This was my first race of 2010. It’s always nice to race close to home – sleeping in your own bed before a race is a big plus! I arrived around 7 and set-up my gear in transition. The shorter races draw a less experienced crowd with a laid back approach. I had several conversations in the TA with 1st timers. After watching the first 3 swimmers out of the water go through T1 I went for a short run to get warmed up and then made my way to the swim start line.

 

Swim – 500 yards short course - I seeded myself on 1:30 per 100 yards, that got me 126th spot in line, a huge mistake. The starter was sending athletes off every 15 seconds. I passed 6 or 7 people in the water. It was my first ever pool race and first time in a swim skin. I took two things away from the swim – I would be faster if I could flip turn and ALWAYS lie about your pace in a pool race to get seeded closer to the front.

 

Bike – 20K - Saw lots of my buddies leaving T1, always great to hear the crowd support and it gets me pretty amped up. I tried to get on the gas and stay in it all through the ride. There was considerable wind on the course and my hips were tight for the first 3 miles but once they loosened up I felt pretty good. I started so far back in the pool I had plenty of people to pass on the bike, I even passed a few cars that had slowed for cyclists on the course. I was riding without a HR monitor so PE was the only gauge in use. I worked hard and ended up averaging about 22.3 MPH, based on my current level of fitness it was a good result.

 

Run – 5K - Same group of friends with a few guys that had finished the race already cheering at T2. Always good to see orange and blue. I was working really hard for the first 2 miles and felt like I was going nowhere. After mile 2 I felt much more settled and could feel the pace picking up.

 

My wife and son made it to the race in time to see me finish. He is only 9 months old so he probably won’t remember the first time he saw his dad race. But I will never forget this one for a few reasons. I was 2nd in my AG - my first ever triathlon podium! But I was not really thinking too much about the race, I almost stayed in bed that morning. My wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer the Friday before the race, but she was there with the baby and a big smile to cheer me on! When we are cancer free in 2011 we are going to take a vacation to celebrate her victory over cancer. I am lobbying hard for Hawaii in June, maybe in a year you will be reading my race report from Hawaii 70.3. Until then please keep me and my family in your prayers.