The last race of the season was another great race. I would have posted my race number and a little more info about the race last week but there was only one computer for the entire hotel to share in the lobby so I didn't get on the internet at all from last Wednesday until Saturday after the race.
I drove home on Tuesday to vote for the prez, and hang out with the family a little before I left for Florida the next morning. Wednesday was spent in the car. Beth and Jeff left Lexington around 7 am and picked me up in Corbin a little after 8. With traffic around Atlanta, and stopping at Bob Evan's for dinner (I think this meal was why I did so well, haha), our trip was pretty long. We didn't get into Tampa until about 9 pm or so. We were lucky enough to have a good friend, Ann Skerkoski, who works for the Ironman company who let us stay at her place that evening since our hotel reservations didn't begin until Thursday evening. We crashed for the evening after Beth went to the airport to pick up Eric.
Thursday morning, Eric and Beth worked all day while Jeff and I prepared for our race. We swam the swim course that morning while picking up our packets, going for a short run, and eating lots of food throughout the day. The race provided a very nice "Welcome Dinner" that evening for us. Friday, Jeff and I woke up and went for a little spin on our bikes just to loosen up the legs and make sure the bikes were working properly. We had to check in most of our equipment for the race today and leave it over night, which makes a less stressful race morning.
Race Day: I wake up at 3 am and I can't go back to sleep. Our wave doesn't start until 8 so our alarm was set for 5. But I was just too excited about the race to sleep. I had a Panera bagel with peanut butter and a banana for breakfast with some coffee and Jeff and I headed down to the transition area around 6 am. We got body marked, hung around and got everything in the transition area set up, and just waited around. The key thing before the race was to listen to "This is Why I'm Hot" by MIMS, which was the official song of our trip, haha.
It was a wetsuit swim since the water temperature was just under 70 degrees. The swim started out a lot slower than I'm used to, and was pretty uneventful. I felt comfortable the whole swim and I ran up on the beach in just over 25 minutes. The wetsuit strippers were waiting for me at the beginning of the transition area, and I've never had any experience with wetsuit strippers. I wasn't sure whether to use them or to just strip it myself. Luckily, I layed down, a stripper grabbed my wetsuit, and less than a second later I no longer had my wetsuit on. They were awesome. I came out of T1 feeling great. I hoped on the bike and started hammering.
I got about 6 - 8 miles into the bike and I passed a large pack of cyclists (which is illegal). Right after I passed them, they tagged onto my wheel and shortly passed me back. They went from 23 mph to 28 mph just to pass me. I fought with this group for about 20 - 25 miles. I would try to get away from the pack and they would just stick to me like glue, and swallow me back up. The enevitable happened and I was stuck in the pack for the entire bike.
This was a bittersweet bike considering it's illegal to draft. I knew that I was one of the stronger cyclists in the group and if we were all not in a pack I could be in the front. But everyone that I talked to before the race said that everyone drafts at this race because it is so flat and because everyone is almost equal in their ability to bike fast. I ended up having the fastest amateur bike split of around 2:06:37 (26.5 mph, I think).
Anyways, I came into T2 feeling awesome. I had a quick transition and I took off flying. I went through the first mile in 5:21. I immediately tried slowing down. I knew that was stupid of me, but I just felt so good, it didn't feel fast. I started hearing footsteps around the 4th mile. I didn't look back, I just tried to keep pace. He ran right past me and accelerated. I managed to stick on his shoulder and we traded the lead for about 3 miles. Right after the 7 mile mark, there was an aid station that he skipped and I slowed down to get a little water and gatorade. He put a few meters on me and I never got that gap back. I slowed down a little over that last few miles with my last two miles being right around 6:20 for each. These were slow compared to the 5:50 pace I held through the 8 mile mark. I crossed the finish line and don't really remember much of what was going on.
I found out later that the guy I was running with WAS in my age group, but he was also the overall amateur champion. I finished 2nd in my AG while also finishing 2nd overall and as the top American. I was 24th overall including all of the pros.
I was extremely pleased with my result, and I am know limping around attempting to teach classes, haha. Now for some Rest and Recovery.
Sorry for the length of the post.
