I was really pleased with my results at the NYC Triathlon yesterday, despite the 90 degree heat, 88% humidity and recovering from spraining my ankle 6 weeks earlier. I even managed to have fun (for most of it).
The swim was much better than expected. While waiting on shore started a new method: standing in place and doing a “cha cha” to feel the hip rotation. Our wave started at around 7:45 a.m. – and the current, I was told, only gets better as the morning progresses. Jumped off the 4-foot high barge with 12-15 guys at a time – much less jockeying for position and scrambling over rubberized bodies than the mass starts at most races. I managed to start slow and calm – a huge victory. Swam a mile in only 18 minutes – but that was with current in the Hudson. (They say that a bag of Dorritos did the swim in 22 minutes.) Best part was realizing I was the only white swimcap, and passing silver swim caps, then greens, then pinks… !
Crazy transition – running 1/3 mile over pavement, barefoot, wetsuit dangling from waist down, to midway in park area. Was very ginger to protect that ankle, but still managed to run it. I was the second bike out of the rack, and none of the guys I had met pre-race were there yet.
Frankly, I knew my run would suck, so I just poured everything I had into the bike. Never before did I appreciate that the West Side Drive has rolling hills. And pavement ties that make aero bars a cautious exercise. And the bike was much faster than I’ve ever done before – 25 miles in 1:12, a full 19 minutes faster than my best race (among my prior two Olympic-length races); moving up from an average of 19 mph to 20.5 mph. It’s probably because I’ve been training and now using aero bars clipped onto my roadbike. (Used them in last race, in May, but a cleat got stuck in the pedal at mile 18…)
But also, borrowed an aero helmet (thanks again, Bill Logan!), which at least forced me to stay tucked in or it would slow me down. Lastly, on the ride I realized that I could pour that second bottle of rocket fuel (I mean, sports drink) through the hole in the fabric covered top of the sippy cup (oh, THAT’S what it’s for!), and continue to keep the focus on the pavement ahead.
Transition 2 could have been better – stopped too long to drink more, which I should have done towards the end of the ride.
Surprisingly, the run didn’t hurt my ankle at all, but it was still painfully long because of heat, humidity and the fact that, after recovering from the ankle, I’ve only been running for one or two weeks. I was aiming not to start with my heart rate through the roof (the main thing Coach Debi told me to do) and I really was trying to pitter patter up the hill out of Riverside Park, but the first mile average was 160 bpm (sorry, Debi…), and the last mile average was 180 – peaking at 189. (Um, am I lucky to be standing here?) Still, I was shooting for 9:30 or maybe 9 minute miles, and averaged 8:20 for the split and 8:40 by the end – 53 minutes and change. The last mile, I remembered the drill where I pretend there’s a string coming from my core/belly button, and it’s pulling me forward. That was like a secret weapon to pull out of my arsenal.
Overall: 2:31:44. 15th out of 159 in my age group (“Old Men”), so by ONE place, I made my ridiculous, fantasy goal of being in the top 10%. Also, 442/3411 overall, which is top 13%, and I am pretty damn happy about all that. I just wish the run had ended at mile 2… Even assuming the with-current swim doesn’t count at all (though I was probably “faster” than in prior races), the much faster bike and the slower run came out to a 2 minute PR for Olympic distance (that is, over my prior two, in September ’12 and May ‘13).
Doggamn, I did the NYC Tri. And I gave myself over to being “patient” (or at least, acting patient) with recovery from the sprain. (Thank you, Cousin Rob, for preaching the take it slow approach.) Why, two or three weeks ago I was running/walking 1’/3’! And last week, running/walking 3’ / 0:30. I hadn’t done more than 3 consecutive miles in the week before the race. But I did enough to avoid further injury. That’s something to enjoy.
Most of all, thanks to my stunning wife for putting up with me and for being at the Finish Line, I had a real person to look forward to reaching at the end of a grueling race. Plus, she signed up me for a Swedish Institute massage. That, 3 coconut waters (Zico was a sponsor) and two bottles of sports drink made recovery the best ever. I didn’t even nap after the race.
Next, my first Toughman Half (70.3) in early September. Hope I can get enough running in before then – and Croton on Hudson is very hilly…