Wisconsin Cyclocross 2010: Best When Shared

You gotta love cyclocross. Said to have originated in Europe about a century ago, the sport involves fitting "road" bikes with fatter tires and cantilever brakes, then racing off-road in circuits punctuated by hurdles and hills. It's been described as the cycling equivalent of steeplechase, quite literally: the first cyclocross racers would chase each other across farmers' fields to the next town, with the town steeple as the only guiding point. It's part obstacle course, part mountain biking, part criterium, with a large helping of raw and raucous cheering.

In Wisconsin, cyclocross is a big deal. So much so that the 2012 and 2013 Cyclocross National Championships will be held in Madison, Wisconsin...in January, no less. So it comes as no surprise that CX racers in the Midwest take the Wisconsin 'cross schedule pretty seriously, while still having some serious fun.

"I love photographing this sport," says Focal Flame photographer Clint Thayer. "Absolutely love it. The chance to catch riders bunny-hopping over hurdles, carrying their bikes up hils, all set against a backdrop of falling leaves and crowds cheering like mad - it's just a blast." Throughout the 2010 season, Thayer photographed clients at various cyclocross races throughout the state - and always, additional racers would approach and ask if by any chance they might purchase some prints or digital photos. Cyclocross is best when shared among friends, and photographs are key to reliving the joy of the race.

Orders Fulfilled Faster than a Speeding 'Cross Racer

After looking into various possibilities for an expanded online storefront, we think we've found a solution for buying prints and digital files that will be easy and accessible. Colors that run true are critically important, and the quality of our print vendor really blew us away. They also offer some hard-to-find options, like fine art-quality giclee watercolor prints and ready-to-hang photos printed directly on metal.

We hope you like the new and improved storefront. We will be adding additional races over the next few days so check back often and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for release updates!  Please let us know your thoughts. And most of all, keep riding, keep cheering, and keep sharing your love of the sport.

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Ferociously Dedicated: Arrietta Walker Clauss

When you meet Arrietta Clauss, ask her about her five children. Her eyes will brighten. Contagious, irrepressible laughter will echo as she shares stories gleaned from the zaniness of zone defense parenting. Her offspring are now grown and scattered from Wisconsin to Singapore, but they are still very much present in the lives of Arrietta and her husband, Allen.

Having shifted from a career as a chemist in the consumer-products industry to being a stay-at-home mom for sixteen years, she will be plainspoken about the challenges of raising a family even as celebration of her children shines through in every sentence. She will tell you about lost cell phones and annual Christmas letters in which she and Allen mercilessly tease each child in turn, to mutual delight. She will describe living abroad with the family in China and Japan for seven years. She will share parenting advice, saying, “Our objective in raising the kids was to give them as much independence as possible. It was theirs to lose.” She will stop mid-sentence and shake her head slightly at her good fortune, saying simply, “I’ve really had a charmed life.”

And then, ask her about sports. Watch her hands become animated when she describes her 2010 competitive cycling season or her longstanding devotion to swimming. Then, watch her become still and lean forward with deliberateness, quietly sharing a fundamental truth: “You have to have your own thing. It can be music, photography, whatever. That's what sports was for me. You have to have something that centers you.”

A lifelong athlete, Arrietta competed in swimming from an early age. She continued to swim competitively throughout all of her pregnancies and well into her childrens’ high school years. “My mom’s first sport was swimming, and most of our summer days as children were spent at the YMCA outdoor pool. My mom would get her workout in and then we would spend the rest of the day by the pool,” wrote Anna Clauss, age 26. “I am pretty sure that swimming is what kept my mom sane with 5 crazy kids in the house.” Rider Clauss, 24, wrote, ”She had previously been a masters national champion in swimming when we were all young children. She then started swimming competitively again when I was in high school and set just about every masters record in Wisconsin.” But by 2002 or 2003, Arrietta’s continuation in competitive swimming would have meant traveling to meets every weekend – and this was increasingly difficult given the younger Clauss’ forays into athletics. (Four out of five children would eventually compete in swimming or running at the collegiate level.) When she developed a shoulder injury, it sealed the deal. Competitive sports was off the plate for a while.

Which is not to say that Arrietta's interest in sports ever waned. Rider Clauss recalled a memory from his senior year of high school when he ran on the cross country team, writing, "Before every meet, as part of the warm-up, the team would jog the race course with our coach.  As we ran, Coach would give us our race strategy...my mom, loving all things sports, wanted in on this...While all the other cross country moms were in the parking lot drinking coffee and sharing team gossip, my mom was out jogging the course with the team trying to learn more about the upcoming race.  To date, I think she is the only team mom ever to warm-up with the team."

And when Allen and Arrietta marked their 25th anniversary, they wanted the celebration to involve both travel and time with their children. So in 2004, they signed up for a family bicycling vacation through the Loire Valley, France, capped off with cheering on Lance Armstrong's sixth win of the Tour de France.

Never mind that, in Arrietta's words, "We knew nothing about biking."

Despite this the family quickly fell into a cycling rhythm, with Allen and Arrietta splitting up sheparding duties to make sure that everyone finished the day's miles without mishap. Arrietta said, "It was just - the scenery was beautiful. We had a fun time as a family. It was something that Allen and I could do together. We liked it." Arthur Clauss, 21, wrote, "My favorite moment on the trip was when my brother and I took off from the rest of the family during the last fifteen mile stretch after along day of cycling. Although I could tell it pained my mother, she stayed back and rode at a leisurely pace with our sisters." Alluding to Arrietta's competitive side, Arthur continued, "It is not like my mother, despite the fact that we are younger and stronger, to ever let us beat her easily."

