The weather in CO has been crazy lately with 100* plus days where you have to escape into the mountains or end up fried. Then the fires started all over the state putting a haze in the air and particulates that irritate your lungs when doing outdoor activities. I feel so bad for the people that lost their homes in CO springs, Flag Staff and Fort Collins area. That being said I had an intense 2 week training block to get ready for the Boulder Peak Olympic Tri (my third time doing it). As a part of the 5150 series and HyVee qualifier this was my last Chance to place within the top 15 in my age group and get into the national championships in Iowa. I added 2 extra days to my taper and made sure that any training I did do wasnt going to be too fast paced to recover from quickly.
I was able to pick up my packet just before the skies opened up and flooded out the event site, we are talking deep 6" trenches the water left on the beach. The forcast called for much of the same but come race day the rains stopped when transition opened at 6am.
No longer a nuub, I used some smart thinking and avoided potentially 20+mins of lines both in the car and at the bathroom. My transition spot was 3 racks away from the swim in entrance which is where I like to be. Running in the wetsuit and barefoot is a lot slower than in sneakers. Transition closed at 7am and I was in the last AG wave at 8:10. The clouds were starting to break up to show a little sun and the dense fog up on Old Stage started to dicipate. It reminded me of when I did the Syracuse 70.3, rainy, wet and foggy. Then I wore sunglasses, today I was prepared to wear clear lenses, but just before I left transition I switched them out as the day became a bit brighter and promising.
I must have went to the bathroom 3 times before my wave, but at least I had time to do so. With about 10 mins to go I threw on the wetsuit and headed out on the beach at the Boulder Res. I waded out into the water to a front position on the bouy side (the squeeze side as I call it), where I put on the goggles that had leaked on me 2 races ago (brand new 35$ goggles). I put my face in the water to check them out and they were fine, then waited for the horn.
Swim:
I started off with good start pace, and was surprised not to be trampled right away. I did have a few knocks, one where the guy next to me locked arms on the stroke and a few times just bumping around trying to create space. One of the guys I was battling with was Eric from the Kompetitive Edge team (one of our tri store sponsors for Rocky Mountain Tri Club), who I've gone on a few training rides with. I dont know what did it but all of a sudden im choked up and about to have a panic attack. I have never felt this in a race, only in practice where I just simply stop swimming and bob there for a bit. Since this was a race, that was not an option. I tried to settle my breathing and keep my face out of the water a little but it wasnt working, for 200M it was just getting worse. I then just closed my eyes and swam harder trying to get away from anyone near me and hit the open water alone. Within a few strokes this actually worked even though my goggles had started to fog up I got back into the game and was fine. I sighted all 7 bouys going out to the first turn, and even the next but after that it was hit and miss (my goggles cleared up a bit for some reason). However being the last wave, there were plenty of people to sight off of instead of having to lift my head. I swam next to one of Eric's teammates and behind this guy I knew I was faster than but couldnt seem to pass since he kept weaving all over the place. Regardless, I was out of the water around 25 (I never stopped the watch) (24:35- 16th/82 in my wave out of the water). Thats a min faster than the KC 5150 on 5/20.
T1 was uneventfull except the added step of placing a gel in my pocket (I should do this under my wetsuit next time, it will be fine they are sealed and water proof). During KC I had to come back for this.
Bike:
Even though I wasnt out of breath too much before now, I got on the bike, got my feet in and then was out of breath (the first hill coming out of the first turn doesnt help much). Right away 3 people passed me including a girl. I biked my own race though, knowing that I had to get under control before turning up Old Stage and the massive hill climb that includes some 15% incline. I made it to the hill about 2 mins later than I had in training and started hammering up while in the saddle for as long as I could. In training I could do it with some great cadence seated, but today it was slow, out of the saddle and lacking in either coordination or power. While I was out of breath, I wasnt gasping like previous years.
While on the climb there were a few interesting sightings to deter your focus.
