The Curious Case of Jason Gradyan

For me fitness is _______________ (fill in the blank).
For some it's a path to weight control, for others a recaptured youth, for some a passion and others still its an obsession. I'm an all of the above.
One thing I never counted on when I began my journey as an adult athlete was how inspiring my fellow athletes would be to my experience. I train and compete with doctor's, MBA's, lawyers, accountants, stock brokers, stay at home Mom's, high school principals, heavy equipment operators, college students, actors and performers from Las Vegas shows, former special forces warriors, architect's....the list is infinitely varied and rich.
The most inspiring individuals are those who have had to overcome the most. When I'm aching and bitching about another 5am training run or swim, the man in this story pulls up in his pick-up and wrest's his chair from the back, laughing and joking calling our greetings, and I am humbled to silence.
The following article was written by Eugene Kaufman for The Vegas Longevity Runners Blog. Take the time to click over and read; The Curious Case of Jason Gradyan

"Never give up on your dreams" Jason Gradyan

New Venue for Ironman World Championship 70.3

New Venue for Ironman World Championship 70.3

Ironman World Championship 70.3 moves to Lake Las Vegas

Published Thursday, October 7, 2010

Beginning in 2011, the Ironman World Championship 70.3 will move to Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nev., located just minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip. Since its inception in 2006, the championship race in the global Ironman 70.3 Series has been held in Clearwater, Fla.

“We’re grateful to the city of Clearwater for being a fantastic host to the Ironman World Championship 70.3 over the past five years,” said Steve Meckfessel, WTC’s chief operations officer. “Clearwater’s sports-minded spirit, enthusiasm and dedication of resources have been critical to building the Ironman 70.3 Series. We are excited to return to the community to introduce the inaugural 5150 Clearwater event taking place on Nov. 12.”

Slated for Sept. 11, 2011, the race begins with a 1.2-mile swim in Lake Las Vegas at Lake Las Vegas Resort. Next, athletes will embark on a challenging 56-mile bike through Lake Mead National Recreation Area that includes several steep climbs. Participants will finish with a 13.1-mile run through Henderson’s scenic residential areas with views of the Las Vegas Strip.
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“It is an honor to join an elite list of cities that have hosted an international event of this caliber,” said Andy Hafen, mayor of Henderson. “We look forward to welcoming the thousands of athletes, their families, friends and fans from around the world to our premier city.”

“It is a privilege to host the Ironman World Championship 70.3,” said Frank Lowery, race director.

“This course will be labeled as one of, if not the toughest, in the United States. The challenging race, coupled with endless entertainment options and its proximity to the famous Las Vegas Strip,
will provide the ultimate event experience for athletes.”

In 2011, 60,000 athletes will participate in the Ironman 70.3 Series, which consists of nearly 50 events in locations such as China, Germany, South Africa and Switzerland. Participants in the World Championship will range in age from 18 to 70-plus and will represent all 50 states and nearly 50 countries. The Ironman World Championship 70.3 will offer a prize purse of $100,000 for distribution among the top professional male and female finishers. More than 2,500 volunteers from the local community will support the event.

Originally from: http://www2.ironman.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/ironman-world-championship-70.3-moves-to-lake-las-vegas#ixzz11tCHbAVJ

2011 ITU Long Course World Championships coming to Silverman

2011 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships to be Held in Henderson, Nevada The International Triathlon Union, USA Triathlon, the city of Henderson and Lowery’s Multi-sport Races are proud to announce the 2011 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships will be held in Henderson, Nev., USA, on Nov. 5, 2011. “We are thrilled to welcome this world class sporting event to Henderson,” Mayor Andy Hafen said. “Henderson is proud to join an elite list of cities and to showcase its ability to produce an international event of this caliber.” As the host city for the Nevada Silverman Triathlon for the past five years, the city of Henderson and Lowery have significant experience and expertise in managing an event of this stature. In addition, southern Nevada boasts 145,000 hotel rooms and the fifth-busiest airport in North America. “It is a privilege that only few in the United States have been given. To host the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships speaks volumes of the hard working volunteers and city officials who have made this possible,” said Lowery. “Without the support and dedication of this great city, there is no possible way this event could be hosted here. We are thrilled to welcome this world class sporting event to Henderson, and we are confident it will be a huge success.” Perth, Australia hosted the 2009 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships, a year after Almere, Holland staged the event. The last time the Long Distance Triathlon World Championships were held in the United States was in 1996 in Muncie, Ind. “We are thrilled to have the ITU Long Distance World Championships on American soil,” said Jeff Dyrek, USA Triathlon’s National Events director. “Henderson & Las Vegas will provide athletes with a great event and world class entertainment.” “The US is a very important region for ITU and we are delighted to be able to bring such a large event back to a country which has such a long and important history within our sport,” said Marisol Casado, President of ITU. About International Triathlon Union (ITU) The International Triathlon Union is the world governing body for the Olympic sport of Triathlon and all related Multisport disciplines: Duathlon, Aquathlon and Winter Triathlon. ITU was founded in 1989 at the first ITU Congress in Avignon, France and has maintained its headquarters in Vancouver, Canada since then. It now has over 120 affiliated National Federations around the world and is the youngest International Federation in the Olympics. Triathlon was awarded Olympic status in 1994. ITU is proudly committed to supporting the development of the sport worldwide through strong relationships with continental and national federations, working with its partners to offer a balanced sport development program from grassroots to a high-performance level. For more information, visit: www.triathlon.org. About USA Triathlon USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the national governing body for triathlon – the fastest growing sport in the world – as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 2,800 races and connects with more than 125,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games, and the Olympic Games. Visit www.usatriathlon.org for more information. About the Nevada Silverman Triathlon  The Silverman Triathlon is a long distance triathlon held annually in Henderson, Nev. Branded as the toughest course in North America by triathlon icon Dave Scott and echoed by more than 2,500 participants over the past five years, the Nevada Silverman is sure to attract individuals and relay teams from around the world in the coming years. For registration or more information on the Nevada Silverman Triathlon, please visit www.silvermannv.com. Event Contacts Ashley Massi, Silverman Triathlon Media Manager Email: silvermanmediarelations@gmail.com  Mobile: 702.375.3266 Frank Lowery, Silverman Race Director Email: flowery719@cox.net Mobile: 702.400.2790

