Amica Triathlon Race Report
We’re Getting Closer!
The Amica Triathlon was kind of a breakthrough race for me, as I placed within the top 100 for the first time at an NCTS event and was only 11 minutes off of the AG leader. I missed getting one of the championship slots by 5 places/3 minutes, but I can feel myself improving. If this keeps up, next year will take me one step closer to achieving my dreams of Kona. However, just having a few solid months of training under my belt since my return from Afghanistan has proven to be the medicine I need to cleanse myself of the dreadful REV3 performance.
On to the race
I had to wake up at 3:45 AM for this one and I wasn’t too happy about it. I had a bagel with PB, 2 hard boiled eggs, and some juice before I left and then sipped on some Heed and coffee as I drove to Lake Wylie. Honestly, I was out for blood on this race because I wanted to get the salty taste of a disappointing finish at Triangle out of my mouth. I felt better this weekend and had everything prepped, including new bar tape on my ride and some new Michelin Pro 3′s.
The race site was very nice, and I was happy not to have to ride/walk for a few miles from the parking area just to get there. I got there a little late, but I still had 45 minutes to set up, get marked, and then warm up.
I had a decent spot in transition, although I kept forgetting where it was! However, I was able to get set up and marked by 7:35 and spent the next 25 minutes doing some intervals, spinning on the bike, and warming up in the water. The lake was not only beautiful and clean, but it was warm, which is always a plus. I had my Hammer Gel about 30 minutes before the start and gulped on some Heed and water to make sure I was ready to go.
For some reason, they put a bunch of guys in white caps, more than I’d seen yet, so the swim start was a little hectic. There were 5 or 6 AG’s in my wave, which in the past would have freaked me out, but now that I’ve had some experience with open water frenzied swimming, I can cope pretty well with chaos. I started on the inside of the pack and when the gun went off followed my typical plan: sprint to the first turn and then find a group I could keep up/draft with.
It worked pretty well actually, and although I had to climb over a few people, I made it to the first triangle buoy feeling pretty good. I made the turn and stayed in between 2 groups of swimmers so that I could be sure I wouldn’t miss a turn or buoy this time. I hit the 2nd buoy in stride and then sprinted to the beach. The swim seemed to take forever, but by the time I finished I was feeling pretty good. My legs were under me when I climbed out of the water and I hit the first pad at 16:46 (a little slower than I’d like, but considering the monster swim workout the day before I am happy with that time).
I knew my T times would need to improve, so I sprinted to my bike this time in order to shave 15-30 seconds in T1. It worked and I found my stride early…spending only 1:23 in T1 and getting on to my bike with no problems.
As I took off on the bike, I had to deal with a few guys taking it easy, which made it difficult to get past them until the road opened up. I spent most of the ride in the big ring mashing away and only had to come out of aero a few times. There were a few hills that slowed me down, but as opposed to before, I found myself gaining ground rather than losing it there. What a relief to actually see signs of progress!
The course was fairly easy and I was able to pass quite a few more guys than passed me by, many of which were in my AG. I couldn’t figure out how some of these guys had beaten me in the swim, but I made sure to make a mental note of that feeling so it wouldn’t happen again. I did experience one issue with someone blocking on a decline, which pissed me off. Still, I got by both riders and never saw them again.
There were a few guys I thought I’d have to pass on the run, but for the most part I felt pretty solid on the bike. I came in with a time of 30:47, which was 10th AG and 96th in the men’s division. I could have done better I think had I not been training so hard for Augusta, but this was supposed to be a tuning race, not a priority competition.
I hit T2 in stride and dismounted quickly and efficiently. I ran as hard as I could to the rack and grabbed my belt, visor, and shoes…spending only 1:39 in T2. I need to improve here, and I think a pair of Tri shoes would save me some time. Also, remembering where my rack was might help 
As I hit the run, I knew I’d have to punish myself to get ahead, but I didn’t expect the course to have the same goal in mind. The course was brutal and I was amazed to see so many hills and so many people walking them. I never slowed down and kept trying to improve my pace as I passed runner after runner. I was getting better on the hills thanks to a few bad ones in my neighborhood that I run on a weekly basis. Although I felt exhausted, I knew how much I could push myself without collapsing.
On the final stretch, I kept hearing someone right on my tail. I tried to keep him off for probably a mile, until he finally passed me with about 800m to go. He seemed to relax too much, as I passed him on the final sprint to the finish. There was another guy that tried to catch me, but I was able to hold him off too. It felt great to have some fuel in the tank for the final sprint. A year ago I wasn’t capable of that.
I finished the run in 23:04, which was 10th in my AG and 59 out of all men in my division. My overall time was 1:13:36, which was good enough for 15th AG, 85th Men’s Division, and 99th overall. Clearly my run is my strong leg, although it could still be improved. Overall, I just need to get better, but at least I’m seeing improvement. I’d like to thank my coach Shane MacLeod for that.
