In 2012, West Point was my second triathlon ever. I was so nervous then, I drove up so I could ride and run the course — but I couldn’t run it, because a cadet was guarding the entrance of Camp Buckner with a machine gun. (These guys take their security, and their studies, VERY seriously.). At the end of that race, my gym buddy Drew Akhao told me that if I stopped putting on biking gloves and socks, and got a decent bike, I’d immediately shave off 3 minutes from my time…
This time, I drove up with Vadim Shteynberg, who was full of good cheer and a better sense of direction – turns out, Camp Buckner is a different campus, 6 miles away from West Point — and we got there around 6:45, which gave just enough time to get my registration, meet up with Tom Andrews, Kevin Carlsten and his wife Katie, and ‘Zander, all from Dobbs Ferry and Hastings, and get situated in transition before it closed at 8 a.m.
A total of 37 guys signed up in my age group, and 31 raced — the heat and humidity were predicted to be pretty bad, which may have scared away some of them. Got to the lake to warm up. The water is an unbelievable 85 degrees, so wetsuit illegal – but I had bought a “speed suit” for the occasion. I’m not really sure what it does other than pack me in even tighter than my one piece tri suit, and it’s allowed when wetsuits aren’t.
The national anthem, as you can imagine, is sung simply and beautifully.
I take my 3 capsules of BCAAs as the first wave begins, with plans to take 4 tablets of EAAs 15 minutes into the bike, and at 45 minutes a salt and caffeine tablet (whoo-Hoo! Caffeine is still legal!). Taking no chances in this heat.
The cadets take off, swimming in a STRAIGHT LINE, like a flock of birds, really disciplined drafting. We were 9th out of 10 waves, so didn’t start until 8:45 or 9 a.m. – as the temperature rose. I’m still jittery at the start, after all these races, but I manage to remember my mantra: grateful that I’m alive, that I wasn’t hurt more when biking and hit by a car (now seven weeks ago), and that amazingly I am racing. And strangely enough, that carries me across the mat and into the water.
The 0.5 mile swim starts well. I start by the right side, closer to the weeds and triangular buoy and what looks like a shorter course, and I push hard and get into a groove, and I am swimming right next to my racing buddy BJ Wilson (in his purple Team in Training tri suit)
which is fun and encouraging because I remembered he’s a pretty strong swimmer but damn if he isn’t pushing me off course, he’s going further and further to the right, and I realize I have to stop bumping him and pass him instead or he’ll add yardage to my swim as well as his own! Round the buoys, a little slow in the turnover but feeling strong, pass a lot of people (including a bunch doing breast stroke — clearly, short races invite a lot of new athletes…). I go for a straight line to the shore, but it’s so far to the right of everyone else that I hit more weeds, actually have to walk a few steps, the get back in to swim. Result: 14:06, (4/31 AG, 83/453 OA); not bad for no wetsuit.
Run a bit (mostly on paved road) to get into transition, where it looks like only 1 or 2 bikes have left before me, which is a sign that I swam better than most in my age group — but I’ve been overconfident before, and remember that all of my group probably didn’t fit onto the two racks of bikes I can see, and who knows how many guys beat me on the swim, but it’s okay, I’m here just to do what I can, and my goal is to feel solid on each leg of the race. T1 in 1:25 (8/31 AG… maybe due to speed suit removal, when everyone else swam in their shorts …)
The bike, brand new Parlee TTiR on its maiden race, feels good.
I’m panting as I start, and I pant throughout, but it’s only a 14-mile bike leg, so I’m allowed to pant. It’s a right hand turn and uphill to the first turnaround, and a lot of folks on mountain bikes weaving a bit as they go uphill (“Left! Thank you”), nice aero tuck screaming downhill. Another rolling hill or two to the second turnaround, back along the same road, turn right into the entrance. I’m doing what I can, this is fun, I think I pass a couple of guys in my age group, but hard to read the numbers on moving calves… Bottom line: 41:44, or 19.7 mph. I’ll take it. (And, I later discover, 2/31 AG…)
I get to transition, and there are NO bikes on my rack, again suggesting that I have arrived before anyone else in my age group, but who knows, another dozen guys could be on a different rack, I’ll just do what I can and it’s DISTRACTING to think about the podium before crossing the finish line… T2 feels pretty good, but I think what slows me down the most is ticking down the mental checklist before I leave the bike (not wanting, for example, to start the run with my helmet on, like I did at my first race… ). T2 in 0:59 (8th in AG).
The run is only 5k, thank you, and by this time it’s warmer, but breezy and not too bad, and I hate these out and backs with extra scenic loops, you see all the guys ahead of you running TOWARDS you, but other than one guy in my age group at the very beginning whom I pass while he’s stretching his shoulders (and squandering his lead!) I don’t see ANYONE who is competing with me for the podium, unless of course there’s a bunch of guys so far ahead I don’t see them, and I start leap frogging with this tall guy who is, fortunately, 5 years younger, and he eventually passes me and I don’t give chase and don’t really push my hardest because (a) it’s hot and (b) there’s no one close enough ahead or behind me to change whether I am going to make the podium.
Besides, my goal is to feel strong and that’s happening. And I’m doing 7:30s or a little faster on the downhills, not great but good pace, and it’s mostly shady, and I’m pushing hard on the up hills whereI feel surprisingly springy and pass more people, and then down again towards the finish line (that’s what I like about this race, the downhill finish) and I push and cross and DONE. Run in 23:24 (7:33 min/mile).
Total time 1:22:05 (though my Garmin says 1:20:50 – who would you choose to believe?). Which in any event is nearly 5 minutes faster than my time on the same course four years ago (1:26:59). And sufficient for …
1st place for my age group!
1/31 AG, 42/453 OA. I didn’t need the win to feel it was a good race – met my goal of feeling solid on each section — but this is turning out to be a pretty good season, despite all that’s happened.
And it feels GREAT to be alive and racing.