the race. Expend your energy then and nine miles into it- payback will be received dearly, with the uphill that stares you down, after having run through rolling hills during the middle section of the course. "That's one thing for sure that anyone who has done the race will mention that." Glynn reflects. In that final stretch of the ninth mile of the race, your legs attempt to accelerate uphill, your lungs burn and your legs suffer the effects of lactic acid buildup. And for measure, you would actually think that the hill taunts you as it corkscrews gently to the left- yes, continuing uphill.

"There's really nothing like that final mile of that course, the grueling uphill." "You have the sensation of being in slow motion." Glynn said.

Checkers Athletic Club President, Roger Roll recalls his dos and don'ts of the course. Roll, coached by running icon and seven-time NCAA Champion, Vicki Mitchell remembers.

"I was instructed to take that first mile out in 7:05, conservatively. I went out fast and hit that first mile in 6:15-oops." Roll said.

"The last mile uphill was at around nine-minute pace."

Worry not. The finish is what makes that ride uphill all the worth while, as it flattens and you are welcomed by the die hard athletes clapping and cheering you through the finish line.

Jeff Tracy is going into his second decade of having the title of Race Director.

"It is just amazing that the Niagara County Sheriff and Auxiliary Police Departments help us make this race possible with their great work."

"The Lockport Police do a phenomenal job." Tracy said.

Rich Clark and Bob Giardini's company,' Score This!!!', will provide the most accurate timing in the Western New York Area from start to finish, with the use of the ChampionChip, a disc-like device, laced to your running shoe- giving you the most precise time available.

For more information in regards to the Y-10 race, you can access such online at http://www.score-this.com/y10.html

'Score This!!!' provides every tidbit of information to those inquiring about the race, from past race results, to that valuable course map that the runners look at the last minute on raceday.
 

   
         
    Score This!!! uses One Million Revolutions green registration system
January 2008
Score This!!! teams up with Jeff Henderson of One Million Revolutions to green up the Keuka Lake tri in 2008 by being of the first to use the Green Registration System.  OMR offers athletes the ability to offset their carbon emissions by purchasing credits during registration to offset the amount of carbon they put into the atmosphere.  It works quite simply by calculating the distance an athlete will travel by the rate their vehicle consumes fuel to come up with a per ton carbon amount.  Most athletes find that it usually works out to pennies.  Score This!!! in turn pledges to use the offset monies to purchase carbon credits from The Carbon Trust or Carbon Fund.
   
   

Score This!!! VP gets mention in Buffalo News report Amy Moritz training blog

January 15, 2008

Kicking the critic to the curb

"Don't underestimate yourself," Rich Clark told me. "That's probably one of the bigger tips I can give you."

I met with Clark yesterday to talk about his company, Score This!!! (and yes, the proper name includes the three exclamation points) --  a race management and timing company which puts on a four-race multisport series in the area.

Clark, who has been competing in triathlons since about 1988, played football and ran cross country in high school but found the challenging nature of triathlons kept him coming back to multisport. It isn't so much the physical challenge, he noted, but the emotional gratification he feels when completing a race. The challenge isn't just to beat someone else, but to test yourself and see how much faster or how much farther you can go.

This concept, a recurring theme among the triathletes I talk to, has pulled me into the sport and resonates as I continue to learn how to deal with a variety of critics.

Critics come in many forms. Sometimes it's a tiny voice in your head that says something seemingly innocuous like "are you sure?"  Sometimes it's well-intentioned family and friends who offer concern that comes delivered in the form of criticism (but you can't swim for 15 minutes yet). And sometimes, it's total strangers who will flat out tell you what you're doing is stupid.

Becoming more invested in your athletic goals often means more critics come out of the woodwork. The critic will unfortunately never go away. Coaches are fond of saying they're only interested in things within their team's control. They can't control the officiating, the crowd or the other team. They can only control how they react to those situations.

And so it goes with the "recreational" athlete. You can't control the critics in your life (well, maybe that critical voice in your head) but you can control how you react to them.

As I learn the mechanics of triathlon -- how to swim, the proper form for running and best dynamics of the bike -- I'm also learning the art of tuning out the critics, the naysayers, the oracles of negativity. It's not just my body that gets stronger, but my mind as well.

