Ludington Lighthouse Triathlon - Triathlon

I started out in the front left while the fasties stayed to the right - gun went off - dolphin dived a couple times and started strokin to the first buoy. There was 60 people in this wave and have to say there was very little contact. I was expecting much more. I think somebody touched my feet twice and that was about it. I got into a decent groove early and really did not push this swim too hard. Just concentrating on keeping a long smooth stroke and not burning up too much gas. The first buoy was 450 meters out and took a left turn - this was straight down current and felt really fast at this point - 100 meters over and we turn to head back towards shore. The last 450 meters there was absolutely no one around and I was wondering if I was just really slow or what the hell was going on. I did not feel like I was going slow but where did everybody go. Anyway got to the beach and saw a purple cap next to me (the female wave started 3 minutes behind) - I had been hawked - ha! I felt good coming out of the water - 100 yard beach run to the TA where we crossed the mats.

This swim felt alot faster than that time indicates - not sure if the course was a touch long or the beach run added that much time. The top male (who oh by the way has his pro card) came in at 15:xx and usually splits much faster so I am happy with the time (felt like a 1:32-1:35 min/100yd time).

OA 4/87 AG 1/11
Good!

Nada

I hopped on the bike out of TA and immediately passed 4 people in the first mile which was good - there was a nice downhill early in the ride and then a right turn where I started to pick up the pace. I saw 2 riders up ahead and picked them off in the next mile. I also got passed by two riders who were absolutely flying (they finished 3rd and 4th I think). After those 2 passed me I remember wondering if I was going to be passing anybody the rest of the ride. I was basically alone for the next 8 miles with nobody in front and nobody on my heels. I was pushing really hard for the first 12 miles or so and then laid off the gas trying to preserve some energy for a good run split. In retrospect - I probably should have just kept the hammer down. I ended up missing 8th by :37 and probably could have made that up but who knows. There was a short 3 mile out and back section where I would finally be able to tell where I was at placment wise. I was in 8th at the Turnaround so I made up some ground out of the swim. As I turned back onto Lakeshore Drive is when a group of 3 riders came up on me (one was in the du and one I passed out of transition) and we leapfrogged for the next 6 miles. I was flying on the Lakeshore drive sections - going 26 or 27 mph without much effort - great pavement and dead flat. The Olympic met up with the sprint athletes here so there was alot more traffic and lots of people riding in the middle of the lane but not as boring. The 2 guys eventually went into transition ahead of me. I felt good on the bike but probably could have pushed a little harder.
Bike Nutrition: 1 serving Infinit (250 calories)

Push harder the entire ride

OA 2/87 AG 1/11
Good!
I passed one person in transition.

Nada

I ran out of TA and felt pretty good. I saw the guy who passed me on the bike and immediately set out to catch him. I passed him about a mile up the road but he must have held on to my shoulder because he never left that spot for the rest of the run. The course had a couple random mile markers that were not in the right spots and were pretty much useless to gauge my pace except to give me a general idea of where I was on the course. The course iteslf I liked alot. It was on a paved trail and through neighborhoods and then along Lake Michigan for the finish. The rest of the run was pretty much uneventful - I never saw anyone up ahead until a short out and back section at mile 3.5 or so. There was one guy about 1:00 ahead of us but I would not see him after that point. There was also nobody within 1:30 behind us so now I just needed to beat this guy on my shoulder. We stayed together through the campground - I took water at every aid station - and then jumped back onto Lakeshore Drive where there was a long gradual incline and I tried to distance myself from him as there was only 1.5 miles left. I probably got 20 feet ahead of him but then could hear his footsteps with 0.75 miles left. He passed me then and I just could not hang with him and let him go - dammit. I finished strong and felt good about the run split.

Nothing - PR'd the run!

Grabbed some water and walked around talking with a couple of the athletes and my family. I saw that i finished 10th but beat my goal time of 2:10:00 that i set before the race so I was happy about that. I grabbed some food 30 minutes later, packed up my gear, and we took off. I did not feel like waiting an hour for awards and my family wanted to get home so we left.


my swimming - slacker!!


love the venue - great race - will probably do it every year.