Becoming a “true” triathlete

2011 marks the start of a comeback of sorts, after running cross-country and track both in high school and collegiately I was burnt out and needed some R&R before returning to competitive athletics. Rewind to fall 2010 when I began seriously training again for the first time in about 2 years. After suffering through minimal length workouts for about 8 weeks, I finally began to feel like my former self. After a very consistent winter of training I felt that it was time to begin racing again. After looking at the NM race schedule most of the winter, I decided on several races: Little Boy, Jay Benson, Milkman, Santa Fe, Cochiti. This is a report of my race experiences for the 2011 season.

Atomic Man-Little Boy

In about mid March I finally felt mentally ready to race and decided that my season opener would be Little Boy. After mostly doing easy runs and longer swims, I had begun to add in some intervals and some bike workouts. Race weekend finally arrives and as is typical for Los Alamos, Snow is predicted for the first week of May. During the prerace warm-up temperature were in the 20s and I kept going back and forth between using tights or not. It seemed to be warming up, as race start got closer, so I decided to use only arm warmers and gloves.

As the race goes out, I find myself out way to fast and way to close to the front, especially for the shape I was in. About a quarter in I had the unique experience of getting past by my younger brother for the first time in a race. As it turns out he takes the race lead and pushes the pace the rest of the way. I am content to wait and stalk the lead pack of 5 or 6. Coming into the last half mile I still was able to see the lead pack of guys. Entering T1 I was in about 6^th place and was very happy with my run split.

I managed to catch 3 people in T1, including Alexander and left in 3^rd. During the bike leg I had planned to maintain until the turnaround and crank on the way back. I felt that the way back the hills were easier and you could make more time coming back. I held until the final hill before the turn and was feeling good so I decided to push a little more up the hill. Right before the turn I saw the two leaders within about 30 seconds or so, so I really started pushing. I occasionally caught a glimpse of them until about 2 miles felt, then, I began to feel the lack of bike work and my mph dropped. I hung on until I got to Monterey S and then I was past by Marty. Him passing me woke me up and I was able to finish the bike well.

T2 went smoothly and I was able to overtake Marty early in the run. The second run was pretty miserable; I ended up being content with my place and just held pace.

Overall it was a fun race and a great first race of the season. I was very excited about a 3^rd overall result and excited about the upcoming races.

Jay Benson (ABQ World Championships)

I was particularly excited about Benson since the run course is first, and also quite fast, it would be a very good indication of my current run shape. Alexander and I started in the second wave 2 minutes behind the elite wave. I had planned to go out conservative since the first straight is uphill, and to my surprise Alexander stuck with me on the whole first stretch. We begin catching the end of the first wave. As we crossed roughly the mile he tells me, he was going to go from here and takes off. It was nice of him to wait for me during the first part. I thought about going with him but thought better of it. I kept catching more and more people from the first wave and was able to see Alexander about 30 second upfront. I finished the run and had a smooth T1.

On the bike I started out at a good pace and caught my brother about a mile in. For the first time I had the experience of mostly catching people on the bike instead of being caught. I hit the second turnaround feeling strong and was maintain a good pace. Once again my lack of time on the bike caught up with my and I suffered the last 3 miles.

The swim was also painful. I was out of gas due to lack of training and I couldn’t go. I managed to catch two people but was overall disappointed with my swim.

Final impressions from the race were overall positive but showed that I was out of gas after about 50 min. I needed some longer workouts. I finished with my best time ever at Benson, at just over an hour and just outside the top 10.

Milkman

Milkman is one of my favorite races in NM. The course is a fun, and more difficult then you would think. A lot of the really good guys from down south came out for it this year. My good friends Matt Gonzales and Rance Irving were there also. The lake/pound whatever you want to call it was the clearest I had ever seen it, you could actually see the bottom. I had the advantage of youth during this race, being in the first wave. This I found key because temperatures were supposed to climb to the mid 90s by mid morning. Matt, Rance, and I were all in the same wave. Rance took the early swim lead and never looked back. I swam along side Matt for most of the swim and came out about ten seconds back of him.

On the flip side of being in the early swim wave, they gave all the under 24s the worst transition spots. We had to double back on ourselves to get our bikes and get out of T1. The bike leg was going great. Going up the long hill towards the turn around I noticed I was doing close to 30 going uphill. This of course was due to a great tailwind. The return trip was brutal and the rest of the bike I was suffering. Read: lack of time on the bike.

Coming into T2 I passed my Dad who was just going out on the bike. T2 was uneventful and I went out on the run. I begin passing people as soon as I hit the dirt around the fish hatchery. On the backside of the fish hatchery I began feeling lousy and was light headed. I had been getting water at every aid station but I needed more. I took two glasses of water at each aid station, drank one and poured the other on me to try to keep my core temp down. The heat was getting to me bad. Then I hit the two-mile marker and suddenly felt better and was able to finish strong.

I ended up with a top ten finish and a very good time. I was quite happy with my overall race.

Santa Fe Triathlon

After milkman I had 6 weeks to put in quality training before my next race. I took advantage and added some longer rides and some track work. This was once again a stacked field. The run was first, and it was going to be a fast start. It was completely downhill from the start all the way to the mile marker. Once again I overestimated the shape I was in and started out way to fast chasing the leaders. The next mile was mostly flat and I just tried to hold a solid pace. Pat caught me shortly before the 2 mile marker and I tried to hang with him in the last mile that was all uphill. I couldn’t hang but finished with a solid run time.

T1 went super smooth, I caught multiple people during it and right after the transition. The start of the bike leg I tried to push a little bit and get into a good groove. We made a turn and the rest of the way out was uphill, I put my head down and cranked on it, which worked to my advantage, I had closed to within about 30 sec of my friend Matt. After the turnaround was all-downhill and I gave it everything I had. I finished up the bike leg pretty happy with my effort. Then entering t2 I was able to keep my momentum.

Santa Fe is interesting in the fact that you have to run about 400M to get from transition to the pool. The swim I felt much better than I had late in any race earlier in the season.

Socorro

Socorro is another of my favorite races to do. The only problem with Socorro is the pool can be a little crowed with the time trial swim start. I was lucky and when I started I found myself with clear water both in front and behind me. I had a better swim then I was expecting. I got out of the pool and after passing a small crowd of people I made it to T1. I had a spot on the other side of the transition so I tried to make up some time running without my bike.

I got on the bike and started to push the early portions of it. I was rolling on the bike until we got to the guard shacks to go on the back portion of the bike. Mentally I feel sleep from here to the turnaround, but from the turnaround all the way in I was flying. I finally felt I had some bike legs and was feeling great. Despite raining the night before the course was mostly clear of debris. Coming into t2 one of my shoes got caught on the ground as I dismounted and came off so I had to go back and get it.

Getting out of the run it was surprisingly still overcast and I felt great. I loosened up rather quickly and soon caught several people. Then we turned onto the ditch bank and I really begin moving. I reached the second turnaround and tried to increase the pace. Then with about a half left I started increasing the pace more and for the first time, this season, it felt like I was actually getting up and running. Triatomics overall had an excellent showing, with Pat and Jeff both being in the top 3.

Overall I could not have been happier with this season. The “comeback” is in full force and I can’t wait to see what next season holds now that I have some good races and good base under my belt.