As IMWI approaches and the training season winds down, it’s time to ramp up the racing, right? Well, I’m sure if I had a coach they might beg to differ, but in one of the strangest training seasons I have had, why not? ‘Que Sera, Sera’. Besides, it does give me something to blog about.
So this past weekend we did a little double-dipping…On Saturday morning we did the Perch Lake 2 mile Open Water Swim and on Sunday, the St. Paul Triathlon – International Distance (1 mile swim, 4oK bike, 10K run). Throw in an additional training run on Saturday and you have your typical Ironman training weekend.
Enough babbling, on to the race reports:
Perch Lake – 2 Mile Open Water Swim
In general I have not done a lot of swim only events. This was my second open water swimming event. Let me tell you…swimmers are a lot nicer in the water than triathletes. It must have something to do with swimmers spending most of their time in a pool, with lane lines between them and their competitors. I like it like that, I like it a lot!
I don’t like to be touched in the water by seaweed, fish, other swimmers, or sea monsters (Alexandra, hehehe…). Swimming with ‘swimmers’ was so pleasant. It was almost like, if you bumped into someone, you wanted to stop and say excuse me. Triathletes, on the other hand, would just as well rip your goggles off, grab hold of whatever they can to climb over you, and push your butt to the bottom of the lake.
It is, for me, one of the most intimidating parts of a triathlon, especially Ironman when you have 2500 people starting all at the same time.
Perch Lake is located in Hudson, WI, just east of downtown Stillwater. It is within a regional park and is a pristine spring- fed bowl, with water depths of 60-70 feet. The water temp was warm at 78 degrees. The swim was a clockwise affair around the perimeter of the lake. The two mile swim was twice around. There was both a one and two mile distance, with the one mile swimmers going off 5 minutes before the two milers.
I wore my wetsuit only because I will be wearing it at Madison and need to practice. The start was pretty informal with a ready, set, go announcement. I got into a rhythm quickly, keeping my stroke long and alternating my breathing (Charlie would be proud) from right to left. I even did a little BC3 and BC5, not something I would do in a triathlon; that’s for sure.
About a half mile in, Tina swam quickly by, and I had a brief thought of drafting…not. A tow rope and skis might have worked though. (Nice swim by the way, 1st overall F).
In the end, a nice effort on a beautiful morning with some really nice people.
St. Paul Triathlon – International Distance
A Front Runner (Randy Fulton) event, which are some of my favorites. There are always great volunteers, typically well attended, and usually a fairly relaxed atmosphere. This event did not disappoint in any of those categories. And to top it off, a spectacular weather day! The bonus was I knew quite a few people doing the event as well as some friends and family that were there to spectate. I could not have asked for anything more…well maybe one thing.
My in-laws are in town visiting from Ohio, and on Saturday night I had a few alcoholic beverages with my father in-law, wife, and son. I didn’t feel like I overindulged, but come Sunday morning I was a little green. Not a great feeling heading into a few hours of AT exercise.
This was the sixth edition of the St. Paul Triathlon which is held at Phalen Lake Park in St. Paul, MN. This was my first, and I was looking forward to burning some calories and burning off some anxiety that is building for the race in Madison. Did I mention that it is less then three weeks away…
The Swim – 1 Mile
The swim course is a clockwise rectangle and consists of two loops. There were three waves and I was in wave two. My training buddy and friend Milan (like the city in Italy, nice race by the way, and a great story in Minnesota Tri News…hehehe) was in the wave ahead of me. Tommy (with another strong performance) was in my wave and lightened the mood as we waited for the start. I joked with Milan that he better take advantage of the three minute head start he’d have, and then they were off.
Three minutes later wave two got the call, and as with the day before, I quickly got into a rhythm. The water was very warm and kind of green, smelly, and slimy (sorry), at least compared to Perch Lake anyways. There was a guy off two my right that literally took off like a cannon shot. He was 25 yards ahead of me before we got to the first buoy, wholly buckets, batman!
As I started the second loop I was really regretting the adult beverages from the night before, and I blocked it out. As I approached the finish, I noticed a familiar swim stroke to my right. It was Milan and as I promised him I made up the three minute head start I gave him. But don’t worry, I would give it all back, in chunks as the day progressed. I wished him well as we made our way into T1.
T1 – Swim to Bike
I really need to work on my transitions. I couldn’t get my wet suit off my left ankle. It was stuck on the timing chip. 1:46 later I mounted my bike, ughhh…
The Bike – 40K (24.8 miles)
The bike course was closed to traffic (nice) and consisted of a two loop deal. Wheelock Parkway is a divided dual carriage way (for my friends in the UK). The course took us out to Como Park and back. The roads, although closed to traffic, were very bumpy. I’d call the course fairly flat and somewhat technical in nature. On the second loop it got pretty crowded as the sprint distance athletes were now making their way to the bike course. I had one close call when I was abruptly cut off and had to slam on the brakes and fishtail out of the way.
T2 – Bike to Run
Again, some practice is in order, especially for these shorter distance races. I need to learn the whole feet- out- of- the- shoe thing dismount. 0:57 double ughhh…
The Run – 10K (6.2 miles)
The run course is on a paved trail around the lake. It consisted of two loops. It is fairly flat with a couple of short hills at the start. There was a light breeze and good tree cover so the sun and heat were never really a factor all day. My legs felt a little lifeless for the first 1/8 of a mile but I did get into a nice rhythm before too long. I really tried to find the edge, that place where if you pushed just a little harder you’d blow up; uncomfortable but manageable.
The Results
One thing was for sure, if I finished the events this weekend, I was guaranteed a PR. Never having done either event provided that assurance. It’s also really hard to compare events even if the distances are the same because there are so many factors that go into each race. The weather, the course conditions, the course itself, and a slew of other factors.
Those that really know me, know that there is a competitive fire that burns strong within me. If I have learned anything in the five years of competing in endurance sports; though, it is that the competition is the person looking back at you in the mirror. Its about beating that voice in your head telling you to stop. It’s a nice voice, soothing you, encouraging you to quit. This is the true competition, not the time on the clock or the other athletes. The victory is in crossing that finish line knowing that on this day you put everything you had out there on the course and that you persevered all obstacles thrown in your way. Obstacles getting to the start line as well as getting to the finish line.
On Deck – Woodbury Country Mile
Same day registration is available, see you at the start line…
