Sister CHAIN Triathlon Team

A great day at the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon

10/8/2019

Amy returns to her very first triathlon

Everyone has a different path into triathlon. For me, it was miles and miles of running first. At the urging of some friends, I did a multisport event involving a kayak, mountain bike, and a run that left me excited about other events out there. A quick search online led me to my next challenge- a triathlon. I think everyone is nostalgic about their first tri, and for me that was Santa Rosa Island Triathlon in 2008. Despite the fact that my performance was less than stellar, I was hooked. Some good and some bad races in the last 12 years, but I always love coming back to SRITRI.

Our teammates, Mindi and Evan, did a tremendous job directing this event. We were also blessed with an amazingly beautiful and perfect day. The wind cooperated and shifted just in time for our morning gulf swim. I only saw one jelly during the 600 yards but was able to avoid him. The swim course was well supported and fun. For me to say a swim was fun means that it really, really was. Flat gulf swims are the best. The bike was crowded at the start but made me feel pride as it is just great to see so many racing this awesome sport that we love. I loved seeing my teammates (guys and girls) out on the course digging deep to ride hard on the flat and fast, out and back bike course. The 5K run through the neighborhood is over surprisingly fast, thank goodness. I was thinking as I was running that so many of us talk about what we are racing and say “oh, it’s ONLY a sprint”. In reality, sprints hurt the most. Like- A LOT. But the beautiful Pensacola Beach and awesome people make that pain worth it. It is always fun to race where you started, and I am excited to celebrate 25 years of SRITRI next year with the same awesome friends.

Jayme's first time at SRI TRI...but not her last!

The Santa Rosa Island Triathlon was epic. You could not have asked for more perfect weather with a flat swim, windless bike and little humidity in the run. From packet pick up to post race their was no detail left undone. We had race tats, fantastic food, a marching band, and all the water and beer we could drink.

Who can forget about those beautiful handcrafted awards? Sister Chain Tri didn’t disappoint. Amy Stanfield crushed the bike course, Candice Taylor dominated the swim and Jayme Bograd PRd her 5k. The team took 1st overall girls team and everyone on the team found a podium spot. The Pensacola Triathlon community is awesome and can’t wait to do SRI Tri again next year.

Candice's favorite race of the season

Santa Rosa Island Triathlon is one of my favorite races. It’s the end of season and everyone is ready to bring their A game. This year was full of fierce competition and lots of smiles with many crossing the finish line for the very first time. The swim is my favorite part and we had the perfect weather. It’s been a while since I have started with a mass start, it was so much fun lining up with the ladies I have raced against many times. We were laughing and having a great time, then bam our face changed and we were off. Pushing hard through the gulf, turning the gears on a very fast bike with little wind, and the flat run through the neighborhood. I have ran through some special finishing chutes in the past few years, this one really stuck out with the flags and spectators lining up cheering you on. Can’t wait to do it all again next year!

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Road Trip to Heart O' Dixie Triathlon

7/29/2019

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By Ashlee Ladner

This past weekend I participated for the first time in the long standing 40 year old Heart of Dixie Triathlon. As we packed up and headed north from the Mississippi Gulf Coast to Louisville, I quizzed my teammate, Candice, about this logistically challenging event and soaking in any and all tips she could offer for race day!!

Upon arrival at Lake Tiak-O’Khata, the location of the race start, “host” hotel and packet pickup it brought back memories of summer camps I had attended growing up.

Once packets were picked up and cars were unloaded we made preparations for the point to point to point race by dropping off cars at the Neshoba County Fair finish line to ease the burden of retrieving our bikes the following day.

Race day began a little cooler than most sweltering days of summer, which was a pleasant surprise. I rushed around to get my bike setup in T1 then off to drop my bags in trailers marked T2 and finish line as I mentally went through my checklist hoping I had remembered everything. It was now 6:25 and time to make my way down to the lake and find my place in line. The swim would be considered by most an easy 800 yard horseshoe shaped swim where participants are staggered to start every five seconds.

SWIM START

SWIM FINISH

Surviving the swim, I was off to make up some time on the bike and headed south on Highway 15 to the towards the town of Philadelphia, MS. The ~27 mile open bike course was filled with rolling hills that proved challenging with traffic and other cyclists but overall was a fast and fun ride. T2 was carefully nestled in a grassy field that was adjacent to the highway, the bike racks and transition bags were amazingly organized. I jumped off the bike and into T2 where bike racks and transition bags laid in a grassy field on the side of the highway but were amazingly organized. I quickly ripped open my T2 bag switched into my running shoes and off with my visor and running belt to the run course.

The run course takes place on the shoulder of Highway 21 and ends on the horse track of the Neshoba County Fair. It is hilly and hot but is well supported with aid stations manned with teams of volunteers eager to provide water, popsicles and ice. The last portion of the course is like no other and ends with a full representation of the fair complete with colorful family cabins, political campaign signs, livestock and fair goers cheering you on to the finish.