Next up, find a way to improve my bike or pick up a better ride should my budget allow. I’ve got Bandits in 2 weeks, so be ready for another report soon!
Triangle Triathlon Race Report
My 3rd Tri of the year, 2nd sprint, started off with a bang as the parking situation was intense and I just couldn’t find a rhythm mentally both during my race prep and on the morning of the event itself. Still, aside from a few mistakes on my behalf, the race went well overall. I didn’t hit the top 20% yet, but I’m slowly closing the gap.
Pre-race routine:
I woke up at 4:15 and had a bagel w/ PB and a banana. Also had a glass of milk for some extra water/protein.
We got to the race site at approximately 6:30 and fought traffic into the parking lot, only to have to turn around and drive back a few miles. My wife was kind enough to drop me off and I used the ride to the transition area as my bike warmup. Once I got my race packet and prepped my gear, I went for a slow jog, mixing in some intervals and butt kicks to get the blood flowing. When I got the the lake, which was extremely murky, I had about 10 minutes of swimming before we had to exit for the first wave prep.
The Race
I was in the 3rd wave this time (forest green swim cap) and waited my turn while trying to stretch out my sore hamstrings. When the gun went off, I planned on sprinting to the first buoy and then settling in to my race pace for the rest of the swim. The first leg went great and I made it to the first buoy feeling great, thanks to some drafting and improved sighting. However, when I passed the 2nd buoy I made the mistake of cutting in towards shore rather than noticing the 3rd buoy ahead. This was a costly mistake, as I had to swim back after being pointed in the right direction by a lifeguard in a kayak. This cost me several minutes and a few hundred meters of extra swimming. Still, I tried not to let it phase me (which I wasn’t very successful at) and I finished the swim in 17:32, which was right around my AG average.
The sprint to T1 was lengthy, but I was happy to see my wife and kids cheering my on faithfully. I had no issues in T1 and came out in 2:49, which was slower than I’d aimed for, but not terrible.
I was still pissed about missing the buoy and let it affect me on the bike. I lost focus and beat myself up a bit for my mistake. Being that it was my first major error in a race, it was something I hadn’t had to deal with before. Still, I tried to keep going…that is, until I hit the 2nd speed bump.
They promised the bumps would be covered, but they basically just threw down a piece of plywood over top, causing a major impact upon the exit of every single ramp. The first one shook me, but the 2nd knocked my Aero Drink out and it smashed onto the pavement in the middle of the road. I made a quick decision to go back for it (being that it was my only water source) and I think I made the right call, although it cost me another minute or so.
My velcro was gone and I had no way to secure it, so I had to hold it for the first 5 or 6 miles until I could figure out an alternative. That cost me a bit too, both physically and mentally. I tried to mash the entire race in the big ring and was pretty successful, but I could feel my hamstrings tightening up (reminiscent of the REV3) and was worried I was going to blow the run after going too hard on the bike. Still, having lost time on every leg so far, I had no choice.
I passed several guys in the older AG and kept up with and passed many in my own AG. I could tell I wasn’t killing it, but I felt strong considering the circumstances. I finished in 53:23, which wasn’t a great time, but was a time I could live with.
T2 was pretty simple and I spent about 1:43 dropping off the bike and helmet. I probably could have gone faster, but I was worried about the hamstring.
My favorite and probably my best leg is always the run, partly because I have run more than I’ve biked or swam, but also because I’m comfortable feeling the pain of running. I know how hard I can push myself and still make it to the finish line. Knowing I had some time to make up, I started with a quick pace using short steps until my legs got underneath me. I was passing quite a few guys right off the bat, which felt like some sort of redemption. As my coach said, I’d have to pick up the effort from mile 1-2 in order to maintain the same pace, which I did. I held back a bit during some of the flat portions because I wasn’t sure how many hills there would be, but when I hit that 2nd mile marker I picked it up to a 7 minute pace. When I finally hit the pavement once more, I sprinted to the finish, passing another AG’er right at the line.
It felt good to run so hard and still feel great. I ran the 5k in 22:51, which is not only my best sprint run time, but also my best 5k time ever. Overall, I finished the race at 1:38:17, which was good enough for 26/54 in my AG and 211/579 overall (males). It wasn’t my goal time, but I was happy with my effort and even happier that I was only 17 minutes, as opposed to 20, off the AG leader.
Going into Amica in a few weeks, I know I’ll be ready for revenge.
I Made the Amica Wait List
Just got an email that I made the wait list for the Amica Triathlon on July 25, 2009. This will be race #3 of the NCTS for me this year, which puts me 2 from the total I need to get ranked. I’m going to try and get into Wilmington, which is a week before my Augusta HIM, and then Pinehurst, which is at the end of the season. I’ve also got Bandits Challenge slated for the 8th of August.
I’m expecting my times to improve over the season, so my final ranking should be interesting.
