Monthly Archives: January 2009

Keys to Open Water Swimming Success

By tjfry | January 7, 2009

If you have ever competed in an open water swimming event, whether it’s the swim leg of a triathlon or just a stand alone swimming event, you learn very quickly that swimming in a large body fo water is night and day from your training in a swimming pool. Every year I put on swim clinics in the weeks leading up to one of the largest sprint races in the area, and every year I see the same thing. People who are strong swimmers in a pool have all kinds of problems in a lake, and some don’t finish. For some, it’s the anxiety and fear associated with the large group of people you start with, for others it’s the muddy water and what might be lurking just a few feet below them (the movie “Jaws” comes up often), and still others it’s the problems they have navigating around the course and all the elements that come into play.

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La Ruta de los Conquistadores mountain bike race in Costa Rica

By tjfry | January 6, 2009

La Ruta

In my attempt to find some of the most interesting and legendary events around the globe, I came across this one. It’s called La Ruta de los Conquistadores, and it’s a multi day mountain bike race in Costa Rica. Considered the toughest mountain bike race in the world, it’s a 4 day stage race from the Pacific to the Caribbean, loosely retracing the journey of Spanish Conqueror Juan de Cavallón.

The first day is a 68.7 mile suffer-fest starting from the Pacific coastal town of Jaco, through 14,500 vertical feet of climbing, river crossings, and long stretches of sticky mud, to the city of Colon. You have 12 hours and 30 minutes to finish, but that often is not enough.

The second day is 47.5 miles of more climbing and rainforest through the interior of Costa Rica. Cut off? 10 hours 30 minutes. For those keeping track that’s an average speed of 4.5 mph, and beating the cutoff is no piece of cake.

The third day of this race starts just outside the town of San Jose and is 41.6 miles long. It’s the shortest of the 4 stages, and for good reason. This stage almost immediately starts the climb up the Irazú volcano and tops out at over 9,000 feet.

Day 4, the final day of the race, takes you from the finish of day three, 78 miles to the Caribbean coast. It might be the easiest of the 4 stages in terms of terrain (roughly the first 33 miles are descending), but it’s still a long day in the saddle. Oh yeah, and you have to ride two sections on bone jarring train tracks.

Sound like fun? Well if you enjoy mountain biking and love a great challenge, it could be the event of a lifetime.

For more information http://adventurerace.com/eng/english.htm

Posted in The Bucket List | Leave a comment

January First.

By Administrator | January 1, 2009

Welcome to Badig.com. After spending decades training for and competing in endurance sports, I decided it was time to put some of this together to share. I often get triathlon or swimming related questions ranging from the most basic to the detailed and extensive. I was looking for an easy way to share some techniques and methods more efficently than one email at a time, so this site was born.

As I move forward with this site I intend to add articles, instructional video, and various tips on a number of subjects. If there is something you have a question on please feel free to ask me as it will usually answer the question that many have but haven’t asked.

Finally, in the true “blog” spirit, I plan on posting some various commentary on a regular basis. Not all of it will be centered on the world of triathlon, or even endurance sports for that matter. Some days it might be the business side of sports, and others it may be about events few have ever heard of . I may even throw in an interview or two. Who knows, you may just pick up an idea or two for future endeavors.

Have a different take? Let me know. I want to learn from you as well.

Look forward to hearing from you,

TJ

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