One Week Until Boise 70.3

It is one week until my first "A" race of the year. I feel good about a lot of things, not great about some others. I am not going to dwell on those things I cannot control. My legs have started to feel pretty good and snappy. I had a massage yesterday, and as with most massages I felt like I had been pulled through a knot hole when I woke up this morning. Today was really my last day of big workouts. (4000yd swim, 2.75 Hour Bike, 30 Minute Transition Run) I have a longer run tomorrow, should be smooth as silk. Everything is downhill from here.

Race Report: Hawthorn Farm Sprint

Date: May 3, 2008
Swim distance: 500yds (Pool Swim)
Bike distance: 13.2 Miles
Run distance: 3.1 Miles

Result
Swim Time/place: 7:14/15^th
T1: 0:49
Bike Time/place: 34:10/7^th
T2: 0:35
Run Time/place: 18:17/1^st
Finish Time/place/AG place: 1:01:07/5^th/3^rd

I was not overly nervous for this race. However, I haven’t raced since Lake Stevens last year, so I had a little trepidation about the transitions. Not something I practice very often, if ever. I felt pretty calm throughout, but a little pissed about the swim start stuff. I will get into it later.

Well. I was obviously seated in the wrong swim group which made for several interesting situations and affected my psyche the whole race. I lapped everyone in my lane twice. This was no easy task and certainly slowed me down several times. At one point I was even breast stroking because I had no where to go. I believe I probably lost as much :45 to a 1:00 minute in the pool due to this. Also, I was not really racing with my actual competitors. Much of the race I was wondering where everyone else was. I was finishing as everyone else was getting off the bike. I never saw anyone.

I did, however, feel strong in the pool. If it weren’t for the pacing and obstruction problems I know I could have gone considerably faster. A 6:30ish swim. That makes me happy.

Pacing on the bike was ok. I didn’t feel like I had a ton of strength in my legs and my time indicated it. I was pretty consistent and the one hill, although I slowed more than I wanted, wasn’t as challenging as I expected. Plus, I was able to scream coming down the back side.

I love T2. For some reason it always gives me a charge to get off the bike and start running.

I have in the past gone out too hard on the run and had difficulty maintaining my pace. I started to in this race as well, but was able to dial it back a bit and get things under control fairly soon.

Pacing for rest of run? As I previously discussed with my coach, Scott, I went hard. I knew I had a good run in me, but wasn’t sure how good until I got my feet under me. By the time I got to the first turn around I began to see some people I started the swim with, but they were some distance back. By the second turn around they were even further and this made me push it even more. I wanted to leave no chance of anyone catching me from behind even though at that point I thought it unlikely. The last quarter mile or so I did ease up just a little but still had some gas in the tank to give. In retrospect this was a bad idea. I should have pushed it.

It was a little strange not seeing anyone I was actually competing against until after I had finished and ate a banana. Then to see four of them surpass my time made me start analyzing where and how I could have gone faster. Frankly, I was a little distracted by not seeing anyone.

I felt positive throughout the race, even when I felt a little dry heave at the beginning of the run. I knew it would pass and wasn’t nutrition oriented, but mostly pace related.

I am pretty happy with the result, but know I could have gone faster. Certainly the swim was one place where I feel I lost considerable time, but most of that was out of my control. I also know I left a few seconds out there on the run as well. Mostly, however, I know I need to get faster on the bike without sacrificing my run speed. That is, I believe the real challenge ahead of me. When I look at the times ahead of me the major discrepancy was on the bike splits. So….There you have it.

Also, my brother-in-law took a short video of me finishing. Enjoy.