This past weekend I raced at one of my favorite venues; High Cliff State Park in Sherwood, WI. The swim is in Lake Winnebago. The bike is on a fairly flat course which suits me well. The run is FANTASTIC! It starts with a half mile torture climb followed by a trail run. Love, love, love the trail run.
I can't remember how many times I've done this race. I think about 6 now. Some have been at the half distance and some at the sprint distance. This year was a sprint race.
I really had one goal; put the Elkhart Lake Oly behind me and race hard.
That's how it went. The swim is short; 1/4 mile and actually probably shorter than that. I focused on sighting and staying calm. It went well. There were wetsuit peelers at this event. How fun is that? There is some skill involved in picking your peeler. You can't just pick anyone. They have to look fearless and aggressive. Ready to grab that suit and RIP it off NOW! Sometimes I've guessed wrong and picked a few who pulled a little gently and there I sat, ass on the ground killing time! Anyway, I got a few good ones and I was on my way.
The bike was good. Decent power. But I was leery. There was no way I was getting another penalty! There was a period of about 5 miles when I had this guy in front of me. We were about the same speed but I could tell I was just a touch faster. I knew I could probably pass him in 15 seconds but it would take a huge amount of effort. Then I would be spent and he would pass me back. And I was worried the cycle would continue. I could just envision an official coming by and there I'd be, with a penalty. So, I played it safe and stayed back the 3+ bike lengths needed to avoid the penalty and was careful to not get in the drafting zone.
Running on this course is a treat! The hill up front might kill you but after that it is heavenly. Running through the woods on grass and dirt trails and limestone surface is a nice change from the grind of asphalt. My run in the 5K was greater than 1 minute faster than the last time I did this race as a sprint in 2009. Woo Hoo!
Anyway, I wasn't last. 3rd overall and 1st in age group.
I have to end this with a big shout out to all my friends and hope-to-be new friends that I met at the race.
-Kim, YOU are truly a LIGHT at the races. Your energy and smile are infectious.
-Veronica and Dave, so nice to meet you both even if it WAS at the port-a-potty.
-Adam, you're such a great husband! and photographer! Kristi, I'm sorry I missed you.
-Paula, nice work! You're just killing those women in your age group. Can't you give them a chance?
This weekend it's off to WIBA. Wisconsin Brick Adventure. Simply the best free training camp ever!
2 comments:
Sah-weet! Way to come back STRONG!
Have fun at WIBA, hope the weather is nice.
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