Upon returning to Madison, Arrietta and Allen decided to seek out more opportunities to bike together. They became regulars at the Wednesday Night Bike Ride series, which has a local reputation as being fast-paced. They enjoyed the time spent together, the rural scenery, the camaraderie, and the realization that they could in fact keep up with some of the swiftest riders.

But it wasn't perhaps quite the bonding experience that they had expected, because as it turned out, Arrietta could more than hold her own. She could sprint away from the pack - at will. "I mean, she was dropping a lot of guys from the tough bike rides, including me," said Allen. After a lifetime of aerobic training, it became evident that Arrietta had some serious biking chops. Demurely, she recalled, "All of a sudden it got very intriguing."

While some spouses might invest in flowers, Allen decided to splurge on a professional bike fitting and a VO2 max test for his wife's birthday present. The results of the testing left them dumbfounded. "She was off the charts for all women," said Allen. "And then we started to go to the male charts. And we started going down in age groups. And she would be a normal 15-19 year old male [based on] her VO2 max." Recalling their dawning realization, Allen said, "So then we started going back and saying, well she's got some real, natural talent, both genetic and honed by years and years of endurance workouts - she's got some incredible capacity."

They began to dedicate increasing time and resources to the sport of cycling, and Arrietta sought out professional coaching. She also began setting competitive goals and relying on the self-discipline that had served her not only through collegiate swimming and rowing, but years of parenting. "I don't know many people that I've met in my life who have the regimen and discipline that she has," said Allen. Echoing this sentiment, Eulalia "Layla" Clauss, 23, wrote, "She does not take any short cuts, but diligently pays her dues on the bike day in and day out, never losing sight of what she wishes to accomplish." 

By the start of the 2010 season, she was working with coach Gordy Paulson and had decided to focus on time trials, the "race of truth" format that pits each rider against the clock. With all five children in college or living on their own, she also had for the first time in many years the ability to focus on her own personal goals. In her entry into the Focal Flame Photography "Honoring the Athlete" contest, her nominator stated, "Now she has time and tonnes of energy for her own training. She is training for Master's Nationals to be held in Louisville in Aug. - and I think she is going to win!! She is a tough, competitive woman with a big smile!"

Training six days a week for up to two and a half hours at a stretch, Arrietta carefully worked up to the USA Cycling Masters National Championship held during the first week of August. "This year, I went with a purpose, which was to win," said Arrietta. During pre-race preparation, she spent six hours studying every landmark on the time trial and road race courses. "I really studied [the time trial] course," said Arrietta. "It was a straight out, 180 degrees turn, and coming back, with some hills." She reviewed race strategy with Paulson. "This was the first Nationals that I had my coach there, and Gordy was familiar with the courses and could tell me even what gear to be in on some of the hills, which was helpful," said Arrietta. She also looked over her cycling equipment meticulously, and was grudgingly convinced by fellow cyclist Jeff Otto to change her wheels not long before the time trial. "He was saying, 'This equipment is better. It will give you a few watts.'" Concerned about the possibility of flatting a new tire, she insisted that Paulson change the tubes.

On August 3, the date of the time trial, the temperature climbed well into the 90s while racers launched themselves from the starting chute and hurtled into the heat. And for 29 minutes and 50.27 seconds, Arrietta drew on months of training, hours of pre-race preparation, a lifetime of exercising and relentless willpower. As results rolled in, a dream was realized. Arrietta Clauss was the new USA Cycling Master's Time Trial National Champion, clocking in at a hair under 25 miles per hour and setting a pace faster than any age group competitors, male or female, who raced the 20 km distance (all women age 55 and up, and all men age 65 and up). 

The next day she competed in the road race, medaling again with a second-place finish in a mentally grueling race. Joined by her nearest competitor, Ann Marie Miller of New York, Arrietta attacked off the front to break away from the field on the third lap. "And then, [Ann Marie] continued to accelerate, and that was my breaking moment, when I thought, 'She's stronger, I'm not, I'm going to get second and she's going to get first,'" said Arrietta. "And then for the next three laps, we time trialed it."  Miller finished two minutes ahead of Arrietta, followed by a minute-and-a-half gap until the third place finisher. 

Photographer Clint Thayer caught up with Arrietta at her last race of the 2010 season, the Mid-America Time Trial Series Finale in Garden Prairie, IL on September 18. Though Arrietta had intended to finish the season with the ABR State Championship Time Trials, a death in the extended family prevented participation. The MATTS Finale gave one last opportunity to not only launch into full flight, but also to race an event along with her husband Allen and end the season on a high note.

On race morning, drizzles crescendoed in dramatic fashion when a fast-moving thunderstorm brought lightning, high winds, and in the words of the race director, "buckets of rain". The race continued over a 35-kilometer course. Slate-colored skies provided dramatic backdrop for Arrietta, who bowed over her bike into the wind, tires mirrored on water-slicked asphalt. Thayer recalled, "At one point I had moved ahead on the course, and had about thirty seconds to set up a shot before Arrietta would pass. Fifteen seconds before she arrived, I heard a ZIP-POP-HISSSSS then BOOOOM that literally shook the ground. I looked up at the top of a telephone pole not more then 10 to 15 feet from me and I saw the line had snapped - it was sparking and flying in different directions." Thayer turned his attention back to Arrietta, took the shot in a dead downpour, and continued. Despite the fact that the MATTS Finale was not a primary competitive objective, and despite the conditions - or, perhaps, because of them - the images show Arrietta at her most elemental: focused, relentless, and ferocious. In the end, Arrietta took overall women's first place. Allen also had a rewarding race with a fourth place finish for his age group.

