June 29, 2006

Going the distance

Lavelle, Swanson pace the race at 14th Annual San Jose
International Triathlon event at Almaden Lake Park

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Two thousand of their closest friends cheered while longtime Los Gatos pro Brian Lavelle and Pleasanton’s Eileen Swanson powered to victories in the top elite division at the 14th annual San Jose International Triathlon in Almaden on Sunday.

The event spanned two days, beginning Saturday with a mountain bike and sprint portion designed for local interest and novice use, testing the three triathlon components of swimming, biking and running.

Yet, the main event featured an Olympic distance 1.25-kilometer swim, followed by 40k covered on bike, and a 10k run for a cool down on Sunday.

“More and more people are getting involved,” said event organizer Andy Robles, a former Almaden resident who runs J & A Productions with his wife Tamatha.

The city’s most endeared race by the account of approximately 600 San Jose fitness fanatics—of 1,500 total racers—who return each year, according to Robles, drew out a town full of families and friends who sprawled across Almaden Lake Park chomping fruit, guzzling water and bubbling with support for the sport.

“Come for the race, and stay for the party,” said Robles. “That’s the company motto.”

Even 20-somethings stuck around. The race is one of the largest public draws in the state for University Tri clubs, such as those from UC Berkeley, Santa Barbara, Cal-Poly and Davis, who each competed Sunday, vying for two reported stipends of $1,500 purse money, awarded to the top male and female team finisher.

Saturday stalwarts
Almaden clan the Pommeroys, were the toast of Saturday. Dad Chuck Pommeroy, a 48-year-old former body builder, took the top prize in his age group and fourth overall, while 15-year-old Chase also extended the family name by winning his age group.

Chase’s 13-year-old brother Hunter, a Los Gatos Christian eighth grader, also experienced success, placing fifth in the same age group.

“I was pretty excited and proud to have my boys do well,” said Chuck. “It’s good for them. I think of sports as part of our lives. They have been a large part of my life since I was a kid.”

The Pommeroy boys are avid swimmers, competing year round at clubs such as West Coast Aquatics. Chase, who will swim and play water polo at Pioneer High School in the fall, is also involved in Capitola’s Junior Life Guards program, where kids learn to navigate the tides and safety as well as powerful swim strokes.

“There is a special mindset for a triathlon,” said Chuck. “I try to think about relaxing. You don’t want anxiety, to get too hyped up. I try to stay relaxed and try to have a good rhythm—being powerful with good rhythm.”

College Tri
Berkeley political economics major Justin Lowe finished first amongst students, as did his Golden Bears in men’s action.

Cal racers sped to the victory with vengeance, clutching exhausted memories from last year’s race.

“Last year our top man went the wrong way on the run course, and ended up doing a 20k, instead of 10,” said Lowe. “We came in fired up, intending to win fair and square.”

From left: Almaden Valley’s Hunter, Chuck, and Chase Pommeroy

Triathlons are a growing sensation in Berkeley and on many West Coast campuses. Lowe said Cal helped draft an initial conference program this year called the West Coast Collegiate Triathlon Circuit that will help organize races between participant schools.

“College programs are often student run, without any money contributed by the school,” said Lowe, who spent his freshman year competing on Berkeley track and cross country teams. “Students come up with ways to pay for uniforms, entry fees, transportation and managing the program.”

Lowe said Cal’s program supports nearly 150 members, who wish to train and race each year. He said that it won’t be long before triathlon is NCAA-sanctioned, based on the growing excitement around the sport.

“People love triathlons because it is so varied,” said Lowe. “You are not stuck running, doing the same thing and looking at the same trails. You can run one day, then swim the next. You’re not doing the same thing over and over and over again.”

Lowe also described strategy that differentiates the sport from other mild fitness fads, such as jogging, yoga, or jazzercise.

“You can’t go too hard in any one event because you’ll fall apart,” he said. “Triathlon is by far one of the most challenging physical endeavors I have ever participated in.”

Elitist movement
The elite division was dominated by professional grade racers, classified by three top 10 finishes in races featuring 500 or more racers.

Bellarmine graduate Lavelle completed the storied Olympic distance course, in 1:51:27.4, while Swanson crossed the finish line at 2:09:42.5.

“I love to do this race every year,” said Lavelle. “I train on my bike in that area a lot, so I feel like I really know that course.”

Lavelle led from the starting gun, when he surged ahead in the first wave.

“I noticed that there were a lot of college kids out, and in situations like that, you have to think that a handful of them have the talent to really compete,” said Lavelle. “I went out really hard and when I looked up, I was all alone.”

Lavelle said the only hindrance he suffered surfaced in the water during the swim leg.

“I was burning up in that wet suit,” he said. “It was way too warm to wear one, but it gives you more flotation, and it can help your form in the water. I would guess it probably cost me a minute.”

Yet, Lavelle finished the swim in a blistering 15.38-minute mark, and maintained the lead for the duration of the race.

Coming from a growing lineage of triathletes—Lavelle’s 58-year-old father completed the course in 2:16:16.7, good for the top spot in the men’s 55-59 age group, while his wife, Becky, is internationally acclaimed and will vie for slot on the 2008 United States Olympic roster—Lavelle said that the race is a premier event on the annual schedule. He says it’s due to the camaraderie shared amongst San Jose athletes.

“It’s like anything,” said Lavelle. “I love coming to these events because everybody I know will be there and we all support one another.”

Swanson meanwhile, was pushed to the brink by legendary Los Gatos IronMan competitor Lauren Trent, who, at 43 years old and a mother of two, still casts fear in the hearts of youthful racers.

Trent completed the course in 2:10:45.7 hours, under a minute behind Swanson.

“Lauren is incredible,” said 5-foot 1-inch Swanson, a former UCLA gymnast in her fourth year as a pro. “She was cheering me on, saying, ‘don’t let me catch you.’ That’s the great thing about triathlon. I love the challenge. I love to push myself to the limits, and be able to say so.”

Homegrown
Former Almaden resident Andy Robles founded J&A Productions following a successful project during his senior year majoring in commercial recreation and marketing at San Jose State University.

“We were assigned a sort of kindergarten Olympic project, where our responsibility was to put on a 10k run,” said Robles. “We ended up doing it at Shoreline and the director of parks and recreation at the time, Steve Dowell in Sunnyvale, liked what he saw.”

Robles said he founded the Uvas Triathlon a year later, and was fortunate to pick up the San Jose event a year after that, when Budweiser dropped its USTA tour in 1988.

Currently, J & A Productions owns a reported six West Coast races, including the lauded California Man Triathlon in Morgan Hill.

“The San Jose race has got a lot of energy,” said Heidi Schenone, a group racer who finished in 2:29:47.8 and who attended the event both days as a sponsor, in support of her Campbell specialty shop, the Running Revolution, which caters to racing enthusiasts throughout the Bay Area.

Schenone said J & A Productions pays special attention to the racer at every turn in the event. She said vendors are required to report on Friday, which facilitates a pleasant experience on both sides of the booth.

“In comparison with other races, this one is one of the most friendly, family-oriented events of the year,” she said. “And there is always a great after-party.”