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Best Race ...EVER! (Read 710 times)


Gotta TRI

    Hey Gang,

    I'm back. (Probably didn't notice I was gone ) I kind of fell off the Triathlon wagon since my last race bak in June. I can't explain it but just could not get my head in the game so to speak. My training fell way off and I ended up cancelling alot of the races I had lined up. At any rate, I raced today and had my personal best race ever. The Timberman Sprint (.33 swim 15 bike 3 run ) Having not been on my bike since June 6th I decided to take it out and pre trip the course this Thursday and actually turned a pretty good time, followed by a shortened run on the course that also went well.

    So, 3am alarm goes off this am and got right to my oatmeal w/ soy protein powder and some hammer gel and some coffee. Headed out the door at 4am with second cup of joe. Was parked at the venue by 4:45am. Clear skies and very humid this am. Bodymarked and set up in Transition by 5:30. Hung in the lot with freinds for a bit and headed in to suit up for swim at 6:30. Started in the 3rd wave for the swim and really wanted to pull this part off well. Kicked it with a 9:31! Totally psyched coming out of the water. Admitedly, dragged my feet a bit in T1. Took some time to get my bike shoes on and such but still ok with a 3:15 T1. Out on the bike course it started raining. Phsycologically this hurt. It's part of the reason my training waned. I've never trained in the rain on the bike. Running sure, bike not so much. What else could I do? That's right, HTFU. I put everything I had into that ride today. My sunglasses were fogged up and wet, couldn't see well, but I was cranking away. Towards the end as it was darker, I did finally take them off and stuffed them in my back pocket. Got my feet out of the shoes about a half mile out which works best for me, lets my feet air dry a tad before slipping on my Zoots in T2. So, off the bike in 49:38, a time I'm very pleased with and follow that with a 1:23 T2. Off on the run and I'm feeling it. Legs are heavy, and I'm a little winded, feels like I'm running too fast. I try to reel myself back in and settle into a rythym. This works, and before I know it I see the turn around. It's all down hill from here---literally! Start picking up the pace and by the last half mile I'm fairly flying.  I cross the line with a 23:28 a PB for that distance and a total time of 1:27:14.

    In a field of 1,111 I finish 255. 193/558 gender totaland 34/94 age group. Extremely happy with this one folks! I may even enter the Pumpkinman 70.3 in Maine now as well. Regardless, glad to be back and posting. 

    2010 Dec. California International Marathon 2011 Jan. Disney Marathon
    scootersnail


      Great job, Andy!! Congratulations! My sister & brother-in-law also did this tri and you beat both of their times by 2+ minutes.


      325th place or bust!

        Nice going!

         

        I haven't done a tri yet so can you explain:  "Got my feet out of the shoes about a half mile out which works best for me, lets my feet air dry a tad before"...

        I'm not understanding getting the feet out of the shoes while still on the bike course.  Can you expand on this?

        Brian

        PR: 5K 22:41, 10K 51:05, HM 1:59, Sprint Tri: done!


        Gotta TRI

          Sure! I ride sockless in my bike shoes. Somewhere within a half mile or so of the finish I slip out of the shoes leaving them clipped to the pedals and ride barefoot on top of the shoes. This a) lets my feet air dry a bit, b) enables a faster dismount as I swing a leg over and ride my left pedal to a near stop and then run in with out physically stopping the bike and then unclipping from the pedals, and c) lets me jump right into my Zoot running shoes sockless as well thereby cutting my transition time down a bit.
          2010 Dec. California International Marathon 2011 Jan. Disney Marathon