   
    Score This!!! gets thanked by the Town of Evans Police Department
January 14th, 2008

   
    Score This!!! gets mentioned on InsideTri.com about pushing substainability with carbon offsets January 2nd, 2008
 

One Million Revolutions Pushes Sustainability With Carbon Offsets

This report filed - January 2, 2008

One Million Revolutions, a race production company based in Portland, Oregon, has enhanced its registration system to allow participants to purchase carbon offsets for all travel to and from its races in 2008. These races include the Musselman Triathlon and ITU Pan American Cup in Geneva, New York; the Oregon Trout City of Portland Triathlon in Portland, Oregon; and the Fly by Night Duathlon in Watkins Glen, New York.

The purchase of carbon credits allows individuals to offset greenhouse gas emissions produced by environmentally destructive activities like driving and flying. The credits are purchased from third-party non-profit organizations like The Climate Trust, which use them to fund carbon-reducing projects like wind farms which would not otherwise exist.

One Million Revolutions (OMR) has created a custom registration system for its races, and a new module has been added in 2008 for events wishing to offset the carbon footprint resulting from participant travel. During the online registration process for all of OMR's races, participants indicate their mode of transportation to the race (bike, car, plane) and a "carbon equivalent" is calculated, indicating the amount of greenhouse gases produced by the travel. This quantity is converted to a fee for purchasing offsets, which participants then have the option of buying.

All offsets not bought by participants will be purchased by the events as part of their goal to stage "carbon neutral" races. One Million Revolutions is committed to organizing responsible sporting events, integrating practices and sourcing products which meet high standards of sustainability.

Registration for three of OMR's races opened January 1, and thus far 100 percent of participants have elected to offset their carbon footprint.

In addition to events directed by One Million Revolutions, the Keuka Lake Triathlon in Keuka Park, NY has also elected to offer participants the ability to offset their travel. The Keuka Lake Triathlon is run by Score-This, Inc. and uses the OMR registration system.

More information about the Musselman Triathlon can be found at musselmantri.com.
More information about the City of Portland Triathlon can be found at portlandtri.com.
More information about the Fly by Night Duathlon can be found at flybynightdu.com.

onemillionrevolutions.org
jeff@onemillionrevolutions.org (315) 636-4268

   
   

« Support in numbers | Main | Today's lesson in the pool »

December 20, 2007

Getting into the race

Yes, it's December. Yes, that means that June is six months away. But I like to plan ahead, so today, I'm going to register online for my first triathlon -- the Keuka Lake Tri on June 8.

The Keuka Lake Tri is part of a four-event series by Score-This. The list of races for 2008 includes A Tri in the Buff (July 6 at Evangola State Park), Summer Sizzler (Aug. 9 on Grand Island) and the Fingers Lakes Tri (Sept. 21).

I also received word from folks in Orchard Park that the town recreation department is going to host its first triathlon on June 22. Held at Green Lake in Orchard Park, it will feature a 600 yard swim, 23-mile bike and four-mile run.

And, as if looking at doing a series of races this summer isn't enough, I'm also mailing my registration today for the Super Bowl Y-Tri held at the Carlson Metrocenter YMCA in Rochester on, well, Super Bowl Sunday. That's an indoor tri which is organized based on time rather than distance: how far you can go in 15 minutes of swimming, 15 minutes of stationary biking and 15 minutes of running on a track. It should be a good introduction to a three-sport day -- and the swim is in a pool, so there will be the comfort of pool sides for me to grab.

Today's workout consists of my swim lesson and a 30 minute easy run. Stay tuned for more on why my coach has me running so gosh darn slow.

 

   
    Score This!!! triathlon A Tri in the Buff mentioned in Janosky article
October 24th, 2007


 

   
    Score This!!! makes a full page of the Riverside Federal Credit Union quarterly
newsletter The Current October 2007

 
   
    Score This!!! makes the Ommegang Brewery website
August 2007


 

   
    Mark Hryvniak of Score This!!! wins the Brian Rybarczyk 5K
August 2007


 

   
   
Score This!!! times the Musselman ITU Pan American Cup
July 2007

Crowd enjoys pro triathlon - Finger Lakes Times July 15th, 2007


Spencer Tulis / Finger Lakes Times - Participants in the ITU Pan-American Cup make their way down Routes 5&20 prior to entering the cloverleaf to Main Street in Geneva.

GENEVA - Michael Orton noticed the endless line of bumper-to-bumper traffic up and down Routes 5&20 and took note of the rampant fist-shaking that was taking place during Saturday's Pan-Am ITU Triathlon.

