Solana Beach Triathlon race report
Woke up at 4:30 (set the alarm for 5:00, but couldn’t sleep)....
Had a yougurt, granola, blueberry bowl....some coffee, and set my bike on the back of my friend’s bike rack..... ready to go
this is a short sprint 400m swim, 9 mile bike and 3 mile run… so i felt ready ... I had done this last year, so the PR was at stake!
We had decided to leave @ 6:00 am which for me is REALLY late, but I was placating the wives (who voluntered to take the pictures), and left at a later time than i like to get to the race.
By the time we got there (6:30), there was no place for my bike in the transition area (the first for my short triathlon experience). I finally found a place to squeeze between two guys ( far away from the ends) and set up my stuff
Running shoes, running hat, Bike helmet, sun glasses, bike shoes, wetsuit.... check… put on some ‘tri-slide’ (to get out of my wetsuit easily) all on a towel, set to go.... put my suit on and may my way down to beach start area… Went out for a quick warm up swim ... water VERY warm.... feel good!
After the swim, as my ‘wave’ gets closer to starting, I went for a short run to stay warm… watched each wave go out to the waves… some good size ones too!
the time finally came for our wave to go off… i took the space in the front… a little nervous.... counting down from a minute ... 10 seconds .... HORN!!!!!!
jumping through the waves… out beyond the waves.... to the first buoy… being passed by a number of people in the waves, but passing some too… passed the first buoy, got my breathing down, my stroke stronger, and sighting the next buoy.... turn towards the beach… and swam as fast as i could! bumped in to couple people, heading for the beach.....
Caught a small wave and the way in and passe two people! out of the water, and running up the beach unzipping my wetsuit, and heading up the ramp! (at Fletcher Cover there is a boat ramp - pretty steep!) ..... my wife was at the top to take pictures of me struggling up the hill!.....
Reached my bike and quickly took off my wetsuit, and put my bike shoes, helmet and glasses on… and i was off!
The bike portion was fast! My wife moved to the bike route and took pics on the course..... (she is so cool!) I was passed by other people, but no one in my age group!! yeah! It went fast, and I was back at the second transition in no
time. I put on my running shoes (took off my helmet - almost forgot!), and I was out running (a pretty quick transition time!)
Now running.... ahh running.. not my strong discipline in the triathlon… and I had worked pretty hard on the bike (my heart rate monitor said average of 168bpm).... so as I started running, I was already breathing pretty heavy, but found a rytyhm .. SLOWLY.... for the short 3 miles.... I was PASSED by 8 people in my age group ... a little upset at myself for not being able to push more.... The last 100 yards another guy in my age group started to pass me, and i stuck with him, until the last 10 yards, then HE PASSED ME (i was just a little mad!)…
my time last year was 58:56 this year a dissappointing 102:37 -12th place in my age group… oh well, I have something to train for next year!!!!
I had a BLAST, and my buddy got 7th place in his age group (one lower than I, with a time of 56:03) I was so stoke for him (he moved up one place in his age group from last year) Next year he will be in my age group, so the competition starts NOW! LOL
What a thrill, everyone one should do one triathlon (there are even shorter ones) once! It feels so good to accomplish it!
thats my story and I’m sticking to it!