T-Bird
I drove home on Tuesday to vote for the prez, and hang out with the family a little before I left for Florida the next morning. Wednesday was spent in the car. Beth and Jeff left Lexington around 7 am and picked me up in Corbin a little after 8. With traffic around Atlanta, and stopping at Bob Evan's for dinner (I think this meal was why I did so well, haha), our trip was pretty long. We didn't get into Tampa until about 9 pm or so. We were lucky enough to have a good friend, Ann Skerkoski, who works for the Ironman company who let us stay at her place that evening since our hotel reservations didn't begin until Thursday evening. We crashed for the evening after Beth went to the airport to pick up Eric.
Thursday morning, Eric and Beth worked all day while Jeff and I prepared for our race. We swam the swim course that morning while picking up our packets, going for a short run, and eating lots of food throughout the day. The race provided a very nice "Welcome Dinner" that evening for us. Friday, Jeff and I woke up and went for a little spin on our bikes just to loosen up the legs and make sure the bikes were working properly. We had to check in most of our equipment for the race today and leave it over night, which makes a less stressful race morning.
Race Day: I wake up at 3 am and I can't go back to sleep. Our wave doesn't start until 8 so our alarm was set for 5. But I was just too excited about the race to sleep. I had a Panera bagel with peanut butter and a banana for breakfast with some coffee and Jeff and I headed down to the transition area around 6 am. We got body marked, hung around and got everything in the transition area set up, and just waited around. The key thing before the race was to listen to "This is Why I'm Hot" by MIMS, which was the official song of our trip, haha.
It was a wetsuit swim since the water temperature was just under 70 degrees. The swim started out a lot slower than I'm used to, and was pretty uneventful. I felt comfortable the whole swim and I ran up on the beach in just over 25 minutes. The wetsuit strippers were waiting for me at the beginning of the transition area, and I've never had any experience with wetsuit strippers. I wasn't sure whether to use them or to just strip it myself. Luckily, I layed down, a stripper grabbed my wetsuit, and less than a second later I no longer had my wetsuit on. They were awesome. I came out of T1 feeling great. I hoped on the bike and started hammering.
I got about 6 - 8 miles into the bike and I passed a large pack of cyclists (which is illegal). Right after I passed them, they tagged onto my wheel and shortly passed me back. They went from 23 mph to 28 mph just to pass me. I fought with this group for about 20 - 25 miles. I would try to get away from the pack and they would just stick to me like glue, and swallow me back up. The enevitable happened and I was stuck in the pack for the entire bike.
This was a bittersweet bike considering it's illegal to draft. I knew that I was one of the stronger cyclists in the group and if we were all not in a pack I could be in the front. But everyone that I talked to before the race said that everyone drafts at this race because it is so flat and because everyone is almost equal in their ability to bike fast. I ended up having the fastest amateur bike split of around 2:06:37 (26.5 mph, I think).
Anyways, I came into T2 feeling awesome. I had a quick transition and I took off flying. I went through the first mile in 5:21. I immediately tried slowing down. I knew that was stupid of me, but I just felt so good, it didn't feel fast. I started hearing footsteps around the 4th mile. I didn't look back, I just tried to keep pace. He ran right past me and accelerated. I managed to stick on his shoulder and we traded the lead for about 3 miles. Right after the 7 mile mark, there was an aid station that he skipped and I slowed down to get a little water and gatorade. He put a few meters on me and I never got that gap back. I slowed down a little over that last few miles with my last two miles being right around 6:20 for each. These were slow compared to the 5:50 pace I held through the 8 mile mark. I crossed the finish line and don't really remember much of what was going on.
I found out later that the guy I was running with WAS in my age group, but he was also the overall amateur champion. I finished 2nd in my AG while also finishing 2nd overall and as the top American. I was 24th overall including all of the pros.
I was extremely pleased with my result, and I am know limping around attempting to teach classes, haha. Now for some Rest and Recovery.
Sorry for the length of the post.
T-Bird
3 comments:
Tony,congratulations. you are the best - i am so impressed with your continued ability to come out on top in your triathlons. I am so proud of you, nephew. Hugs and kisses to you - Francie
I am sure Eric and I getting up at 3:20am did not help you sllep befor the race, sorry about that buddy! I will be quiet next time, ha ha!
Great report Tony. Congrats on a fantastic race. Now what? Time off?
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