“So, how much can he write about a lousy little sprint?”
Spent the night with racing buddy (and age group competitior) Scott Schiffer outside Poughkeepsie, 15 minutes from the race. So grateful that, even as we approached our early bedtime hour, he drove us through the bike and running course – really helped to know that after that barn, the hill doesn’t stop; remember, it’s a 3.4 mile run, so at this turn there’s a half mile to the finish…
Gorgeous day. Got there early, picked prime spot on the assigned rack – until the last minute stragglers tried crowding 2 more bikes on, and the rack started collapsing. So three of us at last minute moved to an empty rack nearby, where the transition real estate was a little less prime. Scraped a gash in the wetsuit as I put it on, three finger-tips wide (coincidentally? I think not). Warmed up in warm, clear lake water – worried that full sleeve wetsuit would be too hot, but it was only be a half-mile swim. Streamline kick drills (thank you, Debi), backstroke, getting used to the suit and enjoying the compression on my sore sore glutes, miraculously recovered from Monday’s back spasms.
(Middle age ain’t for the faint-hearted!)
Swim went fine after the first buoy, passed folks in prior wave (bizarrely, waves were based on order of registration rather than age or gender – so, who’s in my age group?!), focussed on core, core, core and high recovery elbow (thank you, Val). Ran through the lake weeds at the shore, didn’t stumble on my way out up to Transition. Official Swim time, including run to the bike: 14:02, or 1:36/100 yds – almost my Tt for 800; i’ll take it.
Transition was decent, for a change; helped to be in the back row near the swim in! As I’m getting on my shoes (alas, with dizzy run and hurting back earlier in week, sat down to change shoes rather than balance one legged), Scott runs past me with his bike. “Nice swim, Mark!” (I guess that’s the nicest thing to say, but it still made me mad.)
Few things inspire me more than a bunny to chase – and he’s one of the only guys in my age group in my wave that I know of (these goofy waves, right?). Managed to pass him after a few miles, but i’m huffing and puffing and grateful it’s “just a sprint” because i don’t know if i can keep this up even for 45 minutes and i’m certain that scott is close, close behind me. Played leap frog with another age grouper (“ol’ Blue Shirt”), and he just takes off and passe and logs in a few blocks’ lead on me, then out of sight. Well, one less slot on the podium available, i figure, and keep grinding along, including some long downhills and flats. There’s Blue Shirt again! But he’s coasting in aero position, knees up against the bike frame, and i can’t gain on him despite my pedaling hard.. (I guess he weighs more than I do, or has a realllly good bike). Oddly, felt like more downhills than up, which is a rarity and i’m not complaining, and suddenly at the very end i pass that guy, with a couple miles to T2. 48:51 for 16 miles, avg 20.9 mph!
Felt like a long jog with the bike, and again sat down to change shoes, which accounts for 71/190 for T2. Gotta work on those transitions!
The run was rough – at .8 miles I couldn’t believe i had much more to do. Passed 4 people, got passed twice (who was that woman with the pony tail? She’s gone, baby, gone..), so i guess i’m towards the front of the pack, but i know Scott and Blue Shirt must be close behind and I’ll go nuts if i hear their slap-slap-slap right on my heels, so i’m running as fast as i can and manage to work negative splits, from 7:44 to 7:12, avg 7:28, and just dying in that last half mile after the barn. And thank God it’s a short run.
No pain in my back or glutes! And after i walk walk walk (no sitting for me, for fear of cramping and that back…) and see the stars (Bruce Cadenhead, brother of my neighbor, is on the US team for Oly distance) Scott tells me, don’t freak out, and it’s not official yet, but you came in 1st for our age group. 1:30:11. Beating second place by only 9 seconds! (Not blue shirt i think – He must have been in a different wave – which shows you, even if you think you’re just racing yourself, you’re not!). Scott comes in third, and we have made the f’ing podium, i’m at the top of the podium, and I still can’t believe it.
1/17 AG, 9/158 OA. (And official results say I’m 5/10 male Masters. What does THAT mean?) Finally, I caught the bouquet.