McKellar Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

A great swim for me, by far the fastest I have swam at a triathlon. Started out well, stroke and breathing working right away, not out of breath. Room to move, barley touched anyone, only once i swam up on someone. After Muskoka, i was hoping for a better start to my swim. After one lap i looked up at the turnaround buoy as someone was just in front of me and it was my friend Tim who swims faster than I. Was suprised to see him. I tried drafting off him for a while and was able to. Started to veer a little off course so the rest of the way it was more like following than drafting since i wasnt able to stay right behind him. Back to the beach and out of the water in 27:03 which is a remarkable time for me.

Exit the water and my HR was high at 175 and as i ran up the hill to T1 i looked down at my HR monitor and saw 187!! Holy Crap. I was feeling spent so walked the rest of the way to the timing mat and then my bike. Struggled a little to get unzipped, then the suit came off, helmet on and shoes on.
As i got to my bike it really felt like a race for the first time because Tim was there getting on his bike and as i was there Kevin showed up and then Uli too. I left transition behind Tim and Kevin and ahead of Uli

Really seemed a slow transition at the time but looking back 3' isnt too bad i guess because i was really drained getting out of the lake. This should be at least 30" faster though i think.

The course was still a little wet from the T-storms that ended about 30' before the race started. Was warm and overcast. Passed Kevin very early as he was just getting his shoes on but he passed me less than a minute later. I was feeling confident about laying down a 1:13 or less but came in 2 minutes slower. Not sure why, although there was a headwind on the way back. I felt going in it would be a fast course since it was very flat but didn't turn out that way. My HR was 166 vs. 160 in Muskoka yet i was slower here and this is a 15km shorter & flatter course. Dont get it. Maybe the fact that there was no rest oppurtunities going downhill to get your HR down?? Anyway Kevin blew up my race plan when he streaked by me early. I knew I would be able to run him down as long as I didnt let him get too far ahead, but he was really burning it up on the bike so I ended up going pretty hard so that he wouldn't get too far ahead. I think at the turnaround he had about a minute on me. I knew Uli was close behind since I saw him at T1 and i think he is a slightly stronger cyclist than I so i was wondering if/when he would pass. At the turnaround i realized i had about a minute on him so he probably wasnt really gaining on me. The return leg had a nice stretch early through Dunchurch where you go down a hill and blow through town and then there was a pesky headwind most of the way back. I concentrated on keeping my cadence up and staying low into the wind. I was even in my small ring for a pretty good portion of the return leg. Most of the return leg I could see Kevin way up the course but the distance seemed to be remaining the same and I knew i could live with a minute or two deficit. Was a tough fight vs. the wind the way back and was happy to roll into McKellar but a little disappointed with the time, especially after a stellar swim.

slow the F&^#k down

Flew through T2. Ran the bike to the rack, bike shoes off, runners on with new speed lace system & no socks worked great.

nothing

Still overcast and not too hot when i hit the run course. As i exited T2 i was suprised to see my family there already and cheering. Erika was really into it with her cheerleeder outfit and pompoms!! That really brought a smile to my face which was not an easy thing to do at this point in the race. I stopped for a hug and kiss and was on my way. Ran down the 124 toward Centre road and as i turned onto centre road saw Kevin ahead. Caught & passed him somewhere between km 1 & 2 i think and we exchanged a couple words. Some nasty steep hills halfway though the course that we would have to negotiate twice and they felt reasonable on the way out. Approaching the turnaround and i passed another guy and was a little worried by the presence of a runner who seemed pretty strong and was about a minute and half behind me. Got a bit of water around km 6 and drank a little and poured a little on me. I was fighting off a side stitch the entire time and i did not want to take more fluid in case it got worse. I think it might have been from too much effort and too much fluid on the bike even though i downed about 650ml only on the bike - i felt it sloshing in my gut the first 2 k on the run. The weather was pretty decent as the sun was not really out and the temps were still on the low side. (It would get into the 30s later in the day). I then hit the hills again and they were tougher this time and on the retun its 2 up and one down vs. 2 down and one up on the outbound leg.
I tried picking it up shortly after in hopes of holding off the guy who was gaining on me since the turnaround. He caught me at around km 8 and i could not keep up. Had to let him go. Looked behind me and nobody in sight so now it was time to check the watch for my time goals. After the swim and 1st half of the bike i had been entertaining a 2:30 but by the time i started the run i knew it would be a stretch. My run time goal had been 46' and this may have been possible if i biked at 160hr rather than 166hr but who knows. Anyhow i looked down and it looked like i had a bit of work to do to hit 2:33 I tried picking it up and came thought the line in 2:33:11 so no complaints.

Start run fresher

Beer.


I could have been 5 lbs lighter and maybe better bike pacing. I was trained and rested and ready to race.


A great small town race. Lots of fun because I knew a few of the people i was racing against. Had this on my calendar since last year and hit the goal time i established around October.