When asked to comment on Arrietta's qualities and approach to athletics, her coach Gordy Paulson said, "Apart from her obvious physical gifts as an extraordinary athlete, Arrietta has a level of determination and commitment to both her training and competition that are unmatched. When Arrietta sets her mind to accomplish something, she approaches it with fervor, intellect, and passion. When Arrietta has done her training and preparation, by the time she lines up at the start, she has already got the race won." Rider Clauss expressed similar observations. "I guess I wasn't really surprised that my mom won the time trial at nationals," wrote Rider. "She seems to be able to accomplish whatever she puts her mind to. She has an amazing combination of athletic ability, discipline in training and competitive drive." Anna Clauss wrote, "I do not know anyone else who approaches life with as much energy as my mother.  She even dusts as if her life depended on it (which set a pretty high standard for Saturday morning chores)."

When asked what she hoped to share with her children as a result of her cycling endeavors, Arrietta flashed a quick smile and answered readily. "When you put time into something, and effort into something, you can achieve great things," she said. "You don't have to be limited by your age." And her family? They've taken notes. "She has demonstrated that it is never too late to go after one's passion," wrote Arthur Clauss, 21. "No one expected a biking career to emerge from a leisure family cycling trip through France, but it did." Warren Clauss, Arthur's twin brother, wrote, "She has inspired me. Inspired me not to give up on my passions despite where I am in life or amidst all the obstacles that I am up against. That good will flourish from hard work, drive, and heart. And it is never too late to seek your goals." And when asked what one thing he would want to tell Arrietta about her sporting endeavors, her partner of so many years, Allen, simply said - quietly, and with clearly evident emotion - "I think I would say that you're a great role model. Your kids are really proud to have you as their mom."

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Under a Clear Blue Sky: 2010 Ironman Wisconsin

Under a Clear Blue Sky: 2010 Ironman Wisconsin

On every second Sunday in September since 2002, the city of Madison, Wisconsin has turned out in force to support the Ironman Wisconsin. And by “support,” we’re not talking about small clumps of bored volunteers languidly handing up water bottles. No, we’re talking about scream-till-you’re-voiceless, dawn-until-midnight, thickets-of-fans support. We’re talking about bike course directors with a 1 am wake-up call, and kayak-dwelling life guards who saw all the athletes through the swim safely and then cheered and cheered – all they way up until midnight. We’re talking about a race course lined with fans waving cowbells, flags, and – in one case – dressed up in a full Native American headdress, bellowing support to cyclists during the long grind up Timber Lane, one of the toughest points in the technical, rolling bike course.

The weather at this time of year is, in a word, capricious. Past Ironman Wisconsin races have ranged from scorching with a helping of humid to hypothermia-inducing blustery rain driven by high winds. The 2010 conditions were, though, nearly perfect. Triathletes toiled under an impossibly blue sky with gentle winds and a high of 81 degrees F. Perhaps not surprisingly, course records fell starting with a new swim record set by John Flanagan III of Hawaii, who swam 2.4 miles in 44:56. The Capital Times reported that Flanagan swam for the University of Wisconsin from 1993-1994, so Lake Monona served as a homecoming of sorts. The overall men’s record was broken by Joe Gambles of Australia, who finished the 140.7 mile event in 8:32:32. Women’s winner Gina Crawford, New Zealand, also demolished the women’s course record, finishing in 9:27:26 and inspired by thoughts of her hometown of Christchurch, which experienced a magnitude 7.1 earthquake on September 4, 2010.

Photographer Clint Thayer turned his lens towards the race, following the action of elite and first-time Ironman triathletes alike. Below is a photo essay showing some of the 2,550 Ironman Wisconsin athletes competing this year.

More photos in the Ironman WI 2010 Gallery

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Tough Stock: Kitty Clark Cole at the 2010 Door County Half-Iron

To see Kitty Clark Cole in action is to witness an athlete truly in love with her sport. An accomplished runner, she has completed 17 marathons on all seven continents, including a 2001 marathon off the coast of King George Island in Antarctica that can only be described as epic. (Because of treacherous weather, the marathoners were unable to disembark to shore....and instead ran over 400 laps on one of the ship's decks while it sailed through ice-strewn waters.) As a tough, seasoned triathlete, Cole trains hard year-round and has competed in many multi-sport events.

You might think Cole has been doing this all her life. Not so. "I'm an adult-onset athlete," said Cole firmly. She began competing at age 45, and recently celebrated her 57th birthday.

Despite all the authentic joy etched in her face during a race, Cole came to endurance sports through sorrow. "My older brother was a marathoner in the 80's and he wanted me to train and run a marathon with him...which I didn't do because I thought it/he was crazy," wrote Cole in her nomination for the Focal Flame Photography "Honoring the Athlete" contest. She never got a chance to join him. Jim, known by his nickname "Butch", died during a race in Madison, Wisconsin. "At his funeral I promised him I would train and run one marathon to honor him and his passion," wrote Cole.

