Carlsbad Triathlon - 7.9.2006

Yesterday I competed in the 25th annual Carlsbad Triathlon. I am in full-on training mode right now and this was defintely a "C" race, but I really wanted do the race. I only live about 5 miles from where the race is held, it's right along the beach, and there is usually a good Elite turn out. This year was no different. Luke Bell, Ian Pyott, Lewis Elliot, Michellie Jones, and Heather Fuhr.

Saturday:
3 hour/52 mile ride - Rode throug Camp Pendleton

I was feeling kind of tired going into the weekend and not really 100% after running the 10k earlier in the week. I was not planning on resting at all for this race so I didn't. I felt really good during my ride and probably rode a little harder than I should have. No worries.

Sunday: Race Day

Pre-Race:
Transition opened at 6:30 and I was there ready to go. I got body marked, but all they were doing was putting your number on you, not your age. This always annoys me. I like to know what guys are in my AG while on the bike and run. They also had the waves set up kind of weird.
Wave 1: Elite/Men 30-34
Wave 2: Men 35-39
Wave 3: Men 40-44
Wave 4: Men 29 & Under

So I was in wave 4 and new I would have to swim through people and was kind of bummed that I would be able to go head to head with the Elites.

Swim - 1000m - Ocean swim/Beach Start

We started about 10 yards from the waters edge and it was full-on sprint of 85 guys charging the water. The surf entry was fun as there was a little swell in the water. I got out to the first buoy just behind the lead pack. I just cruised through most of the swim and came out probably a minute or two behind the top guys. Overall I was happy with the swim and it didn't take anything out of me.

T1

Super quick. Wetsuit came of with no problems and I was out.

Bike - 15 miles - rolling hills

If felt pretty good going out on the 2 lap bike course. Heading south was fast and there were a couple of short steep climbs, which I took out of the saddle and passed quite a few people (most were in the waves ahead of me.) At the first turn around point my legs were starting to feel the ride from the day before. I could tell I was kind running out of juice. It didn't help that the northbound part of the loop was mostly false flat straight into a head wind. I got passed by 2 guys that were in my wave, but wasn't sure if they were in my AG or younger. So I tried to stay with them. I was able to hang with them (not drafting) through the end of the first lap and half of the second. When we hit the wind and false flat they put a good gap on me. They both had aero carbon wheels and aero helmets and that may have helped them a bit, but my legs were feeeling pretty dead by that point.

T2
Quick again. In and out.

Run - 5k - mostly flat with a couple rolling hills

I immediately saw one of the guys that passed me on the bike about 50 yards a head of me. He was easy to see as he was wearing a UCLA Bruins Tri suit. I was feeling pretty good on the run and just went for it not knowing what place I was in. It took me about a mile to catch him and he was running pretty good but I was able to blow by him. I could then see a head for about the next mile to the final turn around and saw two guys ahead of me that I knew were in my wave. One I knew was younger but the other I wasn't sure. So I just worked on tracking them down. A caught and passed the first guy pretty quick and then it about another 1/4 mile to get to the next. Once I caught him I tried to push him because I knew I wasn't competing with him (he was in the 20-24 AG). I tried to encourage him to keep up with me so he could build his lead on the guys I just passed. He hung with my until the final turnaround at mile 2. I just poured in on after that and put a 30+ seconds on him in the last mile. My legs were defnitely hurting but I just grinded through. There was really big crowd and their cheering defintely pushed me.

Finish - 1:16:38
1st in AG out of 44 - by almost 3 minutes
12th overall out of 1000
I also beat everybody that started in my wave (29 & under) which I was pretty stoked about.

I would have finsihed 8th (7th was only 2 seconds faster than me) if I would have competed with the Elite Men. I really want to race toe to toe with these guys to see just how much faster I can go with them pushing me. I also curious to see how much faster I can go with some actual rest and tapering, but I am saving that for Xterra Nationals.

I will be doing the Camp Pendleton International Triathlon this coming weekend and my coach really has me taking it easy this week. It will be my first olympic distance race and I should be feeling pretty fresh. We'll see how it goes.