Patriots Half

These good luck kisses seem to be working! Michael did a great job at the Patriots Half this year.


Michael was expecting to wear his wetsuit during the swim, but the water was just warm enough that wetsuits were not allowed. The swim was flipped around this year and the exit from last year became the entrance.


Michael running out of the water


Out of T1, starting the bike


Team Whetstone waited at mile 26 to cheer for Big Daddy, after he passed us we headed back to the bike finish. Passing Michael on the way...


Michael starting the run.


Big Daddy always gives the kids high fives


Coming into the finish





Michael's oldest grandson, Hunter, showing off Big Daddy's medal.


Trying to cool off - the morning started off a little chilly but it was pretty warm at 1:00pm


swim: 50:56 bike: 2:59:12 run: 2:26:41 finish: 6:25:53

Michael knocked over 4 minutes off his bike time from last year - its amazing how challenges, the things that you *think* are going to make you weak (like Michael's wreck), are really opportunities to make you stronger!!!

Tri Latta in Pictures

Half of Team Whetstone traveled to Huntersville, NC this weekend for Tri Latta 2011.

Michael preparing his transition area.


Jackie taking pictures.


Grandma and Owen


The grandkids (minus Norah) that were there. These kids did a great job, considering they were up at 5am!!


The GLK (good luck kiss)


Owen and Maizeigh got body marked



it was tough to get a picture of their ages


Michael out of the water - he had a wonderful swim


Getting ready in T1


Michael leaving on the bike


If you'll remember back in 2008 at this very event, Michael forgot to give Jackson a high five as he ran by - this is what Jackson thought about it....


So this year, Michael made SURE not to miss his high five with Jackson


Michael pushin' it up that hill.


Michael did an AMAZING job. He placed 7th overall in his age group. And he was 4th in the swim and run! Way to go Michael!!!

7. Michael Whetstone 4 17:22 3:05 9 50:56 2:27 4 25:22 1:39:10

After a swim at the hotel pool and showers, Team Whetstone enjoyed a first time visit to Discovery Place in Charlotte.
This place was amazing!
There was a Touch Tank, where the kids could touch animals under the water. The boys loved it, Maizeigh didn't.


There was a tug of war - hmmm, this looks a little unfair. Don't worry, Christi and Owen won!



Big Daddy on the bed of nails - literally!


Big Daddy helping Maizeigh at the water table


Grandma holding Norah while the older kids played


Team Whetstone always has a wonderful time on our trications!!! (triathlon vacations)

Over the Mountain

Who in their "right mind" signs up for a race named "Over the Mountain"?  Well, maybe that head-butt I had with the asphalt in Camden last October has left me with more than a "shoulder cramping super tight grip" on the handle bars.  I can always claim that all the novice triathletes steered away from this one. Therefore, a good showing in my age group really meant something.  I have completed this event three times now and consider it an excellent training event.  It will definitely put you to the test.  The point to point, 1500 meter swim plays on your mind when you realize that you are halfway across this, 60 foot deep, lake and the easiest way out is to continue to the other shore.  After you complete the swim you are rewarded with the toughest uphill dash to T1 that I have ever experienced. The two transition areas require you to bag up your wetsuit and all your other gear since you don't come back to this area again. The race actually starts in North Carolina and during the bike ride you cross into South Carolina for the toughest parts of the ride before returning to NC for T2 and the run. When we crossed into SC the hill climb really began.  There was a long accent up to the Kings Mountain National Park.  After a very brief plateau we continued to climb through the SC state park. The national park is where the actual Revolutionary War battle was fought.  Many claim this to be the turning point of the war. After all that climbing we were treated to a screaming 45 mph decent down the backside.  When I'm struggling up the hills I rationalize that creping to the top at 5 mph and streaking down the other side at a white knuckle pace of 45 mph will allow me to claim a 25 mph average (you know 5+45=50/2=25).  Well, that seems logical only when your brain can't handle any more data or calculations in it's overtaxed state.  The actual math problem goes more like this, if you were to climb exactly 1.0 mile averaging 10 mph to the ridge and immediately begin your descent without having to recuperate or pause before needing to accelerate to a pace of 40 mph for the same 1.0 mile you would average only 16 mph over the 2 mile course.  Once we got back down to the bottom near the state line we began a series of up and downs around the base of nearby Crowders Mountain.  Then, back into the city of Kings Mountain, N.C. for T2 in a location that you haven't been to since before the race. I remember a few years ago during one of Bill Rich's instructional sessions about the Ironman, he told me of the feeling that he had at the end of the long and tough bike ride. He said to the volunteers "somebody please take this darn bike". That's exactly how I felt after this tough ride.  Normally, I fare pretty well on the run portion of the triathlon but today the hills on the bike and the increase to near 90 degree temperatures wore me down. This is a new run course which was described as "detouring down into several subdivisions".  The key phrase here was "down into".  I learned long ago that all loop and out and back  courses that go down eventually have to go back up. So, on the way out when I was crushing my quads down the ultra steep hills I was making a mental note that "I will definitely walk that one on the return trip".  And you betcha, I did. Tim and Owen, the sole Team Whetstone representatives, were there cheering for me so in my worn state I took every advantage of the opportunities to pause and give high fives to Owen.  With what I consider my worst run of the season, I still feel good about the days results.  I satisfied one of my all-time goals by finishing in the top half of my age group.

  After a well deserved shower we toured the visitors center at the national park.  Owen caught up on some of the sleep, during the movie presentation, that we deprived him of this morning. Then we explored the battlefield, read the monuments and as would be appropriate for the day, hiked "up and down" the hills of the battlefield trail.

Over the Mountain in Photos

On the way to the race.

Big Daddy got marked so…

…naturally, Owen needed to be too!

The big giant hill Michael referred to. And the “Big giant orange man” Owen refers to.

All the trash bags are little funny looking when you’re used to seeing crates.

What a way to start the bike – uphill.

It is called Over the Mountain!

Slowin down for a high five!

Again… Over the Mountain!

The Team Whetstone cheering section.

Time for a cool down?

A little history time.

Team Whetstone this time!

Crawdaddy Dash

We had a wonderful time at the Crawfish Festival in Columbia this weekend. It began with the Crawdaddy Dash 5K. Hunter, Michael's 11 year old grandson and Michael ran the 5K. Kevin, Mary Beth, Jackie, Maizeigh and Norah walk/jogged the 5K. Hunter and Michael BOTH placed in their age groups.

MICHAEL WHETSTONE 0:22:25 - 1st in his age group by over 2 minutes
HUNTER WHETSTONE 0:25:43 - 3rd in his age group (11-14, the youngest)

The awards were aprons. Hunter wore his the rest of the day!


After the race we enjoyed a little break in the shade before heading into the festival.


Big Daddy's condition for bringing Hunter to the race was that he had to try a crawfish. Hunter, surprisingly, loved them.




Norah, Team Whetstone's newest member at age 3 1/2 weeks, enjoyed her first race!