And train she did, completing the Marine Corps Marathon in 1998. Twelve years later, she is still running...and now swimming and biking as well. Not only has Cole benefited from fitness personally, she is dedicated to sharing her experiences with others. Trading the corporate world for a career in health coaching, she recently earned a degree in integrative nutrition and certification in health coaching to complement an MBA and undergrad degree in nutritional sciences. Much of her time is spent encouraging other athletes - as a teammate, health coach, and leading seminars and club runs at All Season Runner, a new  store in Janesville, WI. In 2010 she also served as Race Director for the inaugural Rock Roll N Run Triathlon in Janesville.

Cole's 2010 competitive season was chosen with care. To punctuate the long crescendo to Ironman Florida in November, she selected several shorter-distance events. Key among them was the Door County Half-Iron. "This is my 2nd Door County Half and it’s a beautiful race," said Cole. "The scenery is spectacular and is a great destination for a holiday with the race."

Heading into the race, Cole wrote about possible challenges. "I struggle in rough water - I actually get seasick if the waves are high," she said. "It’s hard to throw up and swim but I’ve done it a couple times!" To improve her bike times, Cole prepared with intense off-season training. "I participated in the PBC (Power Based Cycling) Program at SBR [Coaching] over the winter, a 26 week, twice a week indoor cycling workout," she said. "I’m stronger on the bike than I was a year ago." Cole considered herself fully recovered from breaking her ankle in 2009 while coaching a run, but realized that the steep bluff on the Door County half-marathon course would likely aggrevate the injury.

While Cole prepared for the event, photographer Clint Thayer lined up all the logistics needed to document her race day. When asked about the challenges of custom sports photography, Thayer said, "It’s like the intensity of wedding photography - but the bride is moving at 20 mph throughout the entire day, in a crowd of over 900 people, for 7 hours." There were many details, both large and small, that were critical to ensuring a successful shoot.

Of course, Mother Nature weighed in. Athletes awoke to drab skies, rain-slickened asphalt, and the potential for strong storms. Thayer remarked, "Photograpically the day itself was very overcast so it provided its own diffuser of light - which was really somewhat helpful." Athletes were less enthused. "The rain scared me and spooked me a bit. I get cold easily...when it started raining I had a flashback to IronMan Wisconsin 2006 which was a cold, rainy and miserable day.  I developed hypothermia that day and got pulled off my bike with no feeling in my entire body, my first DNF [Did Not Finish]." Cole readied her transition gear and tended to pre-race rituals - such as donning a pair of boxer shorts from her son, Joe, and a ring from her daughter Anna. Though her children weren't present to cheer her on personally, Cole shared that she wore the mementos so that her loved ones would be there in spirit as she prepared. When she engaged Focal Flame Photography to document her season, Cole said that she wanted to capture the memories for her family, saying that she wanted her children and any future generations to know they come from "strong stock."

The weather delayed the start by half an hour. Cole passed time with friends, including training partner Brenda Knighton-Slatter. Cole and Knighton-Slatter race in the same age group. With razor-sharp wit, they cultivate a friendly rivalry - one backed by a long history of training and supporting each other.

The National Anthem played; the gun fired; the swimmers plunged. And for the next 6 hours, 38 minutes, and 46 seconds, Cole was in the zone. Triathlon is a deeply personal, deeply mental journey - a journey to the heart of oxygen deprivation. To a place where the rhythm of breath, stroke, pedal, and footstrike subtract all internal chatter. In the hours of long triathlon events, the only voices remaining are those that are most central. And for Cole, as with every event, the voice that echoed in her head was that of her brother Butch. "I feel my brother's spirit any time I run or race and many times that is what keeps me going when the going gets tough," she wrote.

After a solid swim, Cole transitioned to the bike and withstood showers that increased to a downpour. "Within the first mile of the bike, my computer failed...just stopped working," she said. "I rode as hard as I thought I could hold, totally on feel and effort.  I think I did better by not constantly having to look at the computer - that surprised me."

In high spirits, Cole begain the run - her favorite sport of the three. "She flew," said Thayer. "Absolutely flew." Cole recalled, "I knew when I came in from the bike that if I had a good half-marathon...I would [achieve a] PR [personal record for the half-Ironman distance]." She kept re-calculating her finish line every mile of the run until miles 10 and 11, when her ankle injury flared. "I experienced “brain lock” about that time and just couldn’t quite make the numbers add up after 10 [miles].  When I was able to start running again at 11.5, I knew I had it and I cried.  I feel like I’ve recaptured the “fire in the belly,” racing and training attitude that I used to have and it all came out at that moment."

True to her character, Cole encouraged others even as they encouraged her. "I was running past a family group sitting in lawn chairs who were cheering for the runners...They said something like, 'You’re looking good,' to which I always reply, 'So are you and thanks for cheering.'" At that point, one of the bystanders noticed the age marking on the back of Cole's right leg.  "When I ran past one of the women said, 'My God, she’s 56 years old.'" Cole responded,  “Yes I am - and old broads rock!'"

In the end, Cole's time was approximately 44 minutes faster than her 2009 Door County race, and approximately 16 minutes faster than her record for any triathlon of that distance. "I’ve always believed there’s a point in a race when you know you’re going to finish...sometimes it’s at the start, sometimes at a point during the race, and sometimes it’s not until you cross the finish line," said Cole. "I felt like I was going to have a good day when I got up that morning.  I was hoping for a PR and was willing to work hard for it and felt it would be in my reach."

