Untypical of me to be so quiet, but the vacation in Maine for the last week led to no Internet access or limited enough that it was a challenge to get it and I had to make the choice over a couple work items or reading the blog, sorry I did the work. We got back Saturday. Sunday I was so busy with the kids and church and working out that I didn't get to this until now.
Pre-Race items:
Saw a moose. Saw it about 15 miles out of Bristol on the way in the day before the race. Very cool, kids loved it, I loved it.
Checked into our cottage on the lake, not bad accommodation's, but I do not recommend at least not as the first renters of the season. A little damp and we had to turn on the heat, to warm up and dry things out.
Then met up with the crew at the registration. No one else mentioned this, but I was a little nervous about the transition "pool" area. Rain had left giant puddles all over the place. Matt assured me they would have it mopped up before race time and to their credit it looked great on race morning.
Dinner was awesome up at the farm, more than enough food. Thanks to Genine and Matt and Eric for everything.
Things were exciting the morning of the race. Hurry up get there early to wait. I felt like I was in the army. Then wait a little more. Then regret turning down banana Offered to me by C5 team. Then have to use the facilities just as wave one was starting which led me to run back to the water. Uggh! Amazing how clear it was by 10 am with Sooo Much fog at 7:30 am.
SWIM: Can you say hypothermia? It was cold. We started off. I started in the same heat with Matt and Shawn. Matt moved forward and Shawn was next to me. Go! Shawn took off, the churn was not as bad as I had expected, I didn't have to drown anyone to keep my position. Shawn pulled out in front of me. I saw him occasionally at first. My arms hurt, than my face hurt and at the second buoy a kayaker was yelling at me to get around the buoy, I wasn't tracking very well. I did a little breast stroke and got back to free style. My breathing was Ok, but I found it difficult to track and kept getting off-line a little. So, when this would happen I would do about 30 secs. to a min breast stroke and start again. Around the last buoy I was with a guy in my group that was going my speed so I laid in behind him and kept pace with him, trying not to touch his feet. Went good until the last 150 m or so when I lost him and realized he had led us a little off course. I had taken a real wide left hand turn around the last buoy. My friend swam straight back to the group. I picked the swim exit point and tried to swim a straight line.
T1: In the water I felt fine, out of the water I felt like I had brain freeze. I wobbled good trying to get my wetsuit down. I tried to sprint and wobbled almost falling to the left. Shawn's transition was right near mine. Convinced he was ahead of me I looked over for his bike, it was gone, so I said "I got to catch Shawn" and bolted out of the transition. Tried to use my jump on the bike with the peddles attached to the shoes routine. Painful, not physically, but mentally I was unable to look down and keep balance so after about three attempts, I rip the shoes off the bike put them on my feet and clipped in.
Bike: Felt awful for the first four miles. Very slow trying to make my head and stomach feel better. About a mile from Devil's Hill, felt better. So I went strong even went strong up Devil's Hill, Passing lots of folks. Got to the top, a poor guy on the side of the road with his seat all the way down to the frame. Asking "Allen Key, anyone Allen Key", I pull over, pull one foot off the pedal and say "I got it but if you want it quick you better come get it" He opens my seat bag and pulls out my allen key set. Fixes his seat hands me the Allen set and says "You will be repaid for doing this". (So, I have that to look forward too). Started on my way again. Felt great on the east side of the lake. Was able to pound out some fast miles. Close to Bristol I bang down the gel goop Matt gave me. Wow, that is a lot of goop, but I ate it all trying to assure I didn't bonk. After, Bristol I struggled. Long steady uphill. Tons of bikers, tons of cars, people yelling, I now realize mentally I was not focused. That came to an end when I took a turn off this road, slightly steeper uphill, took a drink, didn't get bottle in the cage right, reached down to fix it went onto the shoulder, went to down shift to get going. Too much sand, back wheel spun. Too late couldn't get feet out, fell over. Luckily no one directly behind me. Got up, this shocked me out of my mental stooper. Nothing like a little road rash to wake you up. Rest of bike uneventful, road solid into Wellington State Park.
T2: Also, uneventful but a little long. I changed shirts. Thought I would be too hot wearing two shirts and wanted to wear the Dana-Farber singlet on the run. Took huge drink out of my bottle. Realized I hadn't drank enough during bike. Realized also that I never passed Shawn and that his bike was not in its slot, hoped he had not taken an ambulance ride anywhere, but figured I had made a mistake earlier
Run: Felt awful at first, but realized I was stronger than the people around me so I choose to focus on the closes person in front of me and hunt them down. Started working well. On the hills this was my only focus. A problem I started to have was overheating. I should have grabbed Gatorade, in hindsight, but I was totally focused on water. Two cups, one to drink, the other poured over my head. It would have been better to put down some Gatorade and give my stomach something to work on. I saw Matt about two miles on the run out. I was suffering on a hill and losing my focus. He Hooted and Hollered when he saw me, I know I didn't give him a great greeting, but it lifted my spirits and I was determined not to slow on the hills. Passed Adam coming towards me on the way back, then Shawn (glad he was upright), missed Gabe somewhere, and finally saw Alexa towards the end of my run. It was amazing how hot it was at the end of the run compared to the start of swim. Even more amazing how cold it had been the day before.
As they would say in Maine, "It was Wicked Awesome", to have that type of support and camaraderie at a race like this. I was happy with my results. I had dreams of a greater day, at the end of the day I did what I could. I will change things for the next one, I will prepare myself differently mentally, but the effort was given and the results were made. I am proud of Matt. He was Wicked Fast, as I have heard before in other events it appeared he had the strength of more than one person, I know it had to be true. Proud of Shawn, Wicked effort for the limited time he has had. C5er's. What a Wicked challenge for them. I don't know if any of them had ever done any race even close to this before. And the Killer "B's". They could have been Wicked Scary if Genine had been on skinny tires, because they all put in a huge effort. Gabe, don't know you too well, but you were "Wicked Great" in your first Tri. Nice to see Eric and Ryan. It was nice to meet Heather, Esther, Adam, Gabe, Lidia, Alexa, and Ruth. Keep Tri'ing.
Swim: 22:29 566th
Bike: 1:34:38 441
Run: 54:29 393
Overall: 2:56:21 425
284th Male
19/32 Clydesdale
1 comment:
Seeing a moose on the way to the Mooseman is pretty sweet. I've only seen one moose up there in 38 years.
Heck, Eric had to live there 4 years before he saw one.
I do think it's funny that you have the hurry up and wait feeling about being at the race early. Pre-Race time flies by for me for some reason.
I thought the hour delay was less than 30 minutes!
At least the guy asking for an allen key was in a very good spot to ask for one. I mean most people are going all of 6mph up that hill instead of 17-24 elsewhere.
Less than 2 weeks before we are at it again. Hoping for a cool morning in WV!
It was great having you guys up there. Just wish we had more time to enjoy.
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