Get your own Free Home PagePrologue |
This race was the second time through for me; first time last year was great fun, and with a fast course, I knew I could do better this year. Cedar Rapids may not be a tri-mecca, but this race was well-attended and worth the trip. I arrived on Saturday with plenty of time to preview the course (just to refresh my memory from last year) and settle in for some leisurely reading on a lazy afternoon.
Race packet pickup was uneventful, and I noticed the "treats" in this bag were plentiful (having PowerBar as a sponsor doesn't hurt :-) Course was indeed the same as in the past, with a 1/2 mile gravel section just about one mile into the bike course. As usual, its condition was iffy at best, but the rest of the course looked great! Drove south of Cedar Rapids to Iowa City, where the local KOA Kampground was my lodging choice for the evening. About one hour from the race site, its price was right, and I was close enough to food in case I really got hungry....Had pasta primavera for dinner, and settled in for more leisurely reading of my book.... Darkness fell, and I continued to read....and then the campsite next to me really got hopping! High schoolers just done with school were having a party, and it went on and on and on....needless to say, sleep was the last thing I did that evening! 3 A.M. was my bedtime, and I was up again at five(!) for my pre-race prep. Would I make it through the race on little sleep? We'd find out soon enough!
|
Race Day |
After a quick drive to the course, I had little trouble finding a spot and setting up; my only problem was the "urge to purge"....I hadn't visited the little boys room all morning, and REALLY needed to! I rushed to the pool bathrooms, only to find the guys had a LINE forming OUTSIDE! Shock! (BTW, the ladies room DID NOT have a line....what's up with that?!) I stood in line for what seemed like hourse, and finally did my thing and got outta there!
Back at my transition area, I struggled with the wetsuit for a few interminable minutes while my blood pressure rose and I could feel the adrenaline pumping...I was goig to do it! Cold water or not! (Pre-race mumblings were heard that quoted the temp at a cool 63-68 degrees, depending on the source....) Pre-race meeting was short and sweet (maybe too short), even though there was a Tri-Fed official there. Almost too soon, we were ready for the first wave, 20-29 males. My wave of 30-39 males was wave three, after the women in wave two. The director said "ready, set, go!" and wave one was off and run/swimming.... The women were next, and by the time they were going, some of the men from the first wave were already past the turnaround point....talk about some fast swimmers.... The women were off, and it was my turn to check out the water and prepare for the first open water swim of the season. All body parts were in order, and I had the watch and goggles at the ready. Here we go!
|
The Swim |
Ready, set, GO! I ambled out into the water and hesitantly started to swim with my face in the water. Yikes! Too cold! I lifted my face out, took a breather, then tried again. It's not working! Took a few more breathers, alternating with face in/face out, and by about the turnaround I was feeling much better, and not even cold. very uneventful swim until the last 200 meters, when I caught up to many in the womens wave. It was crowded at that point, and with lots of slow swimmers, I couldn't keep my rhythm. I struggled to the finish and got out, pushing the correct (right) button on my watch; 8:46...not bad, only 15 seconds or so slower than last year, considering I've only been in a pool 5-6 times this entire year! On to T1, where I strip out of the wetsuit and debate my clothing choices for a scant 5 seconds before deciding to go "as is", with my suit and tank top, and no accoutrements (excepting helmet and shoes, of course :-)
|
The Bike |
I mount, slowly pedal onto the course, and promptly put the pedal to the metal! In doing so, I forget to press my watch, but I get my split from the bike computer anyway.... I hammer out of the park onto the gravel section, where caution is the word, and see one biker already walking back to transition, his day now done. I make it through safely, and ride onward. As there was last year, there's LOTS of car traffic on this course. With an additional 150 or so competitors this year, it's getting crowded out here! Cars slow my progress, and I mentally tell myself not to worry if the bike ends up being a bit slower than normal. I cruise most of the course, slowing considerably on the inclines (did I mention I need HILL work?) but hammering the flats. Entering into the transition area, I coast and jump off my bike. Feeling good, I don't bother to hit the watch until I leave transition (keeps the transitions all with the bike); bike shoes off, running shoes on, down the PowerGel, suck in water, cough up some water, suck down more water, put on cap, and off I go. T1+Bike+T2 is 54 and change, total time is now 1:03.
|
The Run |
1:03! I can beat last year (if I don't blow up)! My training has had me completing long runs of 5 miles in under 8 minute pace, but I hadn't done a brick yet this year. I thank the race gods for a fast run course, and chug along at a good pace. Water stop #1 appears and I throw down a tiny gulp of water. I continue, chugging along at a good clip. Soon the turnaround appears! Boy, this seems easier than last year....Maybe it's the weather, cooler than last year and no wind? I don't sweat it, and keep churning my little legs back to the water stop a second time (throwing down more water). Now only a little bit of the course is left! I know I'm doing well...with about one mile to go, I'm looking at a 1:26 time, well within my reach. I pace myself with a runner who snuck by me at the water stop #2 (darn it, he's in my age group!) and pass quite a few women and a few men in the last mile. And then the home stretch! Down a hill to the beach, this is a fast finish! I sprint the last 50 yards, hoping to keep another member of my age group behind me (I'd passed him earlier while trailing the guy who snuck by me at the water stop). The finish line nears, and I'm holding him off....and then I finish! Yeah!
I hit the button on my watch, and look at the time: 1:26:39! A PR by over two minutes! Yahoo! The run split was fantastic too, a 23:09 for a 7:28 pace, my best time so far in a race.
|
Postscript | I quickly pack up and head out, anxious to get home and report on my race (and to beat the sleep fairies who are going to get me soon if I don't get home! That's what two hours or so of sleep will do to you!). I drive and suck down Gatorade as fast as I can, stopping at Hardee's and DQ along the way to replenish lost energy. I completed this race exceptionally well, considering the lack of my training this year and the little sleep I managed to get the previous night. A good race (with lots of car traffic :( ) Might not be on next year's schedule with the traffic problems it has and the distance from the Twin Cities for me, but I'm OK with that. There's always next week's race to get ready for (Manitou Sprint Tri)! |
Get your own Free Home Page