It's been a solid two years since my last post and this weekend feels like it deserves a post. My training has been focused on and off since deciding to alter my priorities in the last 3 years. I have a beautiful fiance, a great and demanding job, a heck of a family, and then racing is a solid and distant 4th place. And between bike racing, running racing, and the very occasional swimming race I have had mixed results the last few years. However, because I have done at least a bit of all three, I have been able to put up a decent tri from time to time.
This weekend was one of those good races. It started with a 6 hour drive from SF down to LAX to pick up Caroline flying in from Miami from a conference. Then it was another 3 hours to Oceanside. Caroline, Chris and I got checked in, snagged some dinner and were packed and ready for the day ahead. The morning started with a
http://firstendurance.com/nutrition/efs-liquid-shot.html and a couple coffees as we prepped for the day. I was in the first wave of M30-34 which followed 3 waves of M40-44. My swim fine. Having swam 6-8 times in the last 12 months I couldn't really hope for much.
Heading out on the bike, I felt pretty great. Rolling smoothly in the 310-330 wattage range on my
Quarq Elsa. When I dropped 1 of my 3 bottles with 2 scoops
EFS and one scoop Carbo Pro I figured "well, I better ride pretty darn fast if I am only going to have 2 bottles." And ride fast I did. I felt pretty great yet tried to keep it as steady as I could. Out of the saddle only when it made the most sense up climbs and rollers.
Strava has my weighted average power at slightly under 300 watts. I believe I pass the last racer in my age group at about mile 30 and powered on, rolling into T2 ready to run.
The run was a new course for me as it had been 4 years since my last Oceanside. The double out and back let me keep and eye on the competition. My goal was to run steady as I was still recovering from Napa Marathon in early march. I have been able to run 6:00-6:30 but barely any faster. I ended up running
6 @ 6:00 and 7.1 @ about 6:30, a good run, but not world beating. I was happy to have put a great race together and with the amateur overall, something I have not done in a long time.
We hopped in the car and drove straight home, 9 hours again!
It feels good to be racing well, but even better to be watching Caroline progress so quickly. It doesn't get much better than a 30 min PR!
Next event is heading to Boston to watch Caroline. She will put together another studly race I am sure.
