Hyannis Sprint I, Craigsville Beach, Centerville, MA

June 14, 2008

Fashion Report
Club tri-shorts and belly-exposing top.
Promotion Wetsuit
Adrenaline GTS’s.
LIT visor.

Breakfast Report
Blueberry bagel en route.

Result Summary
¼ mi ocean Swim: 8:24 (33:36/mile, 330/754)
T1, 10m Bike, and T2: 32:11 (18.6 avg, 100/754)
3.6 Mile Run: 28:21 (7:52/mile, 227/754)
Total: 1:08:57 (162/754, 25/56 AG)

In-race Nutrition
Gatorade in T1 and T2, 1 TriBerry Gu about mile 7 on bike.

Evaluation against previously posted goals:

1. Have fun. Dust Neighbors.

This was a “C” race. A couple of guys from my neighborhood had decided they were going to do a triathlon this summer, picked this one, and booked a weekend on the Cape with their families. Seeing them practicing at the YMCA pool and around the neighborhood, I offered a few tips, talked them into some practice swims at the local pond, and so on. Then a few weeks before the race I decided it would be fun to buzz down and race with them!  So…

I got to bed early the night before and then was awakened by Gator Girl snoring while watching TV with her eyes closed. Up at 3:00 AM and out the door at 3:21. By 3:45 AM I was on the Southeast Expressway in construction traffic. I’m sitting there in my car thinking “It’s quarter to four in the morning and I’m doing 10 mph on the highway. You kidding me??” The only thing that got worse was that I found a Dunkin’ Donuts with a “24hr Drive-Through” that was closed.  Guess it wasn’t 24 hours in a row.

Arrived at the race course a bit after 5 and stumbled around, got my number and such, and set up. Made one stab at a mount with shoes already on my bike and totally hosed that. So I decided to go with no socks and a conventional shoes-on mount.

Found the two rookie neighbors, and their third buddy, and tried to offer some calming words then moseyed down to the shore for a quick dip. I was expecting water in the high 50’s and was braced for the shock. Instead, I think it was more like high 60’s and extremely calm. Wow. This ocean swim is nuthin’!!

After lots of announcements and such during which the sun is heating up, we’re finally getting going. 10 waves each 3 minutes apart. The rookies are in 7, I’m in 8. We’re off with 100 or so in our wave and I’m having trouble finding space – but I stay calm, eventually find some room, and settle into a rhythm. I stayed pretty steady, choked on some boat fumes, and drank fairly little ocean. The swim is out, across, and back and on the inward leg there seems to be a current helping so I try to pick it up and I’m in. I spot Rob, the stronger swimmer of the two Rookies, as we’re both on the swim run-out – so I know I’ve already reeled them in!  😉

Pretty quick transition and I’m off on the bike. Being in the eighth wave it’s a target-rich environment and I’m picking off scores. Nobody’s passed me until some chump on a Carbon P3 comes flying by – where’d he come from? Relay riders!! A couple more speedsters would fly by but for the most part, I’m the windshield and not the bug. Saw one poor woman who’d gone down on a sharp corner – hope she was OK. About ¾ of a mile out, as I’m cranking in on the finish, there’s a 200yard narrow lane of cones with no passing. I come flying into it at like 22 mph and… I’m behind a woman doing about 11. I consider passing her in the no-passing zone when I spot a course marshal giving me the evil eye. Man that was frustrating!  I wind it back up for the last half mile and cruise in. I’d forgotten to reset my computer again but I know I was well over 20 for the bike.

Another reasonably quick transition and I’m out on the run. I grab a water at the run exit, dump it on my head, and feel the shark bite on the back of my neck from my wetsuit!!  Hulo!! Leg’s seem to loosen up quick but the first mile is uphill and my ankles hurt. I’m passed by a few but pass many, many more and hold a steady pace before the last half mile and a downhill sprint. 20 yards of sand at the finish and it’s done!

It was fun throughout. I had a nice conversation or two and enjoyed myself. I was quite pleased with my top 50% swim (it’s a relative thing!), reasonably happy with my bike, but somewhat disappointed on the run.

Stood at the finish and waited for the rookies.  I was satisfied that I’d dusted them well enough to still claim neighborhood triathlon bragging rights…

2008 NEW ENGLAND TRIATHLON TOUR
‘Sprint I Triathlon’
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OVERALL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
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POS DV/TO DIVIS NAME TIME
=== ===== ===== ==== =======
162 25/56 M4549 John 1:08:57
557 54/66 M4044 Mike 1:26:21
558 55/66 M4044 Rob  1:26:22

Well organized race, nice beach, good fun – I’d do it again!