Busted

Season Opener and the Details, Oh Joy!

First Race of the season is complete and guess who gets to hear about it.... (of course that's a rhetorical question)

Today I raced in a super sprint 300m swim, 11mile bike, 2mile run. Named The Rookie Tri, it is designed for new triathletes to get there first experience of triathlon in controlled environment, (naturally a bunch of elites show up get really competitive with each other and get our own division to really intimidate rest of the athletes... all in good fun though) this was my first race since October of 2012. This distance only allows for one speed, fast, no time to get into the "groove". Salty weather faced the forecast for the day, low 50's and mild winds, normally a great day to run, but not after swimming, biking. The cold weather forced me into my new wetsuit, excited to break this bad boy in I got to use my new Blueseventy Helix, I also was debuting a couple other new toys my Giro Air Attack helmet (goofy but efficient), and my State 58m Tubular Carbon race wheels... All equally awesome. 

You went over my Helmet? Ludicrous speed Go!

Swim

Cold... water temp  pre race claimed 74. Lie. Glad to be in my wetsuit for the very short and very very cold swim. The start was absolute chaos; kicking, grabbing, punching, bitting? we fought off the windy choppy surf for a mere 4 minutes. 4:45. Good start but still have work to do. Exited the water for a long 300m run to T1 to exit my wetsuit. Graceful like a 2 year old trying to get out of the wet clothes I stumbled around for 1:50 till I got ready for the bike.

Bike

Shades, new helmet, bike and go running to the line I attempt my flying mount on the run.... keep practicing. The short 11 miles does not allow for too much error. The windy hilly course is pushed to every corner and chicane in order to maintain overall speed. Never fails my trusty bike legs kick in and make up position and time lost from my shenanigans in T1.  30:07 11miles 22.3mph.

What the hell was I doing in T1

Run

Returned from the bike with a group of 6 all dismounted simultaneously(beautiful) and come into T2. Slipped on the flats with a small snag and headed out. Another short interval in store you really just don't think and run. Ditched 4 immediately I had 2 in front to chase. The run is on a XC course with grass and cinder and hills. Fun, fun, fun. split the first mile 5:50 and picked off another spot 8'ish place is locked up still chasing the guy in front of me down we caught one more runner 6/7. Unfortunately no raw speed to report, but felt very controlled on the run. Cruised on 2miles off the bike at 11:35.

All said and done, that was fun and a great way to start off a year. It was refreshing to break from training and rub paint with other athletes. This race was exactly a 1/4 of my effort and distances that I will tackle at nationals and I feel good at the end of the day.

Thanks to everyone

Luke's Locker

Jack and Adams

Jamie Cleveland

My new Toys:

Saucony

Giro

Blueseventy

State Wheels

"The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” 
― Christopher McCandless