Greetings from Burlington, Vermont
Pictures by Rebekah T., Thomas G., and Tomasz
I was not
quite sure what to expect from my first Olympic-distance triathlon, but have
delivered a solid performance, finishing in 2 hours 21 minutes and have placed
35th/120 in the M50-54 Age Group. Needless to say, there were many
very fast folks in their fifties racing on Saturday, and trying to keep up with
them was quite challenging.
The day
started with a beautiful sunrise and a wicket wind. Lake Champlain, the swim
venue of the race, was stormy as the first swim waves jumped in the water.
Those with weak stomachs will certainly remember this experience for quite some
time after being rocked by the waves during the 1,500 meter swim. In addition
the sunrise made the sighting virtually impossible for those breathing to their
right side (myself, included). Unfortunately, one of my age-group triathletes
did not finish the race as he drowned during this challenging swim. I did not
have an easy time either. After having passed the second turn-around buoy the
strong swell pushed me far toward the shore, thus forcing me to make up about
150-250 meters before finishing the swim in 28 minutes.
A beautiful morning, but can't miss the whitecaps
After,
what seemed to have been a lengthy transition (3 min), I was on the bike
pushing the low gear on a well-maintained asphalt road, surrounded by
picturesque vistas of the Chittenden County. The 26-mile ride came to an end in
1 hour and 6 minutes bringing a big smile to my face.
There was not much room for all the transition gear after all the bikes were racked. Have lost some time looking for my running stuff in T2
The
second transition also felt as if it took forever (2 min 30 sec), as I could
not find my running gear under an avalanche of wetsuits and other
"stuff." Once on the run, I was back in my domain climbing the
initial 400-meter hill (a 9% grade heart-rate stimulator). After that, the
course had leveled off for the rest of the run. The biggest challenge for me
was to determine how hard to push and at the same time not to blow up. I think,
I found the proper balance and finished the run in 40 minutes. In the end,
15 minutes separated the M50-54 AG winner from myself.
Starting the 6-mile run
This finish chute was a very lively site during the race
NormaTec pressure cuffs were there again. One can almost fall asleep while being squeezed
It was a
great speed training opportunity before the upcoming Ironman Louisville and a
chance to spend the weekend with friends. We all had a great time, indeed.
With Aaron, Rebekah, and Michael
I finished the race by 10:10AM and the organizers did not disappoint with the menu. How often can you have a burrito for breakfast?
Pictures by Rebekah T., Thomas G., and Tomasz
