Black Bear Triathlon (New distance for 2010) - TriathlonOlympic

Super fast swim. So it was aided by a slight current which helped on the long stretch, then we fought during the half stretch back. Lots of chop coming back made it tough to breath. I was stupid, didn't realize where I was starting and got cought in major free for all action for 300-400 m. Then it settled and I could find a rhythm, but lots of contact for the entire swim. Didn't draft at all down the course, then found some feet for the turn and return up current. Wow...super easy to draft. Pulled off his feet a couple times when I felt I was going too slow, but realized it would have been full effort to keep that pace without drafting, so I just settled back in and kept the pace with doing what felt like almost no work...pretty sweet.

Not start in a dumb place.

Not bad T1. Looooong run out of T1 to bike mount that counted in bike time. Had a little trouble finding the zipper strap (it was over my shoulder and in front of me) so was a little behind getting the top off while running to my T area.

I also realized I messed up the Garmin multi-sport mode, so it was just in regular mode. Oh well, NBD, I'll just change modes manually.

Find zipper strap faster, not mess up Multi-sport mode.

Wow. Bike saved my @ss. Ripped off a good one today, but that was also the plan. With knee issues that I didn't know about, I figured I'd crank up the bike a little in case the limit to my run was the knee and not stamina. Course was just under 2000 feet of climbing over 24 miles...suites my style well.

Started out with confidence. Had my new dork lid and aero wheels for free speed. Holy schnikies, hills started early and often. I knew that though, as Lindsay and I drove the course the day before, a first for me. Definite plus on knowing what to expect. Started passing people as expected (thus is the race of a slow swimmer but decent biker), mostly on the ups. Like last race, compact crank and 11-25 cassette was a godsend. The roads had no shoulders and I had 2 issues with trying to pass people who were blocking, both aboutu 1 foot right of yellow and not passing anyone just hanging out there. A loud and probably a little aggressive "ON YOUR LEFT" and both moved over though. So what if I was rude, they were doing something illegal.

Got passed early and saw a 28 on the calf...sh*t. Tried to keep pace turned into trying to keep him in sight a few miles later turned into "I hope he's racing as an elite" (he wasn't). He turned in the fastest split of the day. He did help me pass some folkes as I tried to keep him in sight. Bike got boring as I was alone for the second half, then cought some peeps near the end. Saw him waaay up in front and slowly caught up over several miles, then finally the last long steep climb was my ticket and I jumped up and took him on the hill. I could tell he was gassed, probably from trying to keep me back because I saw him looking back at me a lot. Had a 26 on his calf...nice.

Cought up to some more peeps nearing the park entrance. Didn't have time to catch them though and rolled into T2 after the long run back from bike dismount.

Be less scared about braking on the winding downhills...maybe not. Played it a little safe getting out of aero on the unsmooth road and curvy steep downs.

Wow, effed this up in a big way. Missed my rack..NBD, just a second or two. Feet were out of shoes on the bike and running shoes on well. Then I forgot to get my Garmin off the bike. Then I forgot to take my glasses off (used yellow lenses on bike to block wind, but was very overcast so lenses not needed for run). Then forgot to put my sweat band on. Then I put my run belt on upside down as I exited T2. Just make the bleeding stop...

Not mess everything up.

Had to run this by feel without the Garmin for pace/HR. Oh well, people do better by feel w/o data, right?

I was worried though, I knew I pushed a little harder on the bike and didn't know how I'd hold up on the run. Knee was never a problem, very good. Passed one right away..32..damn, wanted to find that 28. Passed another right after...28...nice, but not the right 28...I knew it was a different color race suit. Saw the race leaders coming back on the first loop...wow...I'm slow. Saw the 28...not gonna happen. Saw another that looked the right age, but couldn't see his calf (didn't catch it the entire run). He was within sight though. Trailed mystery maybe 25-29 red suit for awhile...maybe 30 sec ahead. Didn't want to risk trying to catch early...either I'd slowly rope him in or he'd slow and I could catch right at the end. Stayed that way for almost all the run. Kept my what felt like threshold pace. Didn't have an extra gear for the final 5k...oops. But red suit was coming closer and closer...nice. At the final turn around I was the closest I'd be. maybe 15 sec back. But he saw me...he had an extra gear for the final 1.5 miles or so...I did not. He gained back what I had gained on him and I knew I wouldn't catch him and that I had no one on my tail. I cruised in and hoped he was 30. No real final sprint, really didn't have it in me if there was nothing on the line, so maybe a spot overall was because other age groups started after us, but I was at "if I sprint it I'll be puking in my finishing pic" mode, so I cruised in.

Remember Garmin. Negative split 10k...have no idea but i think I did my first 5k faster.

they announced me as the 9th to finish...not bad. Now just find red suit...damn...29. Third was my only hope. Walked, stretched, drank water, repeat, ate. the usual. Saw the results...3rd AG, 10 overall, pretty much the best I could have hoped for. But checked the splits...ugh. Second place beat me by 27 seconds overall. He beat me by exactly 3 min in the water and I beat him exactly 3 min on the bike. His 10k was 5 seconds faster than me, meaning I lost to him in transition...nardcicles. Maybe I should start practicing those...


Transitions. Felt some blisters on my feet during run, NBD during run, now they hurt a bit. THey're due to new shoes...I like the shoes a lot, just need to break them in (plus they really don't seem to be for barefoot running...oh well.


All subs were meat and pork based? I don't eat pork and there are plenty of vegitarians out there so this was a really crappy thing to do in my opinion...

Otherwise great. Bike course was very well marked with signs and volunteers, especially at dangerous sections and curves, that was a definite plus.