“They didn't seem to be upset that they were stuck in traffic. People who were stopped got out of their cars to cheer us on. That's refreshing,” Orton said.

Orton, of Colorado Springs, placed fifth, capping an American sweep of the top five spots in the World Cup event, the first of its kind to be held in Geneva and the kick-off race for this weekend's fourth annual Musselman Triathlon.

Spectators watched from places like Lakefront Park, the South Main Street bridge and Bicentennial Park as more than 70 professional triathletes competed for a share of $20,000 in prize money, as well as world-ranking points.

Olympian Victor Plata of Sacramento, Calif., came out of a two-year break for the win, clocking in at 1:50.22. Doug Friman, of Tucson, Ariz., was second and Mark Fretta, of Colorado Springs, placed third.

 

Sarah Groff, of Boulder, Colo., led the women's race from start to finish, taking an early lead in the .9-mile swim in Seneca Lake before pacing the top four through the 24.8-mile bike portion of the race, which included eight laps around Routes 5&20 and through downtown. As the field strung out, Groff hid among the men as she pulled away in the final 6.2-mile run through Lakeshore Park. Jasmine Oeinck, of Colorado Springs, was second, followed by Mary Beth Ellis, of Thornton, Colo.

“Racing is a celebration of the training in a sick, sad way. I trained pretty hard,” Groff said. “On the run, I used some of the guys. I chased them down and all around. I couldn't have done this by myself.”

The win was Groff's first major event victory, and as a native of Cooperstown, she considered the race a home-track event. It was worth $4,500.

“I used to have to go to Massachusetts for triathlons. An event like this is a testament to how the sport has grown. We had a great race in upstate New York,” Groff said.

 

Plata was equally impressed with the caliber of talent in the men's division.

“The three of us up front are a quality group. We probably have 10 podium finishes at World Cups. It's good to have that kind of quality together on American soil,” he said.

Plata is the first Olympian to compete in Musselman action and served as the guest speaker at Saturday's pre-race dinner. He was also the official starter of this morning's Half-Ironman.

Plata, who said he used Saturday's ITU race as a springboard to the 2008 Beijing Games, also talked about competing in Geneva during a pre-race press conference Friday.

He said that the Geneva criterium, or bike course, compares favorably with others he's competed on around the world.

“That hill (Castle Street) doesn't look that big, but eight times is a lot,” he said.

With its picturesque scenery and challenging course, Plata said Geneva has the makings of a great triathlon town.

Groff also attended the press conference and talked about how she relocates to Australia to train during the winter.

“I definitely miss New York when the weather is like this,” said Groff. “You can't do the same kind of training here, though.”

Yesterday wasn't the first time Plata has gotten the better of Friman. He out-paced Friman for the alternate spot on the 2000 Olympic Team and out-kicked Friman for the third and final spot on the 2004 Olympic roster.

But that doesn't mean Saturday's competition was weak: Friman placed fourth at the last Pan-American Games, and Fretta was the No. 1 triathlete in the world through June 2006 before a bike crash and a broken collarbone put him out of action for months.

“This was a test for me. I was a bit nervous because - more nervous than I normally am because I haven't done a race like this in a while,” Plata said, noting he hasn't raced since he started law school in 2005. His last final exam was two weeks ago.

“I've been crossing the days off my calendar at home because I knew every day of training was critical. I didn't know how I would race, and I am surprised that I pulled out a win,” he said.

Competitors relied on one another to push themselves to the limit throughout the day. Plata was mired in the middle of the pack after the swim, but a determined group of cyclists ran down the lead pack, setting up a battle in the final leg of the event.

“If the first pack isn't extremely motivated, the second pack will catch them. They couldn't hold us off,” Plata said, noting the group settled in to a safe, steady tempo for the bulk of the run.

In the Pan-Am ITU Triathlon, drafting is allowed in all stages of the race. Swimmers will follow other swimmers, much like one boat can ride in another boat's wake. Riders will tail one another in the cycling portions to cut down on wind drag. Runners, just like in distance events in track and field, will follow another for the same reason.

This creates tight groups of competitors and makes for entertaining finishes.

“It is typical to see 30 or 40 guys come in and it makes the run exciting. It becomes a horse race, and there is nowhere to hide,” Plata said.

