Dana Chance finished on the W40-44 podium (3rd place) at the Ironman 70.3 St Croix. In Dana's second trip to the island (2007 was her first) she led her age group out of the water, was third onto the bike and to the finish line AND besting her overall and run time from 2007. You are thinking that's a pretty good result right ... WRONG. It was an AMA ZING result, especially considering the only two women who finished in front of her were the defending 1st & 2nd place finishers from the Ironman World Championship in 2008. Unfotunately, because of the talent in front she missed her Kona slot by one position. Great performance Dana AND continuing to get better!
ALSO:
This weekend Pat Krueger is headed off to put the final jewel in his California Double Century Triple Crown quest. Below is Pat's long report from two weeks ago at the Devil Mountain Double.
It started at 5am on a beautiful morning, 48 degrees. There were two start times, 5am which I started at and, 6am for the f--- crazy fast people. My guess is that 95% of the folks started at 5am, 202 folks started the day.
It was a nice pace leading up to Mt. Diablo and I was in the front pack which was about 20 atrong. Diablo has a nice grade to it, i t's about a 10 mile climb and everything felt great. I just took it easy, once at the top got some water and headed back down. I was about 2 miles into the decent when I heard a loud pop!! It was the guy in front of me, his front tire blew in the middle of a right hand turn at around 30mph he flew off his bike and slid on his stomach for about 20 yards.. OUCH!! I stopped to see if he was ok. He said nothing was broken but the guy had some serious road rash. I stayed with him for about 5 minutes then headed back down. When I got to the bottom there were 5 of us so we decided to work together till the next climb, Morgan Territory Rd. It was about a 13mile climb nothing out of the ordinary. Then it was off to the Altamont pass. Had a real good head wind hence all the windmills!! Near the end, the road started to kick up to about 13-15%. I'm still feeling good but, I know the hardest is still to come.(Mines Rd, Mtn Hamilton, Sierra Rd). So off to Mines Rd/Mt Hamilton. It's about a 40 mile climb between the two. The 5 of us are still together so off we go to Mines Rd. Mines rd just seemed to go for ever, it climbs a lot then descends a little then repeat. About 15 miles into the climb my feet feel like they are on fire and started to cramp a little and 25 miles into Mines Rd was the lunch stop, thank god.
We are 115 miles into the ride, it's 12:30 and getting hotter. Julie was working the lunch stop so it was nice to see her there. I could feel the last 115 miles in my legs so I breakout the "Alcis" and rub it onto my quads, one word, MONEY. I go back to see Julie and hang out with her for about 15-20 minutes, and take off my shoes OH what a relief that was!!! I had a hamburger, chips and 2 cokes for lunch.
By the time I got ready to head back out I noticed the other 4 guys left already oh well. So off I go back to Mines Rd and more climbing. I pass a guy and he tucks in behind me for about 20 minutes. I start to hit Mt. Hamilton at mile 125. For those of you who have never climbed Hamilton IT SUCKS!! It's about a 15mile climb with a 9-15% grade and the sun beats on you the whole way..Again my feet are on fire and cramping it hurts like hell to stand and pedal but I have no choice with a 15% grade. of course I could have just stopped and taken my shoes off for 5 minutes but noooooo I have to keep moving forward.. Dumb ass!!! I ran out of water with about 3 miles to the summit but, thank god they added an extra water stop 1mile before the summit. It was a quick stop get water and go. Finally the summit and now a 16 mile descent Awesome!!! Not a soul around me so off to Sierra road ugh!!! It's 6 miles from the bottom Hamilton so I just take it easy, eat and drink and try to let my legs to recover from Mines Rd/Mt. Hamilton.
So I hit Sierra Rd at mile 156!!! You turn off of Piedmont Rd onto Sierra and there it is 15-20% grade from the get go. Sierra rd is only a 3.7 mile climb. Before I got their I thought no big deal it's only a 3.7 mile climb, but boy was I wrong. My top speed was about 5mph. On the steep parts, which was most of it, I was going 3.3 mph and I thought I was going to fall over. I could have walked faster than that!!!. I'd stand for a couple of strokes then sit for a couple and tell myself there's is no fuc---- way I'm stopping, just keep going ... and kept telling myself "pain is temporary and success is forever". Something I told myself a lot throughout the day!! By the time I got to the top it took me about :50 minutes to do 3.7 miles!!! Are you kidding me!! I head down and hope the legs can recover as it's about 20 miles before the next climb and and drop into an aid station. My stomach is not feeling that great so I just take a banana and a clif bar and head out.. Only two climbs left!!!! I hit the second to the last climb at mile 185 and I'm still by myself. It's about a 6 mile climb, nothing special, except I have 185 miles and about 18,000 feet of climbing in my legs!! Can you say ouch! So I take it slow and easy up and over. I try to eat a cliff block at the start of the climb and I thought I was going to throw up so I spit it out. I guess it's water the rest of the way and hope I won't bonk. Finally the last climb at mile 200!! Norris Canyon Rd It's a 3 mile climb I make it to the top and let out a loud "fucking A" I made it!!! Now it's only 3 miles to the end and flat so I dig deep and hammer the last 3 miles.. I pull in the the hotel and stop my speedometer I look down and I see 13:52 SWEET!!! I run down and check in and ask the guy how many other folks have checked in, he said about 2 dozens.... But I didn't know how many 6am folks might come in over the next hour..
So all in all it was a great day and it went by pretty quick as quick as 14 hours can go by!! A couple of things that kept me going all day was one: my type "A" personality and my mantra I use in all my races: pain is temporary and success is forever.
A couple of BIG thanks go out to Julie for letting me train all day on the weekends and the other is to my coach Dave for getting me ready. Thank You so much!
Also thanks to all of you guys who came out and road with me on weekends..
Now on to the next double!! Central Coast in 3 weeks..
PK
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