Sunday September 20, 2009
750m swim 30km bike 7.5km run
This venue is one of my favorites even though it is about a 90 minute drive from home. Driving to the race was a little concerning as the temperature continued to drop as we got closer. When I left home it was 12 degrees and as we approached the race course my car started beeping like it does when the temps get to 3 degrees to warm me that the road can be ICY. By the time the race started it had warmed up a bit but I was confused as to what to wear coming out of the water.
Swim:
The water was 66 degrees which was pretty much perfect and my Aquaman wetsuit doesn’t let in much water so I was very comfortable for the swim. I started strong and as I made the turn at the first buoy I think I was in 3 position. For some reason from that point on I just struggled as my arms were very tired. I was hoping that I would get back into a comfortable stroke but never did and exited the water in 13:00 which was a full minute slower than Lakeside I.
Bike:
I had no idea what I should wear. I had done a warm up ride before the race in my jacket and gloves and was still cold so thought if I am wet then I really will need to put them on for the ride. I have done this in the past and always make the wrong choice and today was no exception. Being wet I struggled to put on my jacket, gloves and socks but finally got everything on and exited transition in 2:14. I gave up over a minute to the guys that I normally race with, it is normally seconds that separate us at the finishline. Not a good strategy and a bad habit that I hope to rid myself of. I need to trust that I will stay warm on the bike by working hard. Within 5k of the bike I knew that I was over dressed. The bike went well though there was a decent headwind on the longest section of the bike but it wasn’t too strong. The bike course is nice with a mix of everything but no really steep or long hills just some rollers towards the back half of the ride. The pavement is nice and smooth, overall just a nice bike course. Had a pretty good ride but was a little slower than the Lakeside I.
Run:
I was not sure what to expect on the run. I had injured my knee a few weeks back and I haven’t been able to run much since late August. After a quick T2 I settled into a good pace right away. I can run pretty well on the flats but once I need to push my knee feels weak and I can’t put any power into my stride. The first 2.5k went well and held around a 4min KMs and then I hit the only real hill of the run which leads up to the turn around. As I do with each race I check my splits and for the next 2k I was just under 5min KMs. I knew it was only a matter of time before my training partner Pat Trainor caught me which he did as we headed for the turn. From the turnaround there are a couple of slight inclines but it is mainly downhill. Pat slowly edged away from me on the inclines and was able to catch the fellow in front of him for 3rd in our AG. I ulitmately finished 5th on the day and was happy with my season overall. Strange that when I compare my results from the June race I was slower on the swim and bike today but faster on the run. Congratulations to Scott Simpson who took the seasons point series crown. We had some great battles this summer and look forward to more next. I was able to hold on to 2nd in points and never had a finish below 5th.
Last winter I focused on improving my swim and this winter I will focus on becoming a better rider. Hopefully that will finally propel me to finally attain that elusive AG win.
Thanks to John Salt and the HSBC Triathlon Team for putting on great races all season long.
Lakeside is a great race which sells out quickly so I recommend that you put this one on your schedule for next year. The lake is shallow so warms up quickly so don’t let the early June date cause you any concerns.
Congratulations to all Team Running Free Athletes on strong showing over the weekend.
Another season done, hopefully next year we will get more warm temps and a whole lot less rain.