On the run, Friman was catching Plata, but ultimately finished .08 seconds behind him.

“Doug and I are best friends, and I could tell just by the footsteps that it was him behind me,” Plata said.

In 1998, the duo's rookie season as professionals, they traveled the country together, racing around the United States. “He's one of my oldest triathlon friends. We've been battling for nearly a decade.”

Orton has been in several Pan-American and World Cup triathlons and posted a top finish among top-end athletes. He drew from the fans as much as he did from the athletes around him.

“I liked the run. It was spectator-friendly. The crowd was bunched up and could see a lot of it,” Orton said. “The crowds make a difference. It was awesome on the run. There were lots of cowbells. It is encouraging.”

“All of a sudden, we had instant stands with 300 or 400 people in their cars watching the race,” Plata noted, referring to the bike ride. “But I wasn't looking at it from a spectator point of view. I was watching for the stray door opening or someone who was fed up and turning into our lane.”

Not everyone was carried away by the thrill of competition, however.

Doug Emerson of Penn Yan said he was on his way home from Clyde when he hit the roadblock.

“I was held up in Geneva for damn near an hour,” he said. “I wasn't in a hurry, but some of the other people who were voicing their opinions must have been. I can't believe that they'd be able to close down the road to through traffic.”

Musselman action continues today with the Half-Iron triathlon starting at 7 a.m. at Seneca Lake State Park and the MusselKids race at 2:30 p.m. starting behind the park's Pavilion.

cmarquart@fltimes.com

 
   
    Score This!!! makes the Riverside Federal Credit Union lobby - Spring 2007

   

 

   
    Score This!!! helps make the YMCA Kid's Day and the Canisius Shoes for Shelter a success - April 2007

    
 

   
         
    Score This!!! makes the New England Multisport Magazine for the Multisport Expo- Getting a Start on the Tri Season - March 2007

Score This!!! makes the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation website - April 2007
Clark Companies A Tri in the Buff Triathlon - July 1
tri_illustration

Where:
Evangola State Park
10191 Old Lake Shore Road
Irving, NY 14081
716.549.1760

What:
Olympic 1.5K Swim 40K Bike 10K Run
OlympicRelay 1.5K Swim 40K Bike 10K Run
Sprint  750m Swim 20K Bike 5K Run
Duathlon 5K Run 20K Bike 5K Run
Try-A-Tri 200m Swim 10K Bike 2 K Run

 

Time:
8:00 am Intermediate and Intermediate Relay
8:30 am Sprint/Duathlon
8:45 am Try-a-Tri
11:30 am Kids Tri (non-timed)

Date: July 1

Register:
http://score-this.com/atriinbuff/ATITB/atriinthebuffinfo.html

   
   
Score This!!! takes part in the New England Multisport Expo
March 25th, 2007

 

   
   
Jump Start the Season at the East Coast's Largest Expo for Multisport Athletes!  Expert-led Seminars... Training Clinics... Indoor Time Trial... 50+ Exhibiting Sponsors... this and more at the New England Multisport Expo!

Sun Multisport Events, in partnership with USAT New England, is proud to announce the 2007 New England Multisport Expo will be March 25, 2007 at the Zesiger Sports & Fitness Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA (Hours: 10:30AM to 5:30PM).  The Zesiger Center was chosen as the new Expo venue to accommodate more exhibitors, more activities and to give you an overall better Expo. 

For directions to the Zesiger Center, click here. And don't worry... there is plenty of free parking directly across the street from the Zesiger center.

MEET TROY JACOBSON!  We are excited to announce that Spinervals' own Troy Jacobson will be Keynote Speaker at the 2007 Expo.  Coach Troy is a world renowned fitness coach and triathlete and his Spinervals training DVDs have been used by thousands around the world.  Troy will be on hand at the Spinervals booth throughout the day and will be giving a presentation during the afternoon (time to be announced)

In addition to expert led seminars, the Expo offers you an exhibit floor with 50+ sponsors including certified coaches, race directors and vendors of bikes, gear, apparel, training products and more.  You'll also find training clinics and an indoor bike time trial.  Admission to the seminars and exhibit floor is FREE.

PLUS, the first 500 attendees receive a free goodie bag filled with great stuff including a Spinervals training DVD (a $30 value), Inside Triathlon's 2007 Buyers Guide, and much more!

