Macho Man
04-25-2005, 09:05 AM
Looks like Chann Mcrae kicked some butt at Strongman in Japan.
MCRAE’S PODIUM-STRONG AT STRONGMAN
DATE: 17-APR-2005
MIYAKO ISLAND, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan (April 17, 2005) – Pro triathlete and former U.S. Postal Service rider Chann McRae (USA, Aria TV/Zoot Sports) took winter training seriously and it took him to a third-place, podium finish today at the 21st annual STRONGMAN All Japan Triathlon (3km S/155 km B/42.2 km R) on Miyako Island. He finished just one minute, seven seconds behind runner-up Byung Hyoon-Park (KOR) and six minutes, 43 seconds ahead of fourth-place finisher Hayato Kawahara (JPN).
Despite “beautiful, really clear water,” McRae had goggles problems, needing to empty them a dozen times. “That made me slow my tempo quite a bit and swim with the second group, but it may have saved my race because it forced me to conserve energy and only swim at about 80 percent,” he explained.
Having hit the beach in 41.06, for 16th place, McRae got right to work, Pacman-ing riders quickly on the very windy bike course that twice circled Miyako Island. “The winds forced me into my small ring for fifty percent of the little hills on the course. I went from 53/11 to 44/18 when those headwinds came into play.” He pulled to the front group and traded leads and conversation with Korean star Byung Hyoon-Park, and reached the run transition in 4:11.12 and in second position overall.
McRae ran down the race leader fairly quickly, but Park had come off the bike only a minute down, and caught McRae early. Eventual winner Masayuki Matsumaru (JPN) caught him at 20 km. “He came out of nowhere,” said McRae, who ran a 3:05.25 marathon. “There were spectators everywhere on the completely-out-and-back run, especially in the 10 kilometers that went straight through the middle of downtown Hirara.”
“The whole week was a blast. I’ve never been treated so well at a race in my life,” said McRae, of Austin, Texas. “Everything race management and the community did was first-class. The cultural exchange at the school was so cool – we learned how to write our name in calligraphy in Japanese characters. They also performed for us with Japanese music at the school, rotary club and opening ceremonies. This was a great city and race, really outstanding.”
McRae, who in 2004 finished second at the Buffalo Springs Half-Ironman and 11th overall at Roth, raced for U.S. Postal in 2001 and Mapei in 1999 and 2000, with these, among other, notable results on his palmares: Champion, 2002 U.S. Pro Cycling Championships; (2000) 17th, 2000 Giro de Italia; 8th (2000) and 5th (1999), Road Race World Championships; 19th, 1999 Vuelta a Espana. For more information, visit www.ChannMcRae.com and www.evolve-sports.com, and visit his sponsors, Aria TV Worldwide, Zoot Sports, TargeTraining, Clif Bar, Oakley, and Hypoxic Training Systems.
MCRAE’S PODIUM-STRONG AT STRONGMAN
DATE: 17-APR-2005
MIYAKO ISLAND, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan (April 17, 2005) – Pro triathlete and former U.S. Postal Service rider Chann McRae (USA, Aria TV/Zoot Sports) took winter training seriously and it took him to a third-place, podium finish today at the 21st annual STRONGMAN All Japan Triathlon (3km S/155 km B/42.2 km R) on Miyako Island. He finished just one minute, seven seconds behind runner-up Byung Hyoon-Park (KOR) and six minutes, 43 seconds ahead of fourth-place finisher Hayato Kawahara (JPN).
Despite “beautiful, really clear water,” McRae had goggles problems, needing to empty them a dozen times. “That made me slow my tempo quite a bit and swim with the second group, but it may have saved my race because it forced me to conserve energy and only swim at about 80 percent,” he explained.
Having hit the beach in 41.06, for 16th place, McRae got right to work, Pacman-ing riders quickly on the very windy bike course that twice circled Miyako Island. “The winds forced me into my small ring for fifty percent of the little hills on the course. I went from 53/11 to 44/18 when those headwinds came into play.” He pulled to the front group and traded leads and conversation with Korean star Byung Hyoon-Park, and reached the run transition in 4:11.12 and in second position overall.
McRae ran down the race leader fairly quickly, but Park had come off the bike only a minute down, and caught McRae early. Eventual winner Masayuki Matsumaru (JPN) caught him at 20 km. “He came out of nowhere,” said McRae, who ran a 3:05.25 marathon. “There were spectators everywhere on the completely-out-and-back run, especially in the 10 kilometers that went straight through the middle of downtown Hirara.”
“The whole week was a blast. I’ve never been treated so well at a race in my life,” said McRae, of Austin, Texas. “Everything race management and the community did was first-class. The cultural exchange at the school was so cool – we learned how to write our name in calligraphy in Japanese characters. They also performed for us with Japanese music at the school, rotary club and opening ceremonies. This was a great city and race, really outstanding.”
McRae, who in 2004 finished second at the Buffalo Springs Half-Ironman and 11th overall at Roth, raced for U.S. Postal in 2001 and Mapei in 1999 and 2000, with these, among other, notable results on his palmares: Champion, 2002 U.S. Pro Cycling Championships; (2000) 17th, 2000 Giro de Italia; 8th (2000) and 5th (1999), Road Race World Championships; 19th, 1999 Vuelta a Espana. For more information, visit www.ChannMcRae.com and www.evolve-sports.com, and visit his sponsors, Aria TV Worldwide, Zoot Sports, TargeTraining, Clif Bar, Oakley, and Hypoxic Training Systems.