-Old lady in front of her house in her bathrope with nothing on under neath. Confirmed, Eric saw the goods.
-The pick up that Ironman employee Jess had driven into a ditch that was teedering on 2 wheels. Pictures or it didnt happen!
Post summit you get a water station (aka, a sip of electrolite drink before you have to ditch it because you dont have a holder for it), and a nice 35mph speed limit the first mile even though you can easily get up over 45, I've been at 48 myself but that was on a dry, clear day with the road to myself. Anything over this limit and you get an automatic DQ, no questions. I was able to pass that girl back and leave her there. After the line though, I hammered except for one turn that just didnt look right to me. A guy behind me rolled up along side me and without saying anything we took the turn in parrallel and he commended me on my choice to slow down right there and not killing us both. We then played a little cat and mouse before he just took off on me as the hill leveled out close to Rt 36. You get about 8 miles of downhill for your earlier efforts, this is the fun part! I was passing stragglers but no one in my age group. People really have to learn to stay right, some dumb asses were riding right in the middle of our lane and its not even a closed course!
I was surprised how late in the ride I was still feeling strong and not like I just wanted to get off the bike. The first showing of my training efforts. I came into the second to last turn basically in a peleton boxed in, but when I saw an opening I reminded myself that it was a race and that a downhill was coming up so I agressivly passed them. Of course the last remaining hill, they got me back somehow (3 guys). I pulled into T2 7 mins later than I had wanted, again I didnt stop the watch to see what it was exactly. Its strange that the event I spent the most time and money on have yeilded the least results. I wouldnt change it though, my tri bike was a great purchase, fits great and is an absolutely amazing bike (maybe not set up the best gearing wise for Old Stage).
T2:
No I was too busy avoiding people stopped at the dismount line (no flying dismount this time, no room), and trying to find my area. For some reason I ran past it and couldnt find it, wasting at least 20 sec.
Run:
I got out on the run course relaxed and ready to gun down anyone within striking distance. In the first mile I passed 2 people from my age group, second mile repeated that again. By mile 3 at the turn around I had 6 people passed from my age group and spotted a guy that I marked for passing. There were stations just about every mile and while I didnt take in any cals I did dump water on my head at every one of them and take a alt (water/powerade) drink at all but 2 of them. Mile 4 my legs started locking up and every step was painful in the quads. My calves were burning. I felt like I had a collapsed right lung but somehow kept passing people. At mile 5 I took a quick look back, I was not about to be sniped today. Especially seeing how I didnt know what place I was in at all. Ill try to figure it out on a story board knowing that I left the water in 16th. I somehow managed a kick the last 600m, gasping for air like I was at the finish of the BB10k. The guy that I had marked to pass ended up being 40 so he wasnt even in my age group, but he was running with a guy that was. That made 6 or 7 on the run. The next guy ended up being 40 seconds ahead.
Mile splits:
7:02
I finished 25th out of 82 in my age group, no where near top 15 both in place and time. Even with my goal paces totaling a 2:26 finish I still would have only placed 19th. It is dissappointing but at the same time I had shown huge improvement both over last year and over the Kansas City race, and its hard to belittle a 7:48min course PR. Boulder is pretty competative and I placed 42nd last year. I got word that 5150 may not have enough people for HyVee and they may start doing a roll down from previous races. So there is a chance with my 18th place finish at KC, but its a small chance.
For now its a few days rest and then ramp up and start loging some major miles to get ready for the Boulder 70.3 Half Ironman 8/5/12 for some unfinished buisness and to take my DNF off the boards!
Results:
S: 24:35 pace 1:39/100m 203 OA/ 16 Div
T1: 2:04 (15th out of T1)
B: 1:20:45 speed 19.4 419 OA/42 Div (30th off the bike)
T2: 1:33 (31st out of T2)
R: 44:18 pace 7:09 240 OA/ 26 Div (Finished 25th)
2:33:15 25th out of 82
261 over all
225/724 men
