First Olympic Race - Wardrobe Malfunction

Happy Mother's Day! Thinking about where I am with my triathlon training, business affairs, and commitments to various charitable causes...I know that I would never be able to balance everything without the selfless commitment of my wife...she really does it all...mom, wife, tutor, best friend, class mother, chauffeur, family psychologist, and now...triathlete...she is getting ready for her first triathlon on June 7 in Naples...she is amazing...I really hit the lottery with my wife Melissa!

Siesta Key Sharks Olympic Distance Triathlon - May 9, 2009. First race since New Orleans 70.3 on April 5. This was my first Olympic Distance race.

I have been excited and cautiously optimistic about this race. I felt rested and ready. The only concern I had was that I have been in "build" mode for the last 5 weeks after New Orleans...I have not had any of those narly swim work-outs or LONG bike rides or crazy track work-outs where you feel like you are gonna die. My work-outs have been a mix of good drill work in the pool, 30 mile bike rides in HR 2-3 range followed by 30 minute transition runs, and the occassional Sunday long run of 11-15 miles. So I worried a bit that maybe I had lost some of my fitness...

Wrong.

Drove up to Siesta Key at 4:45 AM. Registered and got set in transition. Beautiful morning - 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. I always have that feeling like I forgot something. Maybe my knee strap or goggles or swim cap or Fuel Belt. Everything was in check. I warmed up on the beach, took a quick dip and peed and said my traditional prayer...

7:36 wave start after the elites and under 35 group. No wet suits as the gulf was 81 degrees and a bit rough...Love it. Good for strong swimmers. I go out hard so that I don't have to climb over people...After about 200-300 meters, I am in second place with one guy way out ahead of me...another guy is drafting right behind me and then the rest of the 60 green caps are behind me.

At 500 meters, I start to pass the lingering blue caps. Always a good feeling. I make the turn in 11 minutes and know that I am on to something...the return is into the sun and into the current...but I decide to kick harder and force my stroke a bit...I was thinking 24:30 would be a great 1500 meter swim time. Sighting was harder than New Orleans with the glare and less buoys but I nailed it. This was my straightest swim yet in a race.

Hit the last buoy in 22 flat, turn left and head toward the beach...another 100 meters of fast and furious swimming and hit the mat in 24:12...basically tied for second out of the water.

I suck at transitions. I have road shoes that need to be screwed tight, knee strap, prescription sun-glasses and two left hands. Not to mention I always feel shaky and seasick getting out of the water...

I go to strap on my helmet...(old 2005 LG Aero helmet that T-bart gave me) and boom the buckle breaks...I have nothing...no way to clip my helmet strap. I ride out of transition and go "no hands" for the first quarter mile, fumbling with the helmet. I tried to manually tie it. Nothing. I pull over. Now the panic and frustration strikes. I start seeing bikes whiz by me. Nothing. Can't get it together...Wasted at least 2 minutes on the side of the road...There goes the lead I had from the swim.

My next move was stupid. I put on the helmet and went 25 miles with a loose helmet...I never fixed it. I know that if I wrecked I would have no head protection. Thank God. Nothing happened.

Felt good on the bike. There was a pretty steady head and tail wind on the double loop. I averaged about 22.5 mph and finished in 1:09. Not bad considering the helmet delay. One side note...there was a LOT of traffic on this course...that sucked. Cars blazing by, bonking horns, giving riders the finger...it really slowed everyone down and kept me on edge. New Orleans was so nice...56 miles with no auto-traffic.

T2 was uneventful although I am still slow. Looking at the results, I am in the bottom 3rd in terms of transition times...I must address this if I ever hope to podium.

The run course was slow...It was 1/2 winding sand trails, 1/4 road, 1/4 sand...and about 300 meters of very soft sand...like beach volleyball soft....the last stretch of soft sand was at mile 6...in the sun...with the finish line taunting us at the end of the soft sand...I felt like I was running in slow motion at the end.

This run was personal for me. I have this terrible hang up that I am no good off the bike. New Orleans gave me this feeling where I could barely hold 9 minute miles off the bike. My first mile yesterday was a bit slow through the trails - 8:10...But then I kicked it in and hit a rythym. I held 7:30s through Mile 5 and then really hammered the last mile. I ran the 10K in 47:18 which is close to 7:30 miles. Awesome considering the winding trails and patches of soft sand...not to mention the heat...It was 87 degrees at the finish line.

Now for the fun part. I finished in 2:25:25. I knew last year's 5th place podium time was 2:26. My goal in 2009 is at least 1 podium finish in any race. I knew I had a shot. But I also saw that I got passed by TWO guys in my age group on the run. I knew I was good out of the water but thought I saw 2 or 3 "Disk Wheel Willies" pass me on the bike...

Sure enough, there I was. 6th place. 2:24:13 was 5th. Missed the podium by about a minute. The helmet issue and the poor transitions cost me. So in New Orleans, I dealt with no odometer...and in this race, I dealth with helmet maladies. I this Karma? Or myopia for not carefully checking equipment prior to the race?

I can't complain. I am now into this for about a year and I continue to improve. I continue to be coachable. I can now "taste" the podium. I am definitely getting hungrier.