I have not raced the Wildflower race for 4 years now and cannot believe how fast the years have gone by. I have raced and won this event 3 times from 2001-2004 and thoroughly enjoy the entire experience of this incredible race. For those who have never experienced the Wildflower Triathlon it is well worth it. Over the weekend more than 6000 athletes will compete in the multi-sport festival and enjoy this historic race and the events around it, and more so will camp out and enjoy an atmosphere unlike any triathlon in the world.Unlike years gone past this race will be my first major event of the year.
I have spent most of the early year of 2008 training in the USA, as my family and I look at making the move to this country. In years gone past I have come off a very successful Australian racing campaign and have arrived at Wildflower in great condition. This year I will be racing the event off a heavy base and feel like my strengths will come later in the race. I am really looking forward to tackling this tough race again. The run course is terribly tough and the weather forecast for next week is for hot weather. My family and I will drive up from LA on wednesday and enjoy the atmosphere of this race. I compete on Saturday morning with a very strong field and look forward to the hit out.
It is great for the 2008 season to be finally here. I love racing and live to compete. This event signals the kick off of my season and from this point on it is full steam ahead to Ironman Germany and Hawaii in October, with a mix of high profile events throughout the year all used as gauges for my traning for these two major objectives. The old Wildflower curse claims that anyone who wins this tough event in May cannot win Hawaii in October. My aim is to break this curse this year and ultimately win these two events, along with many others to make 2008 a memorable year for myself. Anyway I have attached a picture from the last time I stood in the transition area of Wildflower in 2004. I have never been beaten on this course and hope to keep this in tact. Bob Babbitt who is in this photo with me is a big fan of this race and I look forward to catching up with him at the big race again. We always seem to grab a picture at Wildflower, so being a superstitious guy I will look for Bob again this year and snap my goodluck photo just before the race.Good luck to everyone racing Wildflower and I look forward to seeing you there.
April 27th, 2008 at 19:16
hey chris,
its been a while since we chat but i hope your training is going great! And i know your your going to do awesome at wildflower. My training is going good and i’m exited to race wildflower for the first time. (getting nervous though) I will look for you at the race and say hi and maybe take a pic. Fyi i’m planning to be there on thursday.
~ bet ~
April 30th, 2008 at 02:58
hey chris,
looking forward to watching you race again (last time was the los angeles triathlon 2001?). it looks like a solid field, and i hope it will turn out to be a good race. i’m not racing as i have been sidelined with an achilles strain, but i’m still stoked on camping and spectating. best of luck and safe travels to the lake!
-gordon
May 4th, 2008 at 13:59
Hola Chris,
My wife and I returned early to Fresno last night to be with our two boys and you ROCKED at Wildflower! You had to play catch up out of the water but managed to push on the run to finish strong at the end. My wife was a RN student volunteer in the medical tent and she said you looked like you gave it your all out on the course. Great job and congratulations on another 1st place finish! I myself needed to two bags of fluid after the race but met my sub 6 hour goal.
Mike Munoz
May 4th, 2008 at 22:26
Chris - it’s always good to see you out at Southern Cali races (LA, Nautica, Wildflower). From my friends watching the race it sounded like you raced smart and of course had a blazing fast run. I was just a little behind your pace (7:40 - uggghh!) but managed to finish. I think I’ll train more next time.
you, like that course are an inspiration. Congrats on remaining undefeated at Wildflower.
~Carl
May 5th, 2008 at 00:30
I TOLD YOU WOULD WIN!!!!!!
I got a great pic as you came out the run exit. I’ll send it to ya!
May 9th, 2008 at 17:36
Chris - It was my and my friends first Wildflower this year and it is an awesome experience. We bumped into you signing books at CAF, I was sporting a Mohawk, and then watched you warm up in transition. Congratulations on the win and thanks for being so approachable, it made a cool experience even cooler. Then yesterday a friend named Wendy, who I swim with at the Plunge in Torrance, said she bumped into you Wednesday while out for her morning run. I guess you guys are neighbors. This morning I thought about that meeting when my alarm went off at 5 and it got me out of bed to do my run even though I am still feeling fatigued from Wildflower.
Thanks and Good luck!
Will