Thumb Triathlon 2015

Yesterday I raced in my final triathlon of the season. It was a pool start and we were seeded by our 100 meter swim time. I guessed at I'd be around 1:50 to 2:00 per hundred after doing a quick test/warmup 100 in 1:40. I think having to duck under the lane markers slowed me down but I was still able to catch up to a swimmer and pass her and finish the swim in 6:15.

Quickly ran to T1 in low 50 degree weather with a light drizzle. I was out of T1 in about 1:45. The bike course was windy and had some hills to deal with in the head wind. I passed a few bikers along the route. The roads were typical Michigan roads with lots of bumps. I heard one athlete talking about his chain bouncing off because it was so rough. I lucked out and didn't have those issues. I'm used to riding on those types of roads too....

Coming into T2 I slowed down. The pavement was wet and I nearly slipped jogging with the bike to the rack. I was out of transition in about 45 seconds and onto the run.

The run was advertised as being on the schools cross country course. I didn't think too much of it going in and it's probably good that I didn't check out the course before hand. It was a true CC course through grass and dirt trails. It was 2.5k run course so we had to do it twice. I just "rolled" with the course and finished the race in 1:10:00! Good for another AG win and 4th overall. Second overall finished after me, but he had himself seeded as an 8 minute 300m swim. (It was his first triathlon switching over from duathlons)

Powerman Michigan 2015

Two weekends ago I competed in my first duathlon since I switched to triathlons. It turned out to be a rather nice day to race with temps in the mid 50s. The first run was a "long" 5k with two loops of the run course starting from the finish line. The course sported a covered wooden bridge. It also sported some stretches that reminded me of my cross country days with some steep dirt trail climbs and steep grass decents going out of the transition area.

My first 5k went well. I found my other age groupers and was able to get into T1 ahead of him by a few seconds. T1 went well and was out quickly. The bike route was a long 15k with two loops. Turned out to be 10+ mile loops. The covered bridge was part of the bike loop as well and it has a wooden road of boards that made it rather scary going through the bridge. First time through my rear wheel was squirlley as I couldn't hold a straight line down the bridge. Second time through I was better but I took it much slower and nearly unclipped as it wasn't worth a crash. Fortunately the guy behind me felt the same way and waited to pass me until we were through the bridge. The wind picked up the second loop but I was able to finish the 21+ mile ride in 1:03 and change.

T2 went well. Running out of transition was interesting as it was down a relatively steep hill immediately on bricked legs. The run was closer to a 5k and I was able to catch a few athletes. Finished about where I thought I would at 1:51 and change. 8th overall and 1st in my age group. In doing so, I qualified for Nationals in Florida in December. Wish I could make it, but there are changes coming with work and with a young family, kids in school, I just can't make it happen.