Sunday, September 22, 2013
1:18:01, 19th place of 119. 2nd in age group. Full results here.
Awoken at 4AM by a deluge of rain outside. Not looking good for the tri start in 4 1/2 hours. Get up for good just after 6AM; rain not as heavy but still a steady rain. Normally I ride my bike to the start, but with the weather, opt to catch a ride with Jana as she's volunteering starting at 7:30AM. Driving on Atlantic Ave confirms the flooding that FiveK had advised me of earlier by phone.
The usual towel layouts at transition are replaced by many plastic garbage bags to keep things dry, and fortunately I've brought my own to cover my own layout. I have plenty of time and catch up with others, as I get out of the rain. They've announced almost time for national anthem and then walk to the start and it finally dawns on me (I'm a little slow) that there's no FiveK here. I go into transition to look for him and I see a very frazzled FiveK walking/running his bike and equipment in trying to get a spot at the last moment. Due to a communication mix-up on race start time, he's running late and no small talk or joking can put the usual smile back on his face. I do what I can to help him get ready and it's time to go. The rain has finally stopped!
Swim: 17:29, 90th out of 119. My usual back-of-the-pack slowness is exacerbated by swimming too close to shore, and arriving at Town Beach finish to find the final buoy is a ways out and I have to swim back out to sea to round it. Damn! Come out of the water right near a good running and tri competitor in my age group, Stan Mickus. As we run up the beach together, I hear my name called out by Jana and then by my Mom. It's great and supportive to see family here. Then I hear a gruff voice, "Let's go, Walker", and I look over to see Mike Galoob. Cool! (his wife Becky was running today)
Bike: 39:25, 22nd place. A new course to try to stay away from flooded Atlantic to Weekapaug, but the 2-loop course this year out to Watch Hill has its share of flooding as well. I brake on some of the turns out of nervousness on wet roads, but otherwise I had a really strong ride. Passed about 20 riders; none passed me. Average speed 21.3 mph.
Run: 18:36, 6th place. Time to bring it home. I thought I had a really strong run until I looked up my times later to find it was my slowest over the past 5 years, and almost a minute slower than last year. I think I just didn't get going into my groove fast enough, as the first two miles were 6:14 and 6:13, but I closed really strong with a final mile of 5:49.
A good close to the season under less than ideal circumstances. Tom had a great race with 7th place, and Steve 9th. I'll be back next year.
1:18:01, 19th place of 119. 2nd in age group. Full results here.
Awoken at 4AM by a deluge of rain outside. Not looking good for the tri start in 4 1/2 hours. Get up for good just after 6AM; rain not as heavy but still a steady rain. Normally I ride my bike to the start, but with the weather, opt to catch a ride with Jana as she's volunteering starting at 7:30AM. Driving on Atlantic Ave confirms the flooding that FiveK had advised me of earlier by phone.
The usual towel layouts at transition are replaced by many plastic garbage bags to keep things dry, and fortunately I've brought my own to cover my own layout. I have plenty of time and catch up with others, as I get out of the rain. They've announced almost time for national anthem and then walk to the start and it finally dawns on me (I'm a little slow) that there's no FiveK here. I go into transition to look for him and I see a very frazzled FiveK walking/running his bike and equipment in trying to get a spot at the last moment. Due to a communication mix-up on race start time, he's running late and no small talk or joking can put the usual smile back on his face. I do what I can to help him get ready and it's time to go. The rain has finally stopped!
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| Getting ready for my swim |
Swim: 17:29, 90th out of 119. My usual back-of-the-pack slowness is exacerbated by swimming too close to shore, and arriving at Town Beach finish to find the final buoy is a ways out and I have to swim back out to sea to round it. Damn! Come out of the water right near a good running and tri competitor in my age group, Stan Mickus. As we run up the beach together, I hear my name called out by Jana and then by my Mom. It's great and supportive to see family here. Then I hear a gruff voice, "Let's go, Walker", and I look over to see Mike Galoob. Cool! (his wife Becky was running today)
 |
| Start of my swim wave |
Bike: 39:25, 22nd place. A new course to try to stay away from flooded Atlantic to Weekapaug, but the 2-loop course this year out to Watch Hill has its share of flooding as well. I brake on some of the turns out of nervousness on wet roads, but otherwise I had a really strong ride. Passed about 20 riders; none passed me. Average speed 21.3 mph.
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| Finishing up the bike on wet roads |
Run: 18:36, 6th place. Time to bring it home. I thought I had a really strong run until I looked up my times later to find it was my slowest over the past 5 years, and almost a minute slower than last year. I think I just didn't get going into my groove fast enough, as the first two miles were 6:14 and 6:13, but I closed really strong with a final mile of 5:49.
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| Finishing up the tri season |
A good close to the season under less than ideal circumstances. Tom had a great race with 7th place, and Steve 9th. I'll be back next year.
Nice job Jeff! Just not as fun when you don't get to pummel a spectator?
ReplyDeleteI knew something was missing from my tri experience this time, Beth, but couldn't put my finger on it until now!
DeleteIf you look at Galoob's pictures it looks like a little kid almost ran in front of you at the finish! Nice tri season Jeff! It seems like you improved alot on the bike this summer. I'm sure FiveK and Strava helped. See you in the woods sometime soon....
ReplyDeleteYeah, that little kid got pulled back in the nick of time. Woman or child, the Gazelle will run you down and not look back.
DeleteNice work on your last tri of the year. Maybe next year I'll join you on one.