With the Door County Half-Iron completed, Kitty Cole continues her focus on a heroic effort - training for the IronMan Florida race in November. In tribute to the active and veteran soldiers who are her personal heros, she is raising $50,000 for the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund - enough to support the purchase of three to four prosthetic limbs for wounded U.S. Marines returning from combat. Read more about her fund raising campaign in this press release and in her appeal for donations, and contribute online at her fund raising page.

View more photos of Kitty's 2010 Door County Half-Iron in the gallery.

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Gills for Gilda's Club: Ultra-swimmers and Kayakers Going the Distance

It all started with a beer at the University of Wisconsin Memorial Union Terrace.

It was 2008, and ultra-distance athlete Darren Fortney was kicking back with friends at the Union. In case you’ve not frequented the Dairyland State, the Union Terrace is a Madison institution in itself. Decades ago the university decided, in a stroke of genius, to have an outdoor pub along the shore of Lake Mendota. Consequently, generations of students and Madison residents have gathered there to hear music concerts, raise a glass, and linger over sunset views of the lake.

Fortney’s lakeward gaze wasn't idle admiration, though. Since taking up running in 2004 to help recover from a botched back surgery, he had found endurance sports to be addictive. After conquering several half-marathons, marathons, and triathlons, Fortney began adding ultra-distance events to his schedule. Fifty-mile running races led to 100 mile events - and he kept finding new opportunities to push the limits.

So to him, Mendota wasn’t just a pretty lake. It was a challenge begging to be met.

"I bet I can swim that," he told friends.

Never mind that not long before, he was deathly afraid of water. Fortney's inspiration to swim began in 2005, when he watched Ironman Wisconsin swimmers tackling the open water from his kayak as a race safety volunteer. "I could not swim," he recalled, only tacitly acknowledging the irony. "My biggest fear is drowning." Deciding to face his fears head-on, he joined a master's swim class and not only learned to swim, but honed his technique enough to compete in the 2006 Ironman Wisconsin race. He finished the 2.4-mile swim portion in a respectable 1 hour 18 minutes and 18 seconds.

To spend any time in Fortney's presence is to realize he has a straightforward approach to life. Overcoming personal trials ranging from cancer to spinal cord injury has re-framed his perspective. He is one of those individuals who simply asks "Why not?" when approaching a challenge - and the bigger the effort, the better. He also routinely mentors fellow athletes, and through charitable fundraising, seeks to help those facing serious medical issues, particularly cancer. He raised over $21,000 for the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2006, and over $4,000 for cancer resource center Gilda's Club Madison in 2009. "I am just one of the lucky ones able to give back," he said. "Lots to be thankful for."

So it didn't come as a surprise when Fortney quickly brought his ultra-swim idea to life. The first year, there were seven swimmers - mostly friends from his master's swimming class. In 2009, the group swelled to 10 swimmers, and Fortney did the swim the day after a 25-mile training run. By early 2010, Fortney found himself planning the 3rd Annual Lake Mendota Crossing. Though the event still remained “rogue”, in his description, "We’ve got 13 swimmers, 13 kayakers, T-shirts, and we had a a logo made."

This is not to say that the swim had gotten any easier over the years. To put things in perspective, the course is nearly three times the length of the swim portion of Ironman-distance triathlons. And the effort involved in open water swimming is incomparable to doing laps in a swimming pool. In the first two years, swimmers had experienced high winds that blew them off course, algal blooms, and a sewage leak. Two of the kayakers who help keep the perimeter safe for the swimmers, Marcia Hartwig and Susan Jones, work on the Take a Stake in the Lakes program for Dane County. At one point, the group sought media coverage to raise awareness of water quality.

The potential for problems and even dangerous situations was very real. Fortney and the rest of the organizers were careful to do everything they could to keep things safe, including requiring wetsuits, ensuring CPR-trained personnel were available, using a buddy system with color-coded swim caps, and hiring a pontoon boat to accompany them. Only highly experienced swimmers were invited to join.

But life sometimes throws in challenges that simply can't be anticipated. For example, injury. Prior to the 2010 crossing, veteran swimmer Ken Wood wrote, "Having done this swim the past two years, coming into it there weren't too many challenges left until a 3rd degree shoulder separation in March completely derailed my swim training and fitness for completing this event." Unable to train for distances longer than two miles while he recuperated, Wood worried about his preparation. Then, in the week before the swim, Fortney fractured a rib during a camping trip. In a message to swimmers, he wrote, "Not sure if I will be able to make it but I will surely give it my all. Kind of funny how one little rib can send you to your knees in pain."

But as many physical discomforts as the swimmers and kayakers faced, Fortney and others knew in their hearts that this was inconsequential compared to the daily trials of cancer patients. So along with arranging all the logistics for the swim, Fortney decided to launch a fundraiser in conjuction with the swim to benefit Gilda's Club Madison. Having worked on charity benefits for Gilda’s Club before, he knew that the programs and resources they offer for cancer patients and families were worthwhile and effective. With writing and publicity support from Focal Flame Photography writer Robyn Perrin, he worked with Gilda's Club staff members Sara Goetz, Marketing and Events Coordinator, and Gail Nichols, Executive Director, to quickly put together an online donation site dubbed “Gills for Gilda's”.

