breakthrough race

the day started off picture perfect. the sun rising out of the east striking the clouds turning them a bight red....red sky in morning, sailors take warning...



i got to the race site and my support crew pulled in right behind me. my grandparents and mom were able to make it up to the race to cheer me on. they helped me unload the car and then i made my way over to the transition area. after a quick stop to get my numbers and then my chip it was time to set up my space. no problems here. continued with my pre-race nutrition game plan and then the pit stop. races like this really need more portapotties, i mean seriously, you know that everyone is going to want to pee or crap before the race starts....oh well. mission accomplished, back to transition to get my wetsuit and down to the lake. i said goodbye to my family and they found a place to watch the race.


i started in heat #1...i have never started in heat #1. there were some pretty fast people that i recognized from other races in my heat and knew that my time at the front would be non-existent. the gun goes off and we start for the bouy. i get caught up in the initial fight for space and end up tailing the lead group. this was great and all, except they were headed on a really wide path. so i ditched them and caught another set of feet on a better course. i turned the far bouy and pretty much had the water by myself with 2 other people. i swim on back to transition and get out of the water in 27:44 which i think is a new PR for me on the 1.5k swim. off to transition,
my wetsuit just wouldn't come off. finally get off wetsuit and run out with my bike.


after about the frist 1/2 mile i get my legs back and i am starting to feel pretty good. i keep looking down at my speedometer and can't figure out why my average speed is only 10mph. i know i am going much faster. the current speed is correct but the average is just way off. after about 5 miles of trying to ride faster to get the average up it occurs to me that i had reset the computer at the car and then walked it to transition screwing up both the time and the distance. oh well. i figured i would get to transition when i got there. somewhere around mile 2 or 3 we turned heading straight south. i was staring at a massive thunderhead, black as night, with rain pouring from the clouds...and oh yea, bolts of lightening. oh well. i figured i was pretty safe, being fully insulated on my tires...luckily the storm stayed south and didn't impact the race. (what i found out later was that this same cloud, and same lightening could be seen while we were swimming, my mom wasn't too happy i was in the water) there was a fierce headwind as we were heading west which ultimately cramped my riding speed a little, but nonetheless i managed. on the way home i was holding around 26-28 mph...yeeehaaa. that was was fun, i was flying. back to transition in 1:15:09. a little slower than usual, but i will take it with the wind and the hills.

second transition was a little better, despite the fact that i had to tie my shoes because i forgot my speed laces. (at least this year i didn't forget my bike shoes...) i start running out of transition and actually feel pretty good.

there is a new run course this year because of all of the storms that we have had recently, too much mud, too many trees falling, etc. i made it to the 1/2 way point and look at my watch 24:45...holy crap. i am flying. i figure it i keep up this speed i might have a chance to break 50 min a wall that has since i started racing triathlons been unbreakable. i decide i am going to keep pushing for the finish line. i cruise past the turn around, wave to my support crew and keep on going. no time for smiles now. i keep going, up one last hill and then i see the finish line. i really dig in to find whatever energy is left to get me across the finish line.

run time: 49:22 for 7:58 min miles. not only did i break the 50 min barrier but i also broke the 8 min mile barrier. i couldn't believe it. i was just thrilled.

total time 2:35:59. a new personal best

all in all it was a spectacular race. the weather held out, i got to spend some time with my family, and i had a great race (well probably my best ever).


i guess that all of the extra training this winter and spring, even if not speed training, has really paid off. i am starting to have high hopes for racine.

this race is just what i needed to regain my motivation for training. madison is in 76 days. bring it on.