Overall Results:
Time= 1:16:13 - 16th overall, 2nd Age Group
Swim= 9:20
T1= 0:58
Bike= 42.07
T2= 0:57
Run= 22:49
Overall feeling: This was a great race. It had very little stress and a very strong family feel to it. I was blown away that the kids race was free. It was one of those races that you are just happy to be at. The sunrise was beautiful. It was just a nice day for a race.
Prior to moving to Central Oregon, all but one race had the additional element of rain. This was the first race that I have been part of in which there was no threat of rain... or clouds really. It was a bit smoky from forest fires, but that is fine.
Pre-Race:
The day started at 5:30AM. I woke up, walked halfway down the stairs, stepped on some legos and fell down the rest of the stairs. I hit my head pretty hard and was a bit dazed. In addition to my breakfast, I took some ibuprofen.
The rest of the morning was uneventful until getting to the race site.
Warm-up:
Because this is a pool swim, the race takes place in heats. The newer swimmers were in the first heats and the advanced swimmers were in the later heats. I was in one of the later heats. I spent a lot of time watching the other athletes and trying to keep my race nerves at bay. There was no opportunity to get into the pool prior to the heat to do swim warm up.
30 minutes prior to my race, I consumed an Advocate Spark. 20 minutes prior to the race, I went for a short (.5 mile) run to get warmed up. 10 minutes before the race, I took off warm-up gear and got ready for the swim.
Swim:
The swim was a 500m (10 lap) pool swim. The pool had 6 lanes and each lane shared swimmers. Most lanes had two swimmers and occasionally, there were 3 swimmers.
I pushed pretty hard for the first 4 laps, settled in (recovered) for 3 laps, and then pushed hard for the remainder. I felt comfortable in pushing myself really hard but by the end I was ready to get out.
T1:
This is my favorite moment of the race.
-Prior to the race, my body is cool, I am nervous, the air is chilly, and the sun hasn't fully come up. During the swim, it is quiet and lonely and your nerves are settling into just working.
When I get out of the water, it feels like I have entered another world. The sun has come up and the air is warm. The music is loud, people are cheering and that is when I realize that I am in a race.
I had no issues getting to my bike.
I was a bit unclear about when to mount the bike. There were timing mats, and then there were some cones farther up. I thought the cones were where to mount. I guess you were able to mount at the timing mats. So I did an extra 50 yard dash that was unnecessary.
Bike:
The first couple of miles of bike are all very swift down-hill runs. I was really Amped up and had a hard time calming down. I found myself out of gears a couple of times (I really need a new gearset). There is a gentle uphill that I really pounded myself up. I didn't really think about the future of the course. At mile 4, I turned a corner and there was a giant hill. It was really more of a wall. One of those hills that you wonder if you should just get off your bike and walk up. I crested that bad boy, and there was a giant downhill that led to another equally painful uphill.
After these 2 jerks, The loop was mainly downhill and flat again. It was a 2-loop course, so naturally we faced the walls again, and the road back to transition was all uphill. It was a great and hilly course. I probably could have done better if I didn't push so hard in the first 3 miles.
Now for my rant: #1. When you are on your bike, you keep to the right. This is plain as day. If you move to the left in front of somebody, you are blocking them. Stay to the right, and pass on the left.
#2.The race director made it very clear that it was an open course and traffic was a factor.
There was a guy who passed in front of me at mile 2.5. I don't know if this man was from Europe, but he spent the majority of the ride on the left-hand side of the road. I also have video of him on the shoulder of the left hand side of the road. I am not talking about the left side of the lane... This guy spent most of his time in oncoming traffic.
WHY? What is wrong with following the rules and staying safe?
Look. I don't care what was going on in your brain, dude. You are riding foolishly. At any of the hills or corners, a car could have very easily sent you to a better place. As you were in the middle of the road, I watched a racer have to figure out how to navigate around you. There was a car that pulled up behind us. You were on the left hand side of the road. The car didn't have any idea how to pass you. That is why I yelled at you. You were riding like a fool. There was zero reason for being on the left side of the road. Just because you are on a race course, it doesn't mean you are immune to road rules.
T2:
T2 was quick and there was nothing to it. I racked my bike and got my shoes on and left. It was quick and painless.
Run:
The first .5 miles is up a very steep hill. I felt like I did a good job of locking in a pace and sticking to it. I didn't have to walk at all (although there was plenty of reason to do so). At the top of the hill, you run around a park. It was flat and I felt like I was able to just let it ride. I ran just outside of my comfort zone. I was breathing heavily, but my pace was manageable. I was right on the edge of my VO2 performance.
Going down the hill, I worked on long comfortable strides. I wanted to let the hill do the running for me and just ensure I was able to not blow out my knees.
The last .25 miles of the run was on a black running track. Once I hit the track, it felt like it was suddenly 110 degrees. I pushed around the track as fast as I could just for the sake of getting off that surface.
Post Race:
It took a little while to calm down. I watched some of the kids race. I wasn't sure about when the awards ceremony Would be. I stuck around for about an hour and cheered people on. After a while the "Family voice" got in my head that I should go home and get ready for my son's soccer game.
I drove home and decided to ride my bike to the game.
Turns out that I shouldn't have left yet. They had the awards ceremony. The second time I have gotten an age group finish and missed the awards ceremony. :(
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