The site went live on June 9, 2010. Initially, Fortney thought a few hundred dollars might be raised. But aided by the power of social networking, something amazing happened: thirteen swimmers and thirteen kayakers told all their friends and family, who told all of their friends and family...and 16 days later, by the date of the 3rd Annual Lake Mendota Crossing, 129 donors had contributed over $5,000 to Gilda’s Club.

Goetz and Nichols were astounded and grateful beyond measure. "$5,000 helps us fund one of our weekly support groups for an entire year," said Nichols. "Our support groups are there for men, women, teens and children who are affected by cancer...The Lake Crossing swimmers, like our [cancer patient and family] members, showed that they stick together, they watch out for each other, they learn from each other, and support one another.  This is the essence of the mission of Gilda's Club."

Fueled by the success of their fundraising effort, Gills for Gilda's members headed into the Lake Crossing on June 25 with beautiful weather conditions. Clear skies and air temperatures in the low 80 degrees F led to smiles all around as swimmers donned wetsuits. But once underway, choppy waters led many of the athletes to summon all their fortitude to continue. Sue Ellen Ostrom wrote, "This year the challenge was the waves. It wasn't physically challenging, but rather mentally. At first the waves were fun, but then they just kept coming....It became important to focus on making forward progress instead of letting my mind wander to the negative thoughts of feeling pounded by wave after wave after wave." The group also battled thick patches of underwater weeds. "Came kinda close to a panic attack, there," admitted Amy Rogers.

As the afternoon wore on, fatigue set in. "I remember being very strong and motivated and it being fun for the first 2 hours," wrote Petra Kilian-Gehring. "Then, the wheels started coming off and the last hour and a half I remember really struggling and losing strength, speed and motivation and the shore kept looking far far away and I felt like I didn't want to do it anymore but I NEVER thought about quitting once!" Gary Gruenisen remarked on the isolation of being in open water, describing the sensation as "Such a large place and feeling so small." Three-year veteran Lisa Kirby-Mangas wrote, "Unfortunately, this year I got sick a few times in the water with less than 30 minutes left to shore.  This was memorable to me because my goal in starting the swim all three years has been to finish. It was a hard decision for me to get out of the water and get on the pontoon boat."

Kirby-Mangas continued, "In the days post-event, I have been thinking about those feelings and how they relate to other events in life.  Many times I have to adjust my sails (or goals) based upon life's events.  In this swim, I still had success swimming a long distance even though unforeseen events required that I arrive at the shore in a pontoon boat.  I have thought of Gilda's Club, and how many other people have to change the path of their lives based upon life circumstances that are out of their control.  Getting on the boat instead of swimming was such a small detour in a small goal."

In the end, all thirteen swimmers made it safely to shore and - fittingly - spent the remainder of the afternoon jubilantly celebrating at the Union Terrace. Many expressed simple gratitude. After the event, Ken Wood wrote, "We are truly blessed to be have mostly fully functioning bodies that allow us the honor and privilege of swimming, kayaking and enjoying the great outdoors.  We are fortunate that our endeavors have inspired others to contribute to a worthwhile organization that helps people in need. What you give to others usually comes back at you tenfold." Bonnie Busch shared, "That fact that we may never know who is aided, inspired, comforted or helped [at Gilda's Club] by our own simple acts doesn’t mean that someone isn’t. Nothing is impossible."

And the sweetest part for Fortney? Seeing his son Ryan's face at the finish. For the first time, Ryan Fortney participated as a kayaker. His tenth birthday fell on the day before the lake crossing, and he put his entire decade's worth of determination into his arms, paddling hard all day long. When asked what he wanted his dad to know about the Lake Mendota Crossing, Ryan was quick to answer, "It's really cool and he should keep doing it. Lots of friends are joining in. They must like it too."

The irrepressible grin on the younger Fortney's face summed up in a glance what the Lake Crossing is all about: Hope. Renewal. Future. Taking on a challenge, like swimming across a lake - just because it’s there. Just because you’re among friends. Just because it's inspiring. 

Focal Flame Photography congratulates all participants in the 2010 Lake Mendota Crossing, including "Honoring the Athlete" contest runner-up Darren Fortney. Swimmers, kayakers, and support volunteers included:

• Bonnie Busch - swimmer
• Brad Drake - swimmer
• Sarah Faust - swimmer
• Darren Fortney - swimmer
• Gary Gruenisen - swimmer
• Petra Kilian-Gehring - swimmer
• Lisa Kirby-Mangas - swimmer
• Jen Moore - swimmer
• Sue Ellen Ostrom - swimmer
• Justin Pernitz - swimmer
• Amy Rogers - swimmer
• Ken Wood - Swimmer

• Audrey Drake - lead kayaker
• Erin Birk - kayaker
• Mike Conway - kayaker
• Ryan Fortney - kayaker
• Barb Griffin - kayaker
• Marcia Hartwig - kayaker
• Susan Jones - kayaker
• Tyler Leeper - kayaker
• Matt Linak - kayaker
• Katerina Moloni - kayaker
• William Robinson - kayaker

• Carl Johannsson - pontoon boat captain
• Harsha Keister - Massage Therapist

Check out more images in the 3rd Annual Lake Mendota Crossing Gallery. To follow these and other stories, join the Focal Flame Photography Facebook page and follow our Twitter feed.

Scene/Seen: USA Cycling Collegiate Nationals Criterium

It is a spring day. A spring day accompanied by overnight frost, with snow falling in counties not unimaginably farther north. A spring day with winds that curl around building corners, with clouds boasting silver and reminding us that they could release rain if they wanted to.