Known as Mississippi's Giant Houseparty

Hundreds of Colorful Cottages

The race is unique in so many ways and the awards are no different, where silver platters are awarded to the top ten overall finishers and age group winners. Sister Chain was well represented on the podium claiming six of the top ten overall awards!!

TOP TEN FEMALES

Before, we headed out to backtrack and retrieve our belongings from the transition points we strolled through the fair and some indulged in fair staples-corn dogs, deep fried oreos and ice cream.

Heading out, we loaded up in the cars we left at the finish the night before and after retrieving our bikes from T2 - yes, 10 bikes and 11 athletes, we made the trek back to Lake Tiak-O'khata to go to the “beach” where we were able to relax and play complete with beverages, water slides, diving performances, laughter and socializing. The weekend wrapped up with dinner at the on-site restaurant complete with a fun and competitive round of the card game Taboo.

Retrieving the bikes!

Yes, 10 bikes loaded up!

Thank you to all of our sponsors and team leaders who make SISTER CHAIN possible! I have been honored to race this year with such a fantastic group of women who share the love of the multi-sport and I am grateful for each of your friendships.

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A Great Day at Grandman!!

6/7/2019

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By Christine Bosau

I have been racing Grandman since the transition was on the Point back in the late nineties and it has always been a fun, well run race.    One of my favorite things about this race is the chance to see everyone, race hard and enjoy everyone’s success!  This year was no exception.

I started my day at 0330 to head over to Fairhope AL.  It was a 2-hour drive and I got to enjoy a beautiful sunrise as I was getting more nervous and excited to race – yes, I still get nervous, even for the short ones. Transition is right on the bay with a beautiful view and fountain surrounded by roses (where we would end up later). Once I got there and started seeing friends and getting set up, nerves turned to happy excitement to get this show on the road!  Sue, Palmer, Mindi and Candice all seemed ready to race and Kat assured us she was “just participating” – which of course meant she was going to go hard and win Overall!!  Mary, Amy and Palmer’s Mom were on hand to cheer us on and get some great action shots too.  Thanks ladies – you made me smile!
It was a beautiful day for a swim in Mobile Bay – water quality was so much better than last year and only looked muddy brown; at least nothing seemed to be floating around out there that shouldn’t be!  Also except for a bit of chop it was fairly calm – so unlike Gulf Coast was a few weeks ago!  I jumped off the Pier just behind Candice and Spence which was perfect since we have a friendly rivalry to see who wins the swim…this year I managed to come out of the water right behind Spence on the stairs after being blinded by the sun on the swim into the beach (I hoped everyone else knew where they were going until I spotted a buoy!)  Turns out I had the fastest female swim split when all was said and done – just goes to show that all those years of swimming stayed with me & the fact that I can swim a straight line keeps me from having to do a lot of laps these days.

T1 turned into a bit of a fiasco – of course I was yelling at Spence and Candice to get moving while getting myself out on the road. As I went to mount the bike, I noticed my chain was off (did I mention that another competitor thought it was ok to move my bike and all my gear earlier and I think caused the chain to drop off in the process? Perhaps I should have checked it as I moved everything back but frankly it did not occur to me to do so…lesson learned!) I could only get the chain on the small chain ring (which if you know me you know I very rarely ride) so off I went. Well there is that steep hill out of transition and bad turned to good. I ended up making it up that little mountain much easier than I would have in the big ring so its kind of worked out – looking on the Brightside as usual!

Then it was off to chase Candice, who had passed me in transition, we went back and forth a bit cheering each other on but in the end, she was gone and I chased her pink helmet down the road. Speaking of gone – Kat blew by me, “just participating”, on her way to one of the fastest female bike splits. The Grandman ride is deceptively hilly with all the rollers on the front end but then you can just fly through the second half and see some pretty scenery if you have a chance to look – I did! The bike is still my favorite part so I enjoyed it and was just getting warmed up after 18 miles as I came back to T2. Great descent into T2 – such a shame to waste the speed with the dismount right there!

T2 was much better than T1 and once I could stand up straight, I was off to face the hardest part for me – the run and I got to start it with that big hill of course. Turns out I like the hills now since they are not as boring as the flats and today there was Mary and Amy cheering and smiling at the top – ladies that really helped!! Think the picture you got of me smiling says it all! Been working on getting better form back on run – feet up & some turnover and it was feeling better…

Only got called Sue 3 times this year – which I consider a compliment – last year I was surprised I kept getting called Sue and didn’t know why until I saw Sue in visor & ponytail after the race and we do look amazingly alike .

Run was an out and back and was great because I could see everyone, cheer them on and make a few people smile too – when someone smiles back it gives me good energy & makes it even more fun. The course even had some good shade and great liquid support and I forgot that at the bottom of the hill you get to turn right for the longest mile in the park but once I got back to the finish area everyone was cheering at the end and the ladies were there to congratulate each other and cheer each other in!