Silverman 70.3 in the bag

Sunday November 8th 2009 went down in the record book as one of the warmest calmest bestest days ever in southern Nevada.  The morning was cool and calm the afternoon warm with a slight breeze the evening brisk and still.  It was a day when 900 athletes put their fortitude and athleticism on display on the Silverman Triathlon course.  I was there in the 70.3 wave of 500 age group athletes that surged off the Hemenway Harbor boat ramp at 830am.  It was a great day and a great race.
I must be honest and report that my season ends with a big fat "Needs Improvement".  Which is to say I am not happy with my 6:44 5th of 13 finish.  I offer no excuses, I just didn't have what I needed to achieve my goal of 6:05.  I had a great swim in perfect water.  I exited the water in 37min feeling strong.  (I love swimming in open water)  My bike was a solid 3:26 on an incredibly challenging course.  I can't begin to explain how poorly I felt on the run.  Just blah - in pain - no oomph.  I actually considered quitting (something I never do).  I stuck it out and let my positive inner voice soothe my sniveling ego.  By mile 6 I started to feel better and actually negative split the 2nd half.  Still, I could not manage a 2 hr half marathon to save my race.
Maybe starting  new job or my son being hospitalized all in the month prior to the race played a role.  I don't know - I don't really care - I expect better of myself.  Thing is...I know I can do better.
I have some work to do.  I'm looking forward to next year :-)

The Silverman Triathlon - Follow me as I train to race the most challenging course in America

Silverman Trailer from Momentum Advertising/Production on Vimeo.

Climb to Kaiser

I had to dig deep on this one friends. A 155+ mile round trip journey from Clovis Ca. (500ft elevation) to the top of Kaiser Pass at the top of the Sierra's (9100+ft elevation) the "Climb to Kaiser" includes 14,000ft of climbing, panoramic vista's and multiple climate zones.

Most of the climbing is done in the first 83 miles of the ride. It is brutal, grinding, relentless uphill pedaling. From flat and fast to a grueling 18% incline, mile after mile after mile of uphill push. This ride is truly an extreme endurance event but, it attracts all ages and skill levels.

In it's 33rd year the "CTK" is an annual right of passage for those of us who believe "seeing what we're made of" is both challenge and fulfilment.

A new record was set this year; 8:04 destroying the previous best of 8:23. By contrast my effort took 16:10. I thought I missed the (5pm) cutoff at Kaiser Pass but was very relieved to learn I made it with nearly 30 min to spare. I make no excuses for my time. I achieved my goal - I finished.

The ride back was something I won't soon forget. 73+ miles of downhill. It was late afternoon by the time I hit Hwy168. Traffic was nearly non-existent and I let my trusty black Cervelo stretch it's legs. Tucked in aero position I bested 45+ mph in spots. My Garmin 205 finally petered out at 10:02 at 103 miles. After dutifully displaying my single digit pace for much of the ride it just couldn't go on.

Once we'd cleared the final mandatory check point at the top of Auberry Rd, 3 of us grouped up and flew the 25 miles alternately passing and being passed to the Millerton Store water stop. Rarely does one get to go so fast, smile so much and feel so free.

The Coup d'grace was the welcoming committee cheering and ringing cowbells as we pulled into the finish area. I was overwhelmed by relief and success. I must admit I nearly cried. I love riding my bike but, I was so glad to get off just then.

Want to see more? Take a look at a slide show of riders

Still want more? Get a break down of the route

Want to know if you have what it takes? I'll see you there next year.