Show Low Race Report
We're back from Show Low and life is back to normal for a little while before we leave to Dexter for the NM state triathlon championships this weekend. The races in Show Low went well and I had a lot of fun racing, hanging out with my bro Mike, and of course spending time with my own family. There were however some bads too, like getting a speeding ticket in Quemado, NM and getting a flat during Saturday's race.
Saturdays race was the Olympic distance road triathlon and this was my first time doing this event so I had nothing to compare it to and I didn't know what I could do or how I would feel. The swim was really cold, like 56 degrees! My full wetsuit did help a lot but you still can feel it. I got in early and had a hard time breathing but I did sort of get used to it and once the race starts you just sort of start like everybody else. I think I swam really straight and exited the 1500m swim in 25:35 which put me in 34th place of 216 finishers. Onto the bike and I had a hard time getting started because my legs were so cold. It took a little while but I did get it going and started passing people until I got a flat. I had bought this new stuff called Pit Stop that supposedly would fix and inflate my tire all in one quick stop sort of like fix-a-flat so I was ready to get it fixed and get back into the race. Much like fix-a-flat the Pit Stop didn't work and I again had to stop and this time replace my tire with a spare and fill it up using a CO2 cartridge. It's hard sitting there on the side of the road when you can sense a million people passing you by. I have no idea how long all of this took me but I estimate it to be anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. I finished the 40k ride in 1:14 good enough for the 60th fastest bike split. Once on the run I did my best to maintain a consistent pace but it was difficult because of the hills and the off-road sections on the course. I finished the 10k run in 48:16 and I finished the race in 39th place overall and 4th in the 30-34 age group. I was ok with it but there is always work to be done and I'm not really satisfied. Without the flat I guess I might have been second in my age group but coulda woulda shoulda ya know? I now have a mark that I can surpass next year :)
Onto Sundays race, the Xterra off-road triathlon. Same cold lake swim but this time just half as long. I swam a 14:12 800m good enough for 19th out of 127 finishers. The bike was a lot of fun in a twisted sort of way as it was rocky, hilly, muddy, log jumping, downhill kind of course. While I do enjoy mountain biking I do not claim to be a mountain biker. I'm just not that brave and I would rather not crash if I don't have to. I finished the ride safely and without a flat and was able to have the 39th fastest bike split. The run was pretty crazy as we ran (walked) up a climb called the eliminator and the mini eliminator, ran through knee deep water and even up stairs. It was a lot of fun and I got pretty dirty and I finished 35 overall and 5th in my age group. Now I have done this Xterra before, in 2005, and I was able to better my time by 13 minutes!
Like I said in the beginning there were some good and some bad. I know I should be faster and more competitive outside of NM. My swimming is coming around and my bike is my strength right now but I really need to work on some speed for my run. After this weekends race in Dexter I'll have some time to dedicate to consistent training and I know my times will improve as will my confidence.
Here are some pictures from the races and the weekend, I hope you enjoy them.
We're back from Show Low and life is back to normal for a little while before we leave to Dexter for the NM state triathlon championships this weekend. The races in Show Low went well and I had a lot of fun racing, hanging out with my bro Mike, and of course spending time with my own family. There were however some bads too, like getting a speeding ticket in Quemado, NM and getting a flat during Saturday's race.
Saturdays race was the Olympic distance road triathlon and this was my first time doing this event so I had nothing to compare it to and I didn't know what I could do or how I would feel. The swim was really cold, like 56 degrees! My full wetsuit did help a lot but you still can feel it. I got in early and had a hard time breathing but I did sort of get used to it and once the race starts you just sort of start like everybody else. I think I swam really straight and exited the 1500m swim in 25:35 which put me in 34th place of 216 finishers. Onto the bike and I had a hard time getting started because my legs were so cold. It took a little while but I did get it going and started passing people until I got a flat. I had bought this new stuff called Pit Stop that supposedly would fix and inflate my tire all in one quick stop sort of like fix-a-flat so I was ready to get it fixed and get back into the race. Much like fix-a-flat the Pit Stop didn't work and I again had to stop and this time replace my tire with a spare and fill it up using a CO2 cartridge. It's hard sitting there on the side of the road when you can sense a million people passing you by. I have no idea how long all of this took me but I estimate it to be anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. I finished the 40k ride in 1:14 good enough for the 60th fastest bike split. Once on the run I did my best to maintain a consistent pace but it was difficult because of the hills and the off-road sections on the course. I finished the 10k run in 48:16 and I finished the race in 39th place overall and 4th in the 30-34 age group. I was ok with it but there is always work to be done and I'm not really satisfied. Without the flat I guess I might have been second in my age group but coulda woulda shoulda ya know? I now have a mark that I can surpass next year :)
Onto Sundays race, the Xterra off-road triathlon. Same cold lake swim but this time just half as long. I swam a 14:12 800m good enough for 19th out of 127 finishers. The bike was a lot of fun in a twisted sort of way as it was rocky, hilly, muddy, log jumping, downhill kind of course. While I do enjoy mountain biking I do not claim to be a mountain biker. I'm just not that brave and I would rather not crash if I don't have to. I finished the ride safely and without a flat and was able to have the 39th fastest bike split. The run was pretty crazy as we ran (walked) up a climb called the eliminator and the mini eliminator, ran through knee deep water and even up stairs. It was a lot of fun and I got pretty dirty and I finished 35 overall and 5th in my age group. Now I have done this Xterra before, in 2005, and I was able to better my time by 13 minutes!
Like I said in the beginning there were some good and some bad. I know I should be faster and more competitive outside of NM. My swimming is coming around and my bike is my strength right now but I really need to work on some speed for my run. After this weekends race in Dexter I'll have some time to dedicate to consistent training and I know my times will improve as will my confidence.
Here are some pictures from the races and the weekend, I hope you enjoy them.
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