This was probably the least organized event I have participated in. It just seemed a little thrown together that morning. This event has gone on for years so I am assuming the issues with the pool threw the director off a bit. Oh well, on the with the race report.
It was a hot and humid morning. I got there a little early in order to get a decent spot in the transition area. I wanted to be close to the bike exit area so I didn't have to run that far with the bike. After I got settled in I did an easy warm up run around the park and stretched. At 7:45 the pre-race meeting started and the director gave us some last minute instructions. At 8am the race started.
The first leg of this duathlon was a 1 mile run (substituted for the swim). It was a fairly flat out and back route. This run was in town with lots of trees so the wind was not really a factor. I started off really fast but got into a little bit of a rhythm after the group spread out. I did not get passed which was good. This leg went pretty good with a time of 06:30 which ranked 13th overall.
Transition #1 went pretty good. Slipped off the running shoes, put on my bike shoes and helmet, and grabbed the bike. It was about 15 yards for me to get to the exit. I mounted my bike and was off. T1 time was 35 seconds which ranked 15th overall.
The bike portion was an out and back course. Out 6.25 miles due north then return. After about a mile the bike route took us out in the country. With a south wind at 10-15mph you can see where this is going. The first 6.25 miles with the tailwind yielded some fast speed. My average going out was probably around 26mph. Then came the turnaround. Now I am on my way back to the park with a headwind. This really sucked big time. I think my average was probably about 15.5 mph. I used up a lot of energy on the 6.25 miles back to the park. Overall I was pleased with my bike performance. Total bike time was 0:39:01 which averaged 19.2mph and ranked 8th overall.
Transition #2 from bike to run was quicker and easier. Rack bike, change shoes, and go. My T2 time was 30 seconds which was 7th overall.
The final leg was a 3 mile run through town on an out and back course. It was pretty flat and the wind wasn't really a factor. However, the heat factored in this part of the race as well as the fatigue from the 6.25 mile bike against the wind. I did ok with a time of 0:20:35 or a 0:07:21 average pace (10th overall). On this leg I got passed by 2 other competitors and also passed one competitor.
I ended up finishing 8th overall and 2nd in my age group. Overall, I was pleased with my first multi sport event of the year. A little disappointed that we couldn't swim. Oh well, my first triathlon is coming up in a couple of weeks. I think the lake will have water in it.
Time Summary:
Run 6:30
T1 0:35
Bike 39:01
T2 0:30
Run 20:35
Total Time: 1:07:12
A Couple of Side Stories
While setting up my stuff in the transition area I noticed another competitor wearing my fraternity letters. I knew there was a good chance that he is attending my Alma mater because his shirt also had "tandem" on it. There are not many schools around that have tandem bike races. I went over and introduced myself and talked to him for a little bit. It is always cool to run into someone you don't know but have a lot in common. However, I felt old saying I graduated in 2001 and was President of our fraternity when the chapter house was purchased. Anthony did great in his race as well. He finished 3rd overall and 1st in his age group.
It was also interesting to hear another youngsters triathlon story. This kid was about 13 years old. He had all the right gear so you could tell he has done this thing many times before. The interesting part about this story was listening to his mom tell us why he got into triathlons. He looked pretty athletic, but I guess given his size, team sports in school haven't been favorable for him. He competitive thirst is quenched by doing triathlons instead of other sports and has helped his self-confidence. It is interesting to hear these stories and appreciate them. It is good to see young people getting involved in the sport of triathlon. The kid actually performed pretty good too!
Onto the next race!
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