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Couple Training for Ironman USA Event in Idaho

Posted on: Friday, 3 June 2005, 18:00 CDT

Tri-SharkClassic facts

When: 8 a.m. Saturday

Where: Moraine View State Park

Distances: 600-yard swim, 13-mile bike, 5K run

-------- BLOOMINGTON -- Long weekends don't mean the same thing to Chris and Cara Sweet that they do for most of us.

A long weekend to the Bloomington couple means catching up on the triathlon training mileage they've missed during the week.

They've missed plenty while working full time, Chris as a Decatur librarian and Cara as a Prairie Central High School Spanish teacher.

If all that wasn't enough, they are also preparing to move into the home they recently purchased.

"This (new house) just came up," Chris said. "There are some things you can't put on hold, I suppose, and this is one of them."

Their training -- which includes participating in Saturday's 12th annual Tri-Shark Triathlon Classic at Moraine View State Park -- is preparing them for the June 26 Ironman USA Couer d'Alene Triathlon in Idaho.

That 2,396-participant event includes 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running. In contrast, Saturday's race near LeRoy is a mere sprint with 600 yards of swimming, 13 miles of biking and 3.1 miles of running.

"It serves a very good training purpose," said Chris of Saturday's 400-plus athlete race, which filled up in a record three days after registration opened.

The Sweets expect to compete on legs that "are going to be toast" after racing Sunday in the Little Smokies Half Iron Triathlon in Ohio, where Chris, 26, placed fourth in 5 hours, 8 minutes, 2.59 seconds while Cara, 28, was 71st in 6:57:30.62.

Both were in the top three in their age group.

"To race on tired legs is a good form of training," Chris said.

"The short ones do help, but it's more about building strength and speed than endurance."

The Sweets' primary goal is to qualify for the Ford Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. The Couer d'Alene offers 80 qualifying berths spread among the various age groups.

"Unlike the Boston Marathon, there is no qualifying time," said Chris, a Metamora High School graduate.

"If one age group has 100 people in it, they might get four slots. It doesn't matter what your time is. You've just got to be one of the top four."

Cara, a Belvidere High School product, doesn't expect to qualify for Hawaii, but Chris believes he has a shot after placing sixth in his age group at a similar Ironman qualifier in Florida where he clocked 9 hours, 53 minutes.

The Couer d'Alene will be Chris' third race at the full Ironman distance and the second for Cara, who managed 16:21 in her debut despite walking 19 miles of the marathon because she didn't eat enough during the race to restock her energy stores.

The Sweets met as Augustana College swimmers. Chris also ran cross country and track for the school. Saturday will be the fourth Tri-Shark race for each.

"Tri-Shark is definitely one of our favorite races just because of the club association," said Chris, who is president of the Tri- Shark Triathlon Club, while Cara serves as secretary.

Both believe in giving something back to their sport, and helping prepare the Tri-Shark course is one way to do that.

"If all you do is go to these races all summer, you're part of the lifestyle, but you're not giving anything back," said Chris, who contested his first triathlon in eighth grade.

Added Cara, "Every year there are new members doing their first triathlon or one of their first. It's always fun to watch them get excited about it. Tri-Shark is a great race for first timers."

Chris hopes the cost of a high-tech bicycle doesn't stop anyone from attempting a triathlon.

"Kids think they must have the best equipment or they don't think they can go out there and do it," he said. "It's so not true."

The Sweets have "built" their bicycles from used parts purchased on eBay. Chris rides a Cervelo frame and Cara a Javelin.

"The first three triathlons I did, I didn't even own a bike," Cara said. "I borrowed one. I didn't even train on it at all. Having one makes a difference, but it doesn't have to be a real nice one."

The Sweets cover the Ironman distance in training each week or try to. Their swimming is done at Illinois Wesleyan.

"Our swimming is what we have kind of let slide because it's our strong suit," Chris said. "You have to play those strengths or weaknesses. If you are strong in one, you can actually slack off in training without it impacting you as much."

The benefits of cross-training have had a big impact on the Sweets, who see many single-sport endurance athletes gravitating to triathlons.

"We get a lot of people who are runners and just keep piling on the miles and getting injuries," Chris said. "They come to this sport because they want to stay active, but they can't handle all the running.

"That definitely was an appeal for me. I spent of lot of years as a high school and college athlete just focused on sometimes running twice a day, putting in mega-miles. I was always on the brink of an injury."

Those days are gone.

"I don't want to go run seven days a week anymore," Chris said. "If you don't feel like running, you've got two other options."

And a long weekend to do them.

Source: Pantagraph

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