Oktoberfest
Sorry for the long read!
I arrived to the transition area(called T.A. by the cool kids), at 6:20. I set my bike up in the t.a. as close to bike out as I could. This race had so many nice bikes! While driving up to Longmont from Denver I was behind a gentleman with a speed concept, di2, and 808 firecrests, talk about a sweet ride! I was really excited for today’s race coming off of a huge race for me at local Fall Frenzy, in which I took 2nd overall. I had been really nervous all week, and now was the time to make those hard days pay off.
I have never been in this great of shape, it’s awesome, long 90 minute runs feel effortless, and in swim team practices, while everyone is huffing and puffing I’m ready to go again. I was so excited for this race because the super dominant CU Boulder was bring a full contingent. I went through my normal warm-ups minus the swim and was ready to have fun. My helix hasn’t been worn in awhile so it was really tight and hard to get on, so I only got about 5 minutes of a swim warmup in.
After the pre-race briefing the horn sounded, I immediately was kicked in the face, ouch, but went back on the kids feet. The first 200 meters was going to determine how the 750 swim went because everyone there was a super swimmer. The first 100 meter buoy came and went by so quickly I thought I was in great place. Here is when I accidently fragmented from the group. Originally I was 10 feet away from the group, which grew by the turn buoy. I had about a 30 second gap up, and was in panic mode, I was being left behind. I have no idea what happened. My body felt great, I was in amazing shape, and no matter what I did I couldn’t pull back to the front. I decided to stick with the second group at this point, and managed to pull in front of the group, with about 100 meters left in the swim I began to kick, my legs felt ready to fire and I was good to go. Result 12:05(top swim 10:15, 1:45 back, ouch!)
Ready to fly onto the bike I got out of the water faster than I’ve ever run out, into transition, and there were a number of bikes missing, the estimate from the crowd was that I was in about 15th right now. Excited to ride on my new race wheels and hoping to make up that gap, I went out hard. I got into a great rhythm and did some work. I moved up into 10th by the time mile 2 rolled around. On a 3 lap course, this was a great move. I passed a gentleman whom I’ve raced several times, he’s told me he’s a cat 2 cyclist before, today I didn’t get to drop him, he hung on, almost in my slipstream. He passed me back to tell me that everytime he passed me, would mean that I had fallen off of pace. Thankful for my new friend I continued to do my best to ride well, he passed me 3 times but I quickly made moves to pass him back, to keep the pace alive.
Onto lap 3, I was gunning for top 10 off the bike, luckily nobody passed me, but I got off the bike in 12th. I was so out of it I had to ask my former coach what was happening, kinda joking but kinda serious. She point to transition told me to keep left and I got in. Bike result 25.2 mph. 17th fastest of the day.(the bike was so competitive!)
Bam went the run shoes, my new Saucony Fastwitch 5’s. Off I went in pursuit of God, Guns, Gold and Glory. This race course and I have some history, at aquathlon nationals 4 months ago, I got sick running here and couldn’t even hold a 6:40 mile pace. Today was different. I kept my cadence high and worked on breathing deep, and constantly gaining ground.
A mile in I caught 12, and 11th running together, and almost effortlessly dropped them. I continued my high cadence and was thankful for the course to be somewhat cooler today(high of 82 degrees). I was passed by a CU Triathlete, whose much quicker than I used to be, and used him to judge my pace. I was on point, running hard and doing well for myself. Down the hill I charged, passed a fading athlete, and by now I was in the largest hurt box I’ve ever fit into. My breathing was rapid, my breath was short, but I promised my Coach, Ken Axford of Peak Multisport, that I wouldn’t resort to my old, terrible form ways. True to my promise, I held onto 10th about 100 meters from the finish. A silent black and gold clad runner took off, and I couldn’t sprint fast enough to hold him off.
Final result 11th place, running an 18:38 5k. So thrilled, but also disappointed with the swim. These college kids are so fast! All year I’ve been winning my age group, or at least taking second, today I didn’t even podium. I’d been looking forward to this race because I knew that Top Pro Kirk Nelson, and Karl Kahsar would be in it, trying to fight each other, and that I’d get to see how I fared against a collegiate national champ. With 13 weeks of fitness, 3:30 back, not too shabby! As always thanks for reading, I’m excited for a week off to recover, and enjoy normal people life for a few days.
Why is the Oktoberfest Triathlon held in September?
fast bike and run splits! Nice job.
Thanks tigerchik. Congrats on your win today!