SavageMan International - TriathlonOlympic

For me this was a fabulous swim! I actually passed several people and stayed with the pack. It was the back of the pack but there was a definite pack there. Usually I am trailing behind all by myself. My family took a canoe ride over the swim course the day before and saw a large grass patch near the turn around so I stayed as close to the markers as possible going out and I avoided the grasses.

I think I went around the last buoy when I didn't have to. There were a pair of buoys set up perpendicular to the exit beach and I rounded both of them on my right. But when I cleared the second buoy I noticed everyone else was coming in on the inside of that buoy - oh well. It was only an additional 10 feet and I don't think it cost me that much time. Thinking back on it I think those buoys were there to mark the channel for the return on the Half swim course.

Several women were complaining how frigid the water temperature was. Now it was chilly, but compared to the 63 it was last year, it was much better. There wasn't the take your breath away shock. Plus I thought about Roni swimming in Glacier National Park in 53 degree water and realized I had better keep my mouth shut.

Not round the last buoy on the wrong side.

The race set up was moved from last year and this was a better spot. It was still a long run from the lake and the International group had our transition station on the higher parking lot, above the half transition, but it was better. I put Body Gluide over every inch of my exposed skin so taking the suit off went better.

Not to much, it went well.

Where else can you go from speeds of 30+ mph to 4 mph in less than 5 seconds? The SavageMan bike course!! To start off there was Toothpick, a short but steep 2 tiered climb less than a mile out of the gate. Took the first hump out of the saddle and strong, then rounded the corner and "oh snap!" Didn't remember Toothpick being that tough. People were already off their bikes and walking. No way! I made it last year and I'll make it again this year.

Took my legs a while to recover from that climb and for my heart rate to settle, but then I was good. I wasn't as intimidated by this course as I was last year and I knew there was 5 miles of really tough climbing and then it was spread out enough to allow for good recovery. You start the hills with the fast descents and those are serious. Same as last year I found myself going 20mph down hill with my breaks fully engaged and trying not to wipe out at the 120degree turn at the bottom. Serious stuff. Then the worst part was at the bottom of those turns was an immediate climb, so if you are not in the correct gear you are in a world of hurt.

But I made it through all of that and came to Frank Brennaman road - the Continental Pass. Same as last year I opted not to attempt it was off my bike - me and at least 20 other people. See the photos in my photo album for all the funny inspirational signs they put on the hill. Great stuff. The thing is - overall I didn't loose any time walking the hill, for all the people that passed me riding up it were toast for the later climbs and I passed all of them.

The advantage of having done this race last year was my familiarity with the course. Overall you are very gun shy about opening it up on the flats and descents because of the switch backs at the beginning, but this year I knew where I could let her rip - and that is just what I did. I know where my strenghts are and was really able to make up some time on the flats and rollers. I averaged 22mph on the rollers, 25 on the flats, and over 30 on the down hills. Then I'd climb at 4 mph and there wasn't a thing I could do about it. THAT'S SAVAGE!!!

I passed a guy on one of the tough climbs and he commented about my pink. After that we joked back and forth when he would pass me on the downs - I yelled at him that he outweighed me on the down hills and it wasn't fair - then I would pass him on the climbs and joke that it was my time to pull. After the last difficult climb he didn't pass me again and as I was coming down State Park Road (the final mile into T2) I heard him yell, "watch out Pink, I told you not to let me catch you, here I come!" So I yelled back, " you're not going to catch me!" and we had a nice little drag race into the finish shoot. Good fun!

The coolest part of the bike was the last 2 miles. At that point the bike course over laps with the run course. Last year it seemed like everyone was already on the course and I was the last one in, but this year there were only 10 people on that section of the course - and my husband was the 5th one! So not only was I stoked about my personal time, I was super excited for him having such a great race as well!

Nothing. Took 10 minutes off last years time and I felt great.

Very good. Had to strip off the insulation layer from the ride. Took my gloves off with my teeth as I ran back to my rack, then stripped off the top, changed the shoes and grabbed everything else to put on during the run.

nothing

Running is always my weakness, but overall I am pleased. It took me a few miles to get my legs settled down. Between miles 2 and 3 I had to remind myself it is easier to run faster than suffle along at the rate I was doing. I ran up to the Fire Road and then walked. Fire Road is an access dirt road (serious trail running) up the side of a mountain to the mountain fire aide station. It is almost a mile long and steep. Once again most people were walking it. It took me 10 minutes to walk up it and 3 minutes to run back down. But when I was at the bottom I looked at my watch and knew not only was I going to make my time goal of 3:30, but if I hurried I could get in under that. So no more walking for me and I was able to shave a total of 35 minutes off last years overall time!!

As I got to the finish shoot my family was there and my girls asked if they could run the shoot with me. I have a great photo of the 3 of us crossing the finish line together.

I can tell I am in marathon training mode for my running legs settled into an endurance pace and not the sprint pace I needed. However for this course and this race I'll take an average running time of 10:20. The total run average takes into account my walk up Fire Wall.

Waited for the awards for the hubby - he took 2nd in his age group!!!


Still keep working the swim and run - but I am very happy.


This is a great race with wonderful volunteers. If you are looking for a triathlon that is different from the norm - this is the race for you! Looking at the race as a whole this was my best performance ever. I never sacrificed one event for another and my overall time was a huge improvement from last year.