What People Don’t Understand
A lot of people have given me shit for having lofty goals. Granted, this sport is extremely difficult and isn’t something to take lightly, but I’ve always believed that if you want something, you have to set a goal to make it happen. My original goal was to qualify for Kona, but as I fell in love with the sport I wanted to make it something more than just “making it.”
Now that I have a few races under my belt, I know that the sport of triathlon will always be a part of who I am. I may never become a pro, but that was never the point. The point of this blog and of my efforts was to prove that ANYONE can get off the couch and go after a dream. I’m not close yet, but I’m closer than I was sitting on the couch and watching others do it. Now I’m actively working on making my dreams come true and come hell or high water I’m going to give it my best.
There are always going to be people that try to bring you down to their level, but you have to ignore them. I’ve never been a gifted athlete or a natural at anything…it has always taken a ton of hard work and perseverance. Still, what’s the use of setting a goal if it can be easily achieved? I’m always up for a challenge, even if it takes decades to achieve…what about you?
I never did this to prove my worth to others, I’m only here to prove it to myself.
Kure Beach 2009 Race Report
Well I must admit that although I was much less nervous for this race than I was the REV3, never having done a double sprint before had me a bit concerned about how to pace myself. I knew I could handle each leg of the race, but I was worried about how I’d do on the bike considering the muscle spasms I had several weeks ago. The final swim was also a concern, but overall I felt good going into the race.
I woke up early, about 4 AM, and had a bagel with peanut butter and a banana. I had a glass of Heed also just to be sure I wouldn’t be dehydrated. When we arrived at the packet pickup, I was pretty excited to see the beach and some beautiful scenery nearby. The race site was picture perfect. The only problem was that the waves were HUGE!
Here’s me getting ready to head to packet pickup and then drop my bike off:
Once I got my packet (#170), I dropped off the bike and the run gear at the separate transition areas and started warming up. Next time I’ll bring an extra towel for the run/bike transition and a bucket or tray to place in the swim/run transition to keep sand off my gear.
Like I said, the waves were huge, but the water was nice and warm. I thought about not swimming with the jersey, but in the end I decided to keep it on to cool me down during the run and bike portion.
The race start was rather anti-climactic and although they forgot to bring a bullhorn or air horn, there were people giving us signals to start. During the first swim, I focused on staying next to someone so that I wouldn’t get off course and so that I could pace myself. Considering the surf, I actually felt great. I didn’t have any goggle or nausea problems, which is another positive change from the REV3. I hit the first buoy pretty quickly and just kept swimming. This time, rather than feel people on my heels, I was on the heels of others. I finished the first swim around 10 minutes and had a total time of 10:28 for the leg, including the swim to run transition.
I felt pretty strong during the first run, but I have to admit that my legs were slightly trashed from the swim. Kicking through the surf was rougher than I expected, but I managed to pass a few guys during this stage and hit the bike transition area feeling pretty good.
This transition was a bit tricky because you can get turned around if you aren’t paying attention, but I was able to get out of my running shoes and into my bike shoes pretty quickly. I ran with the bike and mounted on the fly…the only issue was that the cones marking the lanes were too close together and I had a pretty close call. Still, I got on the move and went immediately into my big ring, where I felt pretty strong.
For the first time in a race, I actually felt like I was competing, which was a huge rush of adrenaline. I went through a few gears on the third ring, but was able to keep a high cadence and my speed average was in the mid 20′s. The course was flat at worst, and downhill at best, so it was a great way to test my legs. I actually surprised myself with a split of 33:50, which was 100 overall. I passed a lot of guys and only saw a few sneak by me. I was very happy with the bike result.
Going into the 3rd transition, I was getting stiff, but my legs loosened up eventually. I took quick and short strides to try and keep up with the pack ahead of me. I managed to catch a few, but there were a few quick runners that did the same to me. I’d say I came out better, but not as good as I wanted to. Still, the run was so short that it wasn’t painful for long. I finished that and the transition in 11:58.
When I finally got back to the beach, I was ready to get in the water to cool down. However, the waves were even WORSE this time and they beat me up quite a bit on the way to the first buoy. I couldn’t get in a groove and lost probably 5-7 minutes during this stage. The transition was fine, but I started having some sighting and nausea issues here…mostly due to the fact that every time I took a breath I took a wave in the face. I tried to beat the guy in front of me, but he snuck by before I could get my legs moving out of the water. Still, I finally made it in and was greeted by a great crowd and my supportive family. My split for the final transition and swim was 15:09.
I finished with a total time of 1:24:31, which was about 20 minutes of the top 3 times. Although I could have shaved a few minutes off overall, I felt pretty good with my effort. I had a much better showing than I did at the REV3 and I was able to keep a good pace for most of the race. I also had a blast and will definitely do this one again.
The winner was a 16 year old and he finished in 59 minutes…insane!
