Belwood Back To Back Races

Race(s):  Belwood Duathlon & Belwood Fat Tire Tri-a-tri

Location:  Belwood Lake (Fergus Ontario)

Race Site:  www.trisportcanada.com

 So, this past Sunday I decided to pull a Hospedales and race back to back races for the first time.  It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and when a few friends/colleagues had asked about the possibility of me racing with them (each doing separate races) – I immediately said yes… to both.

Race #1:  Belwood Duathlon

Distance:  Run 3k, Bike 30k, Run 7k

 This was a race I was very curious about.  I wasn’t necessarily curious about the race venue, or the series itself, I was curious about how I would hold up both mentally and physically during the bike leg.  Since my accident in April which left me with a broken collarbone, I haven’t been able to get out on my Triathlon bike at all.  I’ve only started back mountain biking four weeks ago, so overall it’s only really been running that I have been doing… so to test my legs and body on the tri bike was going to be tough, but I was still excited.

When the gun went off, I wished fellow teammate and friend Alexander Hadjis the best of luck and off I went.  The first run was slotted down as being 3 kilometers, but clearly it wasn’t marked properly and likely was closer to the 2 kilometer mark.  Either way it was a quick and flat run on loose gravel over a bridge that took me 8:42 to do.  I felt good while running, and I took it at a pace that likely could have been quicker but it was very comfortable speed to run.  Once back in transition, I threw the helmet on and off I went for the bike leg.

As I hopped on the bike I felt really good and calmly kept to the right side of the road at a good pace.  I felt that I should keep it on the slower side just to get used to the bike again and find my legs; it had been a while since I had to ride time trial style!  Once I felt confident again I rigged her into a bigger gear and started to pass other competitors. 

The bike course itself was a nice ride with quite a few rollers that you were able to get through fairly easily by utilizing the descents.  There were maybe 4 climbs that put some stress on your legs, but overall I found it to be fairly calm compared to other courses.  In and around the 25 kilometer mark I quickly noticed that I perhaps had taken it a bit too hard as I was starting to feel pretty fatigued – the feeling was short lived though as somehow I managed to keep the rpm’s up and make it to the finish in a decent time.  I finished the bike leg in 51:01 with an average of 35.3 kilometers per hour which ended up being the 6^th fastest split… it was a time I was happy with all things considered.   

Once into transition I was starting to feel the rubbery legs as I ran with my bike… I’ve tried to remember for the life of me what I did during my stay in T2 but my memory fades me… whatever it was it took me a whopping 1:48 to do!!!  I’ve had naps shorter than that!!

Back out onto the final 7 kilometer run I was actually feeling good.  It’s really the first time I’ve ever felt as though I still had fuel in the tank on the final run… usually I’m crying on the inside!  Knowing I could have gone faster, I maintained a slower pace to guarantee a finish (without walking or hitting the wall).  The run repeated the entire 1^st run’s route and then added a section turning it into a “Y” shape.  The path was loose gravel surrounded by trees and water that, although were very scenic, made for a very moist and humid run.  Thankfully the Subaru series had 3 separate aid stations set up with water and Gatorade, all three of which you were able to get drinks on the way back as well (making it feel more like 6 aid stations).  The volunteers were amazing and did a great job with handing out the drinks.  I was able to finish the final run in 33:39 making my total overall time 1:36:22 netting me 16^th place in the overall standings. 

This race was an overall success in my books.  I may not have won it, or made the podium for that matter, but the amount of confidence this race brought back to me trumps any prize available for the taking. 

As mentioned earlier, Alexander Hadjis competed in this race as well – his first real competitive race of this calibre, and he rocked it.  So congratulations Alex and any other Running Free teammates I may have missed. 

After the race was over and awards given out – it was a quick bite to eat and off to the car to prepare for race number two…

Race #2: Belwood Fat Tire Tri-A-Tri

Distance:  Swim 375m, Mountain Bike 14k, Run 3k

 As some of you may know already, swimming isn’t really my thing.  You’ll mostly find me participating in Duathlons or cycling specific races because, well… quite frankly, I truly suck at swimming.  This particular race I did last year and despite a slow swim leg, I really enjoyed it.  I knew going into the race this year that the likeliness of me beating last year’s time wasn’t good.  But I was determined to give it my all anyway.

I remember thinking in between races “how am I going to kill 2 hours?”… Well as it turns out I’m pretty good at wasting time puttering with my bikes!!  It only seemed like 20 minutes before my friend Jamie showed up and we were knee deep in the lake waiting for the starting horn to sound.  My only goal for the swim was to make it past the first buoy before I started doggy paddling… but alas, I didn’t make my goal L…  Although I did feel fairly good during the swim leg, my time was atrocious.  It took me 11:27 to swim the short distance making me 140^th out of the water (keep in mind the transition was added to the time and was super long… whose kidding who, I still suck)!  Transition was quick and off I rode on my Cannondale Scalpel Mountain Bike… first time racing on this bike! 

For the first few hundred meters I was trapped between a big group of slower paced cyclists, I already knew I was waay behind after the horrific swim and I had some catching up to do.  Although I felt rushed, I kept calm as this was a tri-a-tri and most of the competitors were very new to the sport.  I finally found an opening and was able to drop the hammer.  Despite doing a whole Duathlon only a few hours earlier, my legs were rocked and ready to go!  I kept a fairly blistering pace and was passing anyone who got in my way.  Overall I did the 14k in just over 30 minutes placing me 8^th of the 200 participants which I was happy with considering the first kilometer was a near write off with being stuck in traffic and all!  The course itself consisted primarily of gravel walking trails with a small section of road in the middle.  It was a two loop course with only one long gradual climb that wore on the legs.  Once I completed my two laps it was back into transition for another run.

The final run was only a 3 kilometer out and back run, but my god it felt like the longest 3 kilometers I’ve ever been faced with.  It was a short out and back stint on another section of gravel walking trail that wound around a small forest along County Road 18.  Very flat, and very fast with an aid station at the turning point.  I managed to run it in 14:36 which is slow for the distance, but reasonable considering such a long day racing.

Overall I managed to finish the race in 56:13 netting me 16^th position in this race as well!!

Kudos to everyone who raced this fantastic set of races, the venue location and the weather definitely made for a fun day of racing.  I’d like to say congratulations to a very talented and excited competitor named Cindy Merritt who managed to podium on her first race ever… Good on ya!  Also to my friend and co-worker Jamie Rochford who also is very new to the sport.  I hope to see both of you out racing again! 

Take care everyone… next up:  Bracebridge Half Iron in August.