Grandman also has a good spot for the after-race hangout since it is shaded and was well supported with good food, plenty of Powerade and water and yes, a Marathon Beer and spiked water to try as well. I enjoyed hearing how everyone’s day went and sharing their successes and also catching up a bit on life in general. We even got to take the “Fountain Picture” (last year’s is framed in my office to make me smile) though it was like herding cats to get us all there and we did lose Palmer and Mary by the time we took it.

Overall Sister Chain represented superbly with Kat as Overall Female, Candice taking Masters (she is 40 now 😊) I took Grandmasters, Mindi was first in 50-54 age group, Sue was second in her age group (do not believe she is really 55-59!) and Palmer was second as well! Our guys had equally impressive results and were fun too watch out there.

It was awesome to see everyone do so well. I’m looking forward to getting everyone back healthy & fast and racing together! Thank you, ladies, (& gents) for making this another Great Day at Grandman!!

Thank you to the Grandman race staff, volunteers, cheerleaders and of course our sponsors for making racing possible!

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Crawfishman Triathlon - a must do event!!

5/20/2019

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By Mindi Straw

Lot’s of people consider themselves connoisseurs of fine wine, craft beers, expensive cars or fancy cigars.  But over the past 10 years of doing triathlon I have found myself becoming a connoisseur of triathlons.   I no longer yearn to do any and all triathlon events but I find myself picking races that have a particular uniqueness to them.

This past weekend our team race was the Crawfishman Triathlon in Bush, Louisiana – this race comes with qualities that fit my bill for being unique and a must-do event.

First off, a cool venue. Located just north of Mandeville, LA the race site is a pristine estate that sits on a Grand Estate Lake – which is one family’s personal property.  A tree house, toys and tents are sprawled throughout the property giving you that family feel. No other race would you get this at-home feeling.

Another cool feature – the race history, this race was first established in 1983.  It has a 33 year history in Louisiana has featured some extremely competitive athletes and has a few noteworthy recognitions in Louisiana for its quality production.  To this day, under leadership of Michael Wattigny it continues to be a top notch event. The little things like thorough communication from race staff, well set transition, custom signage and finish line, spot on results, unique medals and awards, fabulous after party food more food, flowing beer and lots of camaraderie amongst triathletes score big points with me.

So my race.  2019 is a year of short distance racing as I am having a hard time figuring out when to fit in training and working out so short distance racing seems only logical.  I am personally struggling with the "hitting 50" and not feeling as competitive as in past years – I am trying to embrace it, be it tough, but just happy to be a part of a team that I can get excited about my team mates fabulous accomplishments.

The Grand Estate lake is the site of the 1000 yd swim course – 78.2 degrees meaning a non-wetsuit legal event. The lake is pancake flat lake, no current or waves and a bit murky. I loved my new ROKA sleeved swim skin - fits perfect and feels streamline. And it appears all of our team like ROKA too! Although you start the swim in a bit of a mud pit you end the swim on a pile of beach sand that brings you into T1. I was happy with my 20 minute swim.

I have decided that I am far from graceful on mount and dismount. I have never attempted the flying dismount and feeling this is not a time in my career to start such a trick. The bike is a great 18 mile course, out and back – some rolling hills but overall a fast course. It isn’t a closed course but it feels like it is. Came into T2 with 21 mph average pace.

Now the run – it seems like I am struggling with speed. I spend the first mile feeling like I have a rubberband around my ankles preventing me from picking up the pace or going faster. So when they shortened the run to 2 miles (due to incoming weather) I was so ecstatic I yelled – “so awesome” as I am sure for the runners who make bank on the run this was far from awesome. At the turn around I felt much better and picked up the pace some. Finished the 2 miles with a 8:16 min/mile pace which this season is good for me.

I was happy with my top 10 placement (1st AG 50-54). Of course the best part was the after party. Celebrating with team mates and friends. We celebrated my husband’s "birthday race" with rest of the team and athletes. The icing on the cake (literally) was our Sister Chain Triathlon Team won the Overall Female Tri Team at the event!

Thank you to all that made the Crawfishman Triahtlon AWESOME! I will continue to spread the word of how cool this event is and how we as triathletes need to support the local events. Especially the ones that give 110% to make a quality production.

Congrats to my team mates that had great races, Jayme 2nd Overall, Candice Female Masters, Christine Female Grandmasters and Ashlee 1st AG 35-39. Thank you to Amy and Cicely for coming out to cheer and take pictures. Thank you to our sponsors Bienville Orthopaedic Specialists, Santa Rosa Island Triathlon and Mindi Straw Custom Embroidery - we wouldn't be here without your support.

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A great day at the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon

Amy returns to her very first triathlon

Jayme's first time at SRI TRI...but not her last!

Candice's favorite race of the season

Road Trip to Heart O' Dixie Triathlon

A Great Day at Grandman!!

Crawfishman Triathlon - a must do event!!

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