Go through this site for complete details on the Expo.  Still not sure about attending?  Here's 12 reasons not to miss the 2007 Expo:

  1. Get a free goodie bag with Spinervals DVD, Inside Triathlon's 2007 Buyers Guide and more.  Limited to first 500 attendees.
  2. Stock up on gear for the new season.  You'll find great deals from 50+ exhibitors with everything from accessories to ZIPP wheels.
  3. Get training tips and advice from one of the Expo's expert led seminars.  Seminars start at 10:45. Click here for the schedule.
  4. Meet Troy Jacobson of Spinervals.  Coach Troy will be presenting in the afternoon and will be on hand for Q&A throughout the day
  5. Plan your race season.  Race directors for some of the area's most popular races will be at the Expo. Click here for select races.
  6. Compete in the indoor time trial. Go it alone or as part of a team.  Prizes and a Spinervals DVD for the first 50. Register here.
  7. Improve your swim stroke in one of the swim clinic classes offered throughout the day.  Register here.
  8. Improve your running technique and reduce the risk of running injuries by attending the ChiRunning clinic.  Click here for details.
  9. Find out your VO2 max!  Blackstone Valley Human Performance will be doing tests on site.  Register here.
  10. Bring the kids and have some fun.  There will be stuff to entertain the kids so no need to leave them home and feel guilty.
  11. Win something!  Valuable giveaways worth THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS will be awared throughout the day.
  12. Take the "Vasa Challenge".  Test out one of the Vasa ergometers and see what it can do for your swim stroke.
   
   
Score This!!! gets mention as one of the vendors for the New England Multisport Expo in the USAT New England Region News
March 2007
 
 
USAT New England Region News
March 2007
 
What to Expect at this Sunday's New England Multisport Expo
:: Seminars, Training Clinics and an Indoor Time Trial
:: Pro Stunt Bike Rider, Mike Steidley
:: Goodie Bags and Valuable Giveaways
:: 68 Exhibiting Sponsors... from the Adirondack Tri Club to ZIPP

68 Exhibiting Sponsors... from the Adirondack Tri Club to ZIPP

This year's sponsors give you the opportunity to gear up with great deals on the products and accessories you need to start the season. You'll also find Race Directors for more than 60 events, tri cubs and USAT certified coaches.

The complete list of exhibiting sponsors includes: Adirondack Triathlon Club, AEGIS Bicycles, Aggieman and Pumpkinman Tris, Ameriprise Financial, AQX Sports, Baystate Triathlon Team, Bellmont Wheelworks, Best Buddies Challenge, Blackstone Valley Human Performance, Boston Triathlon Team, Cayuga Lake Tri, CGI Racing, Charles River Canoe & Kayak, City Sports, ClifBar, Cohasset Tri, CW-X Conditioning Wear, Cycleloft, Dubin Chirorpractic, endorfun sports, Fastsplits, Firm Racing, Fitwerx, Fuel Belt, Hartford Marathon Foundation, iHeartRacing.com, International Bicycle Centers, JinXworX, Joints in Motion (Arthritis Foundation), JuicePlus+, Landry's Bicycles, Loco Sports, Marathon Physical Therapy Sports Medicine, Memory Ride (Alzheimers Association), Mike Steidley/Jamis Bicycles, Minuteman Road Club, Mossman Tri Fitness Events, NECTC, New England Sports Magazine, ontri.com, os20gear, Performance Training Systems, Polar, Pure Madness, REI, Ride with Champions, (Special Olympics), Score This, Serotta, Spinervals, Sun Multisport Events, Team Envision, Team in Training (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society), Team Psycho, Total Immersion, Tri and Du It Multisport, Tri Fury, Tri Maine, Tri the World Travel, Tri- Hard Sports Conditioning Systems, Tri-Tek, USAT New England Region, USE/IBEX Sports, VasaTrainer, Vortex Racing, Wheelworks Multisport, Zesiger Sports & Fitness Center and ZIPP

 

   
    City of Buffalo Mayor Brown and Jeff Tracy at the Shamrock Run
Picture courtesy of Diane Sardes ( March 3 2007 )



Score This!!! times one of Buffalo's largest races the Shamrock Run with 2222 braving the winter cold and wind.
Picture courtesy of Checkers AC ( March 3 2007 )


 

   
   


Clark Wins USAT/Training Peaks Swag Bag
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. ( Feb. 23 2007 )