Desert triathlon & Duathlon - Triathlon

As I mentioned, I was screwing around right up until the proverbial gun went off. Then I made a dash to the front. I came out of the swim in first last year even though my goggles washed around my neck on the first dive. I thought maybe I could repeat this year. Well, a few dudes had some other ideas. I was immediately in a lock battling for the lead to the first little turn buoy. After we rounded the buoy, a couple guys started to swim back towards shore which was way offline. Another guy, we'll call him Mr. Annoying, attaches to my left side....and keeps...on....hitting me. Now, normally, I would retaliate and drowned him or grab his wetsuit and drag him to the bottom of the lake...but I have a new, gentler outlook on racing. I don't let things like this bother me. I simply stopped, swam over his feet to the left and problem was swiftly solved. I was alone for the rest of the swim. I saw him now since I breath to the right and he too, after I got out of the way, started to veer towards shore. Thus, why he was bumping into me. During all this BS with Mr Annoying, two guys were able to slip away undetected. I had an idea by the start that they were out there but wasn't sure because I lost sight of them as we began to take over the previous waves.

Swim was solid but not great. Much better than swims towards the end of last year when I was totally burned out. But the same as last year...which I guess is fine. I've let my swim slip a little (as in not continuing to improve) while I work on my run. I exited the water with two ahead and 1 dude right next to me.

Turns out, looking at results, that Mr. Annoying lives in Westlake Village!!! I gotta find this guy and meet him.

Solid swim....no records broken but solid.

Trying to work on my transitions and I did a good job at this race. I made up a lot of time during T1 and T2.

Nothing

Took off and everything started out great with the nice flying mount I haven't done in a few months. Whew!...can't wait for the day when I mess that up and eat shit in front of everyone. I know it's coming. Get down the road a bit, get the shoes on, and look down....NO POWER. DAMMIT. WTF. Yup...no power being displayed. Shit. So I spent the next half minute or so trying to see if there was anything I could do. Now, I certainly don't ride by power in a race like this. I go almost completely by feel. BUT, I wanted the data for later. I spent some time aero testing back in January and really wanted to see if the improvements would show. I also wanted the early season data. Well, after doing everything I knew how, I gave up and put my head down. Obviously this cost me some time but whatever.

After I decided to go on racing with no data (which is lame and like it never happened ;) I came upon a couple guys and then a couple more. Funny though, because every one I passed would not get dropped. I'd come up on them super fast but then suddenly they had the power to keep up with me. I'm no smarty pants but my inclination would be that the sudden loss of wind resistance made it easier for these guys to hold the pace....if you get my draft...I mean drift.

BUT....again, in my kinder gentler years, I refrained from yelling at people and went on with my race. I did actually point out two things; 1. when a guy passed me on the right. I don't like that and if you knew the course and congestion, it really isn't safe. 2. two guys sitting side by side....goes back to #1, especially on this course. But I didn't really yell. I just politely pointed out their stupidity.

Made the turn for home now with an entire pack in tow. Most were younger age groupers so I didn't really care. Of course they came around at the very end. LOL

Time was about a minute slower than last year. My bet is that had I not taken the time to screw with my Garmin, not dealt with the idiots, and not almost crashed into a cone (we won't go into that), I would have been around the same time as last year. Again, as with swimming, bike has been maintenance while improving my running. So a basically wash is ok by me.

Later investigation turned out to be a dead battery in the PM.

Replace the battery before a race.

Really good T2 and picked up some more time. I had the fastest T1 and T2 in my AG.

Took off and felt very sluggish. I felt like my turnover was super slow and I had zapped my legs. hmmmm....not a good feeling. Passed a bunch of people on the way out cheering and one in particular was Gerardo...my friend and head coach for Fortius Racing. He said simply, "run light". I said in return, "how's my hair?" (I hate it when my hair is all triathlon crazy in photos). He said it was fine and I kept going. But, his advice really helped in the soft sandy sections. I tried to stay light and not dig holes in the soft surfaces. First mile clicked off and I was afraid to look because it felt slow. (last year I averaged 6:40 pace) I looked down at 6:21...Yay! Very cool and I felt like it was going to be a bitch but I could probably sustain it till the end. First lap is always tough because you know there's a 2nd lap coming. I tried to just focus on turnover and as Gerardo said, staying light. Second mile 6:21 again....nice.

At this point, I knew my nemesis would be coming. James "the dream crusher" Adams. He's on my team and I'm pretty sure gay and living a closeted life. I knew I would beat him (even though I never have and he's always crushed me) and we had several heated discussions on the fact that he was going to lose so bad. Problem is James runs about 6 minutes faster than me in a 10K. I only swim about 3-4 faster than him in a 1500 and we bike about the same in a 40k TT. So, yeah, ummm....you do the math. The math says he's coming.

At the end of the first loop some dude named Lipke passed me. Running way faster than I could hope to sustain. I knew his name was Lipke because it was on his butt. Headed out for the second loop and passed Tyler who let me know that Carly was just up the road. I was like, "Ok, don't care about Carly as she's an Elite female and left in the first wave". A few seconds later, I see Gerardo again and he too lets me know "Carly is just up the road." "I DON'T CARE ABOUT CARLY!" I care about James "The dingleberry" Adams as I know he's coming.

3rd mile was solid at 6:23 but the fourth was slipping a little at 6:29. At that point I was really holding on. A couple more guys passed me but only one did I not see the age on his leg. So I assumed the worst and that I was in 3rd. Cool still a podium. 6:31 for the 5th mile and by that time I was on the home stretch of the 5.8 mile course. I gave it all I had just praying James "the human turd" Adams wouldn't run by me. Well, he didn't. Managed a 6:22avg for the last .8 miles and a 1minute PR from last year. Very happy about that.

Turned out that I was 2nd as the guy who passed me was younger. So Lipke was the only one who was in my AG.....JERK....stupid Liipke! ***shakes fist in the air yelling LLLLIIIIPPPPKKKEEE!!!***

Nothing. Happy with my run. More improvements are coming as I don't think all the run training (which is really only ramping up seriously right now) has yet to take effect.

I don't warm down.


Not being faster


It turns out Adams took in a bunch of water and started throwing up. You can read about his list of excuses here. Never the less, I beat him and am accordingly crowned World Champion (In my mind).

Karin did great as well and you can read about that here.

Another Desert Tri in the books. Can't wait to race next year.

Sponsors: Buy these items: Wattie Ink, Herbalife 24, blueseventy, ISM, Power Bar, Speedfil, Reynolds Wheels, SpiderTech, Rudy Project, Hypoxico, 10 Barrel Brewing, 454 Tattoo, Tri Bike Transport

Also thanks to Blair Ferguson at Ventura Athletics and my coach Brian Stover.

Thanks to Buns....she's the best!