In other words, a fine day for a bike race.

The racers are 500 strong, gathered from colleges from New Hampshire to California, from Minnesota to Texas. They study literature, business, and radiology.

Today they are riding in circles around a square.

As onlookers clutch coffee cups, the racers circumnavigate the state Capitol building. Around and around, for 45 minutes or an hour, etching the road with slim tires and breath that just-nearly clouds in the chill air. They surround a stately building sculpted of stone with a bronze woman perched atop. Her arm is raised and she tells them, "Forward".

We watch as they pass us hundreds of times over. Music pulsates from the announcers’ stand. We watch them, and imagine ourselves elbow to elbow, breathless, gears pounding, handlebar tape smooth in our hands. We think, I would jump now. I would surround myself with my teammates and do battle.

The announcers are whipping themselves into a fury. They count down the laps, ring a bell. One to go one to go one to go one to go racers your time is now.

We fidget as the racers disappear from view on the back side of the course, wondering if they are still there on the dark side of the moon. Two minutes stretches. We crowd next to barriers made of plywood and metal. We pound on them in time with the music. A school mascot wanders about, surreal, a giant blue fur-clad bird. Two cycling fans run through the crowd, wearing little but green and yellow body paint.

A motorcycle emerges around the corner.

We hold our breath, then yell. Go go go go go go. The racers are a school of fish, darting, weaving, surging. They have eyes only for the finish. Go go go go go go go.

Their wind whips past us, a final exhalation. The announcer screams, oooohhhhh, and we throw our hands up in the air as if we are ourselves triumphant.

The racers unwind, taking another lap or two, like a child’s top spinning down. Teammates rush to find each other, with tears and embraces. They talk to us and to each other, re-living the race, telling us their stories.

We smile, and clap each other on the back. Then glance up at the clouds. And start to disperse.

Within minutes, the square is deserted. The cyclists must prepare for another stage tomorrow, when they will race against the wind in a team time trial across rural roads. But for now, we savor the images of the day, the clean lines of metal and wheels on gray asphalt reflecting silver skies.

Check out the gallery for more photos from the Collegiate National Criterium, and feel free to share your race story in the comments.  If you are not already a fan of the Focal Flame Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter, it's time to jump in with both feet!

Local Bike Club Makes Good

There’s a lot to consider when planning a cycling race from scratch. Picking a course. Getting permission from the community. Finding volunteers. Publicizing the event. Hoping racers actually show up. And then, of course, there’s the weather.

So it was not a happy moment when MadCity Velo club member Chris Moreland, Race Director for the inaugural Fitchburg Fast and Furious Criterium, realized that race day was forecast to be wet and cold.

"My first concern was primarily just safety for riders in the wet conditions", said Moreland.

Similar thoughts crossed racers’ minds. Rain can make for delicate bike handling in elbow-to-elbow crits. For Master’s 4/5 race winner Chris Larson, concern over the conditions almost cost him the medal.

"Right at the end, I had a good lead. I went into the last corner and of course on the last lap I had more speed than I had on the previous laps", said Larson. "I slowed down a little bit too much. As I came out of the turn I could feel the pack breathing down my neck, getting closer and closer. I stood up and gave it all I had."

And all he had ended up being enough for the win. "I was glad to see the finish line come up when it did", said Larson. "If I had another 100 yards to go I wouldn’t have won the race."

The fact that Larson is also a member of the MadCity Velo Club made victory all the sweeter. Inspired by a desire to bring a cycling event to Fitchburg, club members wanted to leverage years of experience organizing other races in the area. And despite the fact that other cycling events in the region have exposed rocky relationships between cycling advocates and communities, Fitchburg city leaders were fully in support. “They very much partnered with us every step of the way”, said Moreland.

The goodwill turned out to be a good investment. With 157 racers and zero crashes, there were enough proceeds from the race for the club to make a donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County.

Giving back to the community is in keeping with the spirit of the club, which includes members of all ages and levels of experience. What makes MadCity Velo unique? “Diversity, passion for cycling, and camaraderie”, said Moreland. Larson agreed, stating, “I think it’s the friendliness and realness of members, and their commitment to each other.”

Focal Flame Photography is proud to sponsor the MadCity Velo Club, which will present two other races in 2010: the Blue Mounds Classic road race, and the Kirke Vei Time Trial.

Check out the gallery for more photos from the Fitchburg Fast and Furious, and feel free to share your race story in the comments.  If you are not already a fan of the Focal Flame Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter, it's time to jump in with both feet!

Genesis of Team Gary Fisher

How often in life can you witness a true beginning? For Team Gary Fisher, it was a weekend of firsts. The Great Dane Velo Club Gregg Bednorski Memorial Criterium held on April 11, 2010, marked the first day of the first race for the newly formed road cycling team – which raced in new kit on entirely new team bikes.
 
Heard from a distance, the sound of the peloton resembled steady rain – but this was only an auditory illusion, for the conditions were perfect. With light winds under brilliant sun and temperatures in the mid-70s, the racers shifted deftly through the course like a school of minnows.
 
“The team is all about real people racing and having fun,” said team president David Blomme. The Gary Fisher brand, now owned by Trek Bicycles, is far more famous in the mountain bike scene than road racing. But Blomme and several other members of the team are Trek employees and intimately familiar with the new line of Gary Fisher Cronus road bikes…because they developed them.
 
