We where spread out with 2 or 3 people in each lane, the fastest going together. I ende up the only place I did not want to be :( In the fastest lane ! Well it might sound good but in reality it was bad, because the guy in my lane was last years national junior champion, and he can swim !!!!!! FAST. This guy always wins……and I do mean always !!! He has never lost a Tri-race :(
Everybody ready ? …..GO !!! And of we went, pushed hard the first 25m and was keeping up with the guy, but as we flipped the first time I knew I had to slow down, to fast, to fast, to fast. I let the guy go........(other way to say I could not keep up) I tried to draft him, but that did not really work. From this point I was on my own trying to do my best. It did however not feel very fast. Because of the first 25m, I could not really push very hard before I would red line it. I was not a happy camper :(
What made it even worse was that I could see the 3 people in the next lane (= the next 3 fastest guys) where drafting each other……at this point I really whished I was in that lane. When I look back at it that was actually a stupid thought because the reason I could seem them so good was because I had lapped them. But at that point I would rather have been a lap behind and been able to enjoy the drafting. When my lane mate was done, he was 125m ahead of me !!!!!!! That is a long way, but I had estimated him to be 3 minutes faster then me, and now he was “only” about 2 minutes ahead.
When I got the lane to myself I was actually able to finally find a nice rhythm and actually felt I was gliding pretty good through the water.
Finally I was done, I got out of the pool in second place.

Don’t go out that fast, find my own rhythm and speed.

I ran out the door down to the transitions area (25 meters). I quickly dried of a bit and got my biking jersey on. (I think I need to get some else to where when I race, I was in my tri-suit but it was simply to cold just to race in that. I finally got the shirt on and then I had to fight to get my long running pants on. (I need to be warm when I bike! if my legs get to cold I will not do anything else then think of my cold legs when I bike. Is this extra time justified? I think I need the pants, but maybe I should see if I can get some that are easier to get into) Last socks and shoes, and then I could finally run out of T1. The times are not up yet, but it was probably around 2 minutes :( I probably lost another minute to “Speedy Gonzalez” Crap ! I was not happy with T1, but I was finally on the bike, and this was my only chance to gain some time. As I left T1 on the bike the 3 place guy was changing into his bike dress, this was Tri-club President and his specialty! Biking.

I am too slow! Get Bike-jersey and pants that come on easier.

The first part of the bike, was out of the city, mainly uphill. The pulse still high, made it difficult to settle down and my breathing was all over the place. After 1,5k I got onto the main road, from here on it was mostly flat so I settled into my TT mode. I was trying to the cadence around 100, I kind of like it there, you feel fast with a high cadence :) I passed the turned around for the Mini-sprint (5k) in just under 10 minutes, that was not bad. Now I just had 5k until my turn around, and I was really power along. Even though it was into a slight headwind and it was raining a bit, I was feeling good. Suddenly I saw the first placed guy come towards me, he look slower then me…well his cadence was a bit slower, so that made me feel good. Then the turn around, just 40seconds after, so I was 1:20 after him, I defiantly gained some time, now the question was, how far was I ahead of the next guy……..:) It was just over a minute after the turn, so I was just over 2 minutes ahead. I then knew that he would not catch me. The rest of the bike was just pushing as hard as I could and looking at the other rides as they went the other way.


Maybe try to stretch the legs a bit on the final bit before T2

As I drove into T2 I took my feet out of shoes and as I hit line, I gave my bike to a volunteer and ran to get my running shoes. Then NOOOOO cramp…..this was not suppose to happen, I had slow down a bit on the bike on the bit before…D… Then it went away ! it was just one step, then I could continue. I got my shoes on and was on my way. Then as I was about to exit the transition, I so the swimmer dude coming in on his bike?????? How did that happen !!! he most have missed to last turn :) So I was first onto the run.

Nothing

It was 6 laps around the pool and sports stadium. Knowing I was fist was nice but I also knew that he could run almost as good as he swims. So I took it easy, also because I could still feel the cramps. So I too short steps and did not try to do a kamikaze run. Slowly my legs got better but I did still not push harder. I was waiting for the guy to catch me, then I would hopefully be able to hang onto him. Well that did not really workout, at the end of the second leg he sprinted by me, he got 10 meters in front before I knew what had happened. I increased my speed and was trying to follow him but he was just a bit to fast. I was now just running to finish, that is until I saw the 3 place guy up ahead :) That gave me something to run for. I had him by the end of the 5 lap, and half way through the last lap. I dropped him. I was kicking hard to finish in style, and I did. Second place was mine……again :) Well that was the best I could hope for, that guy is just unbelievable.


Don’t get cramps! Really try to hang on when I get court.

Just walked around a bit, got some dry clothes on. Waited for my wife to finish. Then we went to the Jacuzzi, and sat there for 20 minutes or so discussing the race.


Training,


Last Tri of the year :( Well it is probably good, I can feel my body is getting very tired.
It was a good race and hopefully it will be again next year. What I need to work on is my swimming, if only I can cut a minute of my 800m time I would be so much closer to the lead. My bike has really improved this year, the split times are not up yet, but according to my bike computer I averaged 35 km/h :) Happy with that, I should be the fastest biker 1,5-2 minutes faster then the Tri-president who is normally the best biker in the group :) However after having riding so much this year I actually feel that my position on the bike is not perfect. In the race I kept sliding forward on the saddle and I think I need to put the saddle up, just a little bit, I will try to adjust it over the winter when I put in on our new trainer.
Running was ok, easy in the beginning but in the end I was going all out. So maybe the run was actually perfectly pace……..Hmmm how about that !
It was a sports college that arranged the race, and after the race we got our body fat measured ! They measured the lose skin on the arms, legs, side and stomach. I was a very surprised by my result (positively) 7.7% body fat :o But then super swimmer dude step up………3.1% :o So I just need to lose 4.6% fat (all on my stomach) then I have him !