We just did a pretty cool little race as a team here on the NH Seacoast. 10 K run, 20 mile bike and a 5 mile kayak. The local bike shop boys put together a team of twenty something / ripped to hell triathletes and were talking smack for the last month on how they were going to kick our butts.
The race allowed for teams to split up the 10k into two athletes doing a tag-team 5k (which they did) and ended up beating my 46 year old, running by himself by 5 minutes (they were around 34 minutes to his 39). I then had to make this up against a 22 year old who they proclaimed to be the “best in the shop”. I found out he wasnt what they had talked up as I spotted him about a 1/2 mile to go on a straightaway to the bike finish / kayak transition. Hammering, I passed him just at the end with the help of my P3 and Zipp 404’s (25.9 MPH with a slight headwind). We both tagged the runners out the same time.
Neck and neck the runners bolted across a field to were they tagged the kayakers. Little did they know, I had recruited a women (38 years old) who consistently wins New England races. She ripped her Looksha 3 right by him as we set a course record and humbled the youngsters.
Very, very nice. As someone who turns 40 next year, I’m despairing of ever being front of pack, given that people in their 40’s seem to be turning in some of the fastest times in most races.
Hate to say it, but even the 60s and 70s AGs can have some scarily fast times out there. Our local old guy legend is 72, and turned in a top ten overall bike split in a race eariler this year.
Last weekend in Toronto Ed Whitlock set another over 70 record for the marathon. He is 73 and ran the Scotiabank Toronto marathon in 2:54 which is a pretty solid time for most men half his age. I think that he still runs around 37 minutes for 10k too.