Wild Flower Long Course - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I started a little towards the back this time. Its not that I mind the contact, it was really just a courtesy so that the others wouldn't have to climb over me. Lake swims are so nice when you've been accustomed to ocean swimming. The first huge mouthful of water, and there ALWAYS is one, just goes down so much more smoothly than the same amount of salt water.

My goggles kept slipping up on my face and several times I had to turn over on my back to readjust them. I think I attribute this to the 1/4" thick veneer of sun screen I had slathered on while killing time in the transition area prior to the race start. I also blame the sun screen for the fact that I lost my swim cap about 1600 yards in. I caught it as it fell of and stuffed it in my wetsuit.

I have to give an endorsement to my wetsuit. Its fantastic. Its like having your own private inflatable rowboat. The amount of floatation is really incredible. and it fits so well, it never wants to come off. If I could I would wear it instead of pajamas



I'm destined to be a back of pack swimmer until such time as I get off my a$$ and take some lessons. To that end, short of taking lessons, nothing.

I mentioned that the transition area paving can be tough on the feet right? One benefit of being a slow swimmer is that the transition area is nice and clear by the time I get there. My transition is kinda like the pro's.... except for the fast and graceful and efficient part.... and they don't get their wetsuits stuck on their heels and fall on their asses with quite the same degree of aplomb with which I do. This is only partially because they don't wear wetsuits.

I choke down another gel and loudly proclaim "Egon, your mucus...." Nobody gets it. Why do I bother?

Kieth is there and we exit T1 together

I dunno. I've gotta get over this wetsuit stuck on heels thing. I should also learn how to strap into my shoes on the go. I trained all year with no socks so this has helped my speed somewhat. Overall, I give it a solid "D".

Kieth and I started out together, this lasted for about a mile. I was fortunate enough to swerve around and pass a little wolf pack of slower riders and I guess he got stuck. Right into the first notable hill which is the climb out from roughly the lake level to the surrounding road level. Not too long or too steep, but for me it was still granny gear grade.

If you're not too mired down in a testosterone fog of competitiveness to notice, this is actually a spectacular bike course. The rollers are rollable and the downhills are a blast, some 40 plus mph speeds are achievable in those rollers. That's fun.

I have a love/hate relationship with my Aerodrink hydration system. Oh, sure it keeps me in fluids, but I am now convinced that it is just out to get me. Throughout the ride I was constantly being spritzed with tiny, salty, sticky, orange droplets of Gatorade Endurance Formula. I thought this had something to do with the road conditions but have since decided that no, it does not. The vindictive little bastard....It would start it by plying a sort of provocative light spray. I would, of course, cuss at it. It would then immediately retaliate with a more deliberate and thorough dousing. At one of the last aid stations, I actually grabbed a bottle of water for the sole purpose of bathing myself before coming back into town.

I am using gel today to maintain my calorie budget. I am proud to say that I have a cast iron stomach. Yes I do. I don't suffer from any sort of belly ache at any point in either racing or training so far. I can, however tell you this. Had I attempted to consume even one more of those sickening little mucoid pustule sacks of spoogie sauce, I would have no doubt met my demise, my stomach having jumped up and throttled my pre-fontal cortex for continually subjecting it to such torture.

Nasty grade. It comes right after the steel bridge at about mile 40. Its deceptively gentle at first but its five miles of pretty steady grade. Sure, I heard about the energizer bunny at the top. I thought it was a cute idea. trust me when i tell you, you'll wanna jump off your bike and punch that pink sunuvubitch in the stomach. At that point there is a false summit as you turn right nto Interlake Rd, you are insulted anew by nasty grade as you are subject to another 1/4 mile or so of uphill.

Nasty grade behind you.... ah.... gravity. Lots of free gravity.

All rollers and downhills back in to town.

Towards the end of the ride, i am being overtaken by a talkative guy with a cowbell mounted to his bike. I toss him the trite "More cowbell" line. Then just for good measure "I'll bet you haven't heard that all day...."

"Actually, you know what?, a lot of people have told me that...." Nevermind.... don't hurt yourself. Have a good race.

My goal for this race was to stay comfortable on the bike and not push too hard in an attempt to save something for the run. This strategy was marginal at best (as evidenced by my run time). Abandon this thought next time. I could have gotten after this bike ride much harder than I did and positively affected my time much more than it would have negatively affected my miserable run effort.

Give up on this "save yourself for the run" crap, HTFU and just go for it next time.

Again, executed professionally, except for the style, grace and speed parts. I got my shoes on, looked at a packet of gel, decided I wouldn't wish that stuff on my worst enemy, stood up and then realized that I must have at least a half a cubic foor of loose gravel in my right shoe. I was slowed down somewhat as a result of having to take off my shoe, empty it of large particles of aggregate from the transition area paving, and put it back on.

Train with no socks. Practice my balance while putting on my shoes. I'm sure its entertaining to watch, but I do get tired of ending up on my ass in the transition area. I never saw the pros do that......

Arright. This is what I've waithed for. I'd like to improve on my lacklustre SOMA half mary time of 2:48. I realize, however, that I am not trained up to the point that I could ever hope to run the whole thing. My planned strategy is to run between aid stations, walk each aid station, take in everything it has to offer, wait for my heart rate to drop down to 130 or so and then run to the next.

I stick to the plan until about mile four where the hill forces the complete and total apostacy of my planned running strategy faith. I walked the whole thing, almost a mile. From here in I would nominaly follow my plan, with the excetion of walking the hills.

The volunteers here are fantastic. There are aid stations placed religiously every mile. They are well supplied and staffed. The volunterers are on standby to douse you down should you request. I requested. By mile eight my shoes where squishy.

Walk-run-walk-run-walk-run. I've taken to joking with the volunteers, asking if they've seen the leader, how long ago and whether or not they thought I could still catch him. I wonder how many times per day they hear that? Maybe I should introduce them to the cowbell guy... nevermind.

Before I really know it, I'm at mile ten. A quick 5k and I can make my goal of sub 7:00. This I can do. I found the energy somewhere to run the last 5k and to even pick up the pace coming down Lynch hill. I felt good running down the finish chute.



Train better for the run. I ran the distance only once in training. I think that five or six more runs of that distance would have really helped. Still, beat my time from SOMA on a much tougher run course.

One of the fantastic things about wildflower.....run through the finish chute, grab your towel, finishers metal, and allow yourself to be stripped of your timing chip whilst maintining your still forward momentum, avoid the urge to stop and stand in line for a foully and berserkely overesized 65,000 fat calorie waffle ice cream cone.... hobble straight down the stairs to the boat launch ramp and into the 65 degree water... ahhhhh!




Run training and my "Save yourself for the run" bike strategy. I could have shaved a few minutes off in transition perhaps but those are the big bones things.


Okay T3. Wilflower presents a problem with T3. For me, as a BOPer, I see no reason to stick around after the race. T3, the Run - Beer/home/undies/television/sportcenter transition is an important part of my overall race strategy. Just a forewarning, if you are of the same mind as I am as it relateds to T3, Wildflower will confront you with a seriously divisive choice. You must either wait in snaking long line to take the tram up Lynch hill or commit to walk with gear and bike up a ridiculously steep hill. Either of which is cruel and unusual punishment caused by the local topography, expecially having just finished your race. Maybe the waffle cone after all...... you've..... yes.... you've earned it.

A mighty mighty petty gripe for such a well orchestrated race to be sure. Yeah, its a tough course , but the whole thing is just so well put together and the energy of it is so contagious, how could anyone not recommend this?