“It’s been about a year and a half that we’ve been launching [new models] from the road side,” said Blomme, also the industrial designer who developed the new Cronus model. “It’s been fun doing that, and we thought – what a great opportunity to promote the brand. And Fisher himself has been a very big proponent of grassroots teams.”
 
Several team members had good fortune at the crit. Eric Knuth, attacked twice in the Master’s 1/2/3 race. “It was a good race”, he said. “I was in the first break that lasted for four or five laps. Unfortunately the group came back and caught us. And then I saw another couple of guys go later in the race and decided that they were a couple of strong guys to follow, and so I bridged up to them. That one stuck.”
 
That breakaway survived for the next 40 minutes and was never caught by the main pack. “We used up a lot of energy and didn't have much left at the end”, Knuth said. But it was enough for him to place 10th overall.
 
Earlier in the day, team member Greg Ferguson placed seventh in the Master’s 3/4 race. Blomme netted the team’s highest-placed finish of the day, coming in second in the Master’s 4/5 race – even though his usual lead-out man, Barney Sheafor, was blocked in during the final approach. “I saw another guy with big legs come around the corner and I said, eh, that's a guy to follow. So I went around him and got second”, said Blomme.
 
All of the team members were outfitted with new Cronus bikes – and “new” was not an exaggeration, as the frames were delivered a mere two or three days before the race. “I wasn't sure whether I'd race on it today”, said Knuth. “I just finished building it up this past week and rode on it yesterday for the first time.” But despite the fact that the paint had barely dried, the team didn’t have a single mechanical. “The bike is great, very stiff”, said Ferguson. Smiling broadly, Blomme indicated deep satisfaction. “People are really happy about the performance, making comments like, ‘the bike went away, the bike went on rails’”, he said. “It's a good way to start the year.”
 
With plenty of racing ahead of them, team members are focusing on several upcoming events – most notably the Trek Waterloo Classic on June 23rd. Competitive goals aside, it was clear from the good-natured banter between races that the guys were simply enjoying a fine day of racing in good company. With a ready grin, Sheafor summed it up: “Yeah, we're just having fun.”

See all the images from the day in the portfolio section.

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Skateboarding as sport, Skateboarding as art

This post is the first in a Focal Flame Photography series on “alternative sports” – athletic endeavors that are bit outside of the mainstream.
 
Tricks. Ramps. Rails. Grinds. Fakies. Ollies, 720s, front side airs, and kickflips. Skateboarding has its own unique language, style, and culture. But is it a sport?
 
“Absolutely,” says photographer Clint Thayer. “It is physically demanding. There’s the competitive nature of improving one’s abilities.  And there are even actual competitions.”
 
Jim Toombs, owner and manager of Erik’s Bike and Board Shop on the west side of Madison, WI, agrees. “The big thing with skateboarding is that it focuses on technical ability, not necessarily cardio workouts,” says Toombs. “I see skaters doing rails, ramps, jumps, kicks, flips….there’s a lot of focus on foot work, mental concentration, and practice.”

A former skater himself, Thayer is drawn to the motion of skateboarding. “I’ve always enjoyed the speed and the way the body transforms itself both while on the ground and in the air”, he states. Motivated to capture images depicting that velocity, he visited a skate park in Middleton, WI during the first warm day of spring and photographed several skaters honing their skills.

One of the skaters was Shea Cotter-Brown. With four years of skateboard experience, he was drawn to the sport through family ties. “I had to do something, given what my brothers are into”, he said during a follow-up interview. With older brothers devoted to skiing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and inline skating – some with backing from commercial sponsors – it was no wonder that Cotter-Brown became dedicated to a board sport.

“My friends and I are at the park shark level”, he said, explaining that young novice skaters are referred to as "groms" while advanced skaters earn recognition as “park sharks”. Along with a small clan of fellow skaters, Cotter-Brown has been practicing at locations including Four Seasons Skate Park in Madison, an indoor park at an undisclosed warehouse location on the south side, and at local outdoor skate parks when weather permits.
 
The group caught Thayer’s eye. “I really wanted to study motion and how to capture skaters in motion. I did this primarily with a low shutter speed and panning shots that blurred the background but that kept a certain aspect of the subject in focus.” While some images impart a sense of movement, others seem to freeze a moment in time. “I wanted to do total stop motion at timepoints so that you couldn’t really tell what was happening, or if the board and skater were able to make it and land the particular trick that they were attempting.” The end result is an unresolved tension that conveys the risk involved in pursuing a trick, even as the outcome remains unseen.

Skateboarding culture has long been focused on graphical expression. “The graphics [of boards] have always been fairly cutting-edge”, says Toombs. “Today I think the color schemes are even more vibrant”, he says, noting that past seasons have seen trends ranging from a penchant for pink to more muted earth tones and even plaids. As a result, both skater and board can serve as focal points for photographs, with strong colors contrasting against neutral asphalt and concrete.
 
Cotter-Brown and his friends are honing their skills daily, planning to travel to California this summer to take in – and take part in – the skate scene there. Hoping to compete in events like the Chili Bowl in Proirero del Sol, they are practicing new tricks, trying to avoid injury, and reveling in their park shark status.
 
What are your thoughts: is skateboarding a sport? Share your skateboarding experiences in the comments section.

See more skateboarding images in the sports section of the portfolio.
 
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