September 16, 2000 Duluth, MN

It started years ago while living in Hawaii, a dream. In '96 I almost entered. So the dream lived on until this year when I finally made the commitment. In January I sent in our entries, May booked hotel and air fares so it was official, we were going to be apart of this legendary event. With Virginia (wife) having a brother living in Minneapolis we would have family to visit with. That was not to be this year, we'll have 1 year to work on it for 2001.

Duluth is a beautiful, fun city and countryside. Many wonderful places to see, things to do and great places to eat. As race day neared our excitement grew. A vacation with a race included (the usual choice), a chance to see our skating friends from all over the country at this wonderful event. The week before we set up our skates and tested them for race day ready. Thursday boarded the plane in LA and off to Minneapolis. Helle Carlsen and Anthony Waner were the only other skaters among the passengers. Arriving in Minneapolis we found out that Helle and Anthony were to fly standby to Duluth, well we all know standby is a crapshoot so they accepted our offer to ride to Duluth in our rental car. It was great to have them with us to talk about skating as we drove. After dropping them at their hotel we continued to the Downtown Waterfront Holiday Inn (the Predator recommended party hotel). We found our friends, the Predators, feasting in the restaurant talking about the race, old times and were glad be with them. They are a fun group of skaters (a highly competitive group at that).

Friday we drove the course, a beautiful road along Lake Superior, went to the ddec/ expo sign in, got goody bags etc. Saw many more friends and talked. I love going to National events just to see skaters you've met from all over the country and world. We are all bound together, our passion for our skating, fun, health and an occasion success of placing in our age groups. Friday night we had dinner with Helle and Anthony, talked about the racecourse and strategies. Then off for good nights sleep. Saturday, 4:30 am wake up came very quickly. It was dark and a cool 42 as we got on the 1st bus with the Predators off to the start line.

Everyone was so up/excited for the race. Got off the bus, pitch black out, walked to the staging area in the still chilling morning with hundreds of other skaters. As daylight was breaking you could see hundreds and hundreds of skaters everywhere still walking up to the staging areas. What a sight. Penny Wright-predators got us warmed up with aerobic stretches and exercises. A big thanks to Penny from all the skaters who joined in, for the start was nearing.

The Pro Men were requested to go to the start line and the crowd went wild with anticipating the start of the race. Off they went to the cheers of the crowd. Pro Women followed and then it was time for the Advance Men (me and 330+ mates), I was so pumped with the excitement of the crowd. Off we went, I was so looking to racing with 3-4 pace lines side by side and the adrenaline that bring with it. As we started out I made my way over to get behind the Predators who were all in a line of bright red skinsuits and I knew they would be a force. As we skated away from the line I saw an opening and teammate Bill Noyes up ahead 200-300 feet so I went out to the side and bridged up to him.

Skaters were all over the road from one side to the other. 3 miles into the race 3-4 pace lines started to form and it was a constant sprint forward, slow down, jump from line to line for the next15 miles. I would stay in one pace line for 15 minutes, then look behind to see how many more skaters were at the back of the pack (the lead pack had 100+). When I only saw 30-50 skaters behind me I would wait for a hill up or down, or a skater coming by on a flyer. I would roll out and skate up to within 8-10 of the leaders and get back in. I continued to do this and was feeling really good. At 18 miles the lead pack thinned to 70 skaters and settled down. I continued to roll up to the front as the 3 lines kept jockeying for position. Oh how I love this, the dynamics/energy of 25 skaters in pace lines side by side. I was in heaven.

As we approached the residential area the pace was definitely picking up with breakaways and skaters covering those breaks. This was why I came, for this was the true testing ground of how well you have trained and at what level you can endure. 4 miles from the finish I could no longer cover the breaks and dropped off the lead pack, oh what fun I had being with the lead pack to that point. The Pro Masters Women came skating by with Penny Wright yelling words of encouragement to me. Thanks Penny.

I soon was joined by another skater and off I was once again. We picked up 3 more and began to work together. Soon we were passing Pennys group and it was my turn to yell out thanks and cheer them on. I could see Bill Noyes in the pack ahead of us 1/4 mile as we got onto the freeway. I tried picking up the pace and encouraging my pack that we could catch them. As we passed through the tunnels we saw a skater down with a medical team, I thought it was Peter Glassmen, a skater I train with in So. Cal. Later I found out Peter broke his arm at the elbow and had to have surgery with a screw in his elbow. The downed skater in the tunnel wasnt Peter. Peter never made it to the tunnels. We were gaining on Bills pack but our speed was taking its toll. Climbing up the last hill/off ramp at 5th Ave. I started to go into my sprint digging down deep within for all I had left to try to catch Bill. He was out of sight beyond the turn heading for the line. I hit the turn crossing over with all I had learned from Jay Etheridge during indoor training and full on sprint to the finish.

Bill had already crossed so I stood up with my arms held high as I crossed the mats completing my first Duluth Northshore Marathon. What a great race I had! I was only 19 seconds behind Bill and we congratulated each other on what a great race we had in the finishing chutes. After getting water, bananas and oranges I skated back to meet up with Virginia and cheer her on. She was already approaching the 5th Av. ramp. She was in great spirits and was looking good and strong for the last mile. I was capturing these moments for I was taking pictures of her finishing efforts as she crossed the line. She also had a very good race. That afternoon we met with friends and related our experiences. Mike McFarlane, our very good friend from Hawaii, who had not been training religiously for this event, ended up crossing the finish line in the lead pack. 58 skaters in 33 sec. crossed the line. Great job Mike, 55th Adv. Men and 17/68 age group. He is in a very tough age group.

That afternoon we soothed our pains in the hot tub and partied with the Predators, then off to the awards. The auditorium was filled to the max with skaters waiting for the final placements and awards. Wooooow, Virginia and I did great.

Yes indeed, we had a great race. California had many skaters on the podium for medals and many more that had a great day of racing. California skaters had a very large presence at this wonderful event.

Sunday we joined almost 50 skaters, met on Channel Island 10am, for a local skate along beautiful Lake Superior. What a great path 10 miles round trip. 5 of us continued on for another 10 miles enjoying the beauty of Duluth. I guess I should have pushed harder in the race because I had plenty of energy to skate the 20+ miles that morning even with some sprinting. We enjoyed a nice lunch with Heather Lacayo, Sam Weaver, Tomi Wuethrich and another skater overlooking the Channel Islands shopping areas. A great place to shop for souvenir items and gifts. Back to the hotel, pack and off drove to Minneapolis. We went to Mall of America, of course. Rode the rides, played the games, shopped and ate. That place is big.

For those who have never ever had the pleasure of going to Duluth and doing this event, I highly recommend you start planning NOW! This event is a must do. It is so well organized and run that the 4000-5000 skaters expected next year would again go off very smoothly. Next years event is also the only US city on the World Cup Tour so this event will fill up and be closed earlier then 2000 did. What a kick, be in a beautiful city, skate a US premier event and see/meet our skating icons from the US and all over the world. This must be heaven.