Third Annual Mountain Home AFB iTri - 1st!

Since "getting back" to the USA a few months ago, I've really struggled with my swimming. Mildly frustrating, because a year ago I was finally at the point where I was swimming with the front of the pack. But having gone eight months without swimming even one stroke, it should't have been a surprise that it was going to take some time to get it back.

But it's for situations like these that I have a coach... although I have to listen to her first. Up until a week ago, I thought, I remember how to swim, I don't need Marian to come to the pool with me...

Yeah.... sure you don't....

About a week and a half before the race, I went to Marian and said... "I need help." To which she smiled and replied, "Wondered when you'd ask."

So she came to every swim session this week (and I did four of them this week... instead of three). Not only did she give me a challenging workout every time in terms of yardage/pacing, but she worked with me on technique and form between the sets... At the beginning of the week, I swam a 6:32 400 meter. I didn't know it, but on Saturday, I was going to swim 5:48....

This is all to say: I have an amazing coach.

***Flash forward to Saturday***

Here is a video Marian shot of the race... there are some cute videos of Rianna in them too...

Even thought this is a really small race, I've come to love it a lot - because it gives me a chance to compete in my "home town". This race consists of a 400+ meter swim (the pool is 25.5 meters long), a 20k bike, and a 5k run. In the past, the bike course was about a mile and a half short, and the run course was under 3 miles. This year, the organizers sought to fix that and make it a true 20k & 5k. While I was thankful for that, I felt slightly mixed, because that meant I wouldn't be able to test myself against my old times. But in the end - I'd made peace with it, and was excited to see what the past couple months of training would bring!

This being the first race of the year, I was pretty stoked, but still had to remember that I had a wife and daughter that needed help getting out the door in the morning. I helped Rianna with her breakfast, and Marian with some things around the house in the morning, but then I started to get twitchy... Marian chuckled at me and said that "I could go..."

Pre-race nerves are one thing, but it's something else when you're the guy who has won a race (small as it may be) for the last two years, and you know you'll be the one with the target on your back.

So I hopped on my bike, and rode off to the fitness center. As always, the race would be starting in the pool... so heats were in order. I showed up in time to grab a good spot in transition. I noticed a few more "triathletes" out there today. I also had no idea that Bryant Davis was into triathlon... but I gathered as much when I checked out his Argon18 rig, and started chatting with him about his training lately. It didn't take me long to figure out that I'd have to keep an eye on him during the race... Fortunately, he would be in the second heat with me, so I'd know where he was in relation to me.

About 20 minutes before the start, I sipped on a gel, Marian gave me a coach pep talk - which always helps me before the start - and I tried to do some swimming warmup motions. When all the folks from the first heat were out of the pool, they let us get in... Naturally, I held everyone up because I had not put my swim cap on yet... and of course.... I had to fumble with that for about a solid minute while everyone stared at me... heh...

When I was ready, the starter gave us a very half-hearted.... "Ready.... Go...." I kind of blinked for a second because he didn't sound serious... But everyone else started swimming.... so I did too. I started hard. I knew that I would settle into a rhythm, but wanted to do the first hundred meters pretty fast and then let my heart catch up.

Eight laps goes by pretty quickly when the adrenaline is rushing. I done with the swim pretty quick, and running out the door towards my bike....

....it was here I realized... Oops.... I forgot to practice transitions...

First... I had issues with my socks.... Yes. I know that some of you may be thinking, Why doesn't he just go sock-less? Well.... if you've read the post about my very first triathlon (Lake Havasu, 2011) you'll see that I had an issue with sockless running and blisters about two days before the race. Since then, I haven't had the desire to try again.

The next issue was.... [rookie mistake alert] I forgot to unbuckle my helmet. Fail. I know...

When I was finally out of transition and on to the road, I let my legs go to work. The technical bike course consists of two loops, with lots of 90 degrees turns, and even a 120 degree turn. Typical of the Idaho plains, there was a significant headwind to the North East. I was excited for the bike leg, because I wanted to test out my new aero helmet and flashpoint race wheels.

I immediately began consuming my nutrition on the bike. There were minimal aid stations on the run, so my bike nutrition needed to help me recover from the run, power me through the bike, and carry me through the run. My hope was to nail the correct volumetric and caloric intake.

The first lap flew by. I was going fast, and had a lot of power. I was pleased my resting that week was paying off, and the deep dish wheels and aero helmet also make a BIG difference, even for an aluminum road bike.

The second lap, I focused on keeping my cadence high, drinking the rest of my nutrition, and not letting my heart rate exceed 145. I nailed all three, and with 1/8th of a mile to go, I was gulping down the last of my drink, my legs felt well used, but still snappy enough to run well.

After a much smoother T2, I was out on the run. I tried to stay loose, and light on my feet. I kept my turnover high. The first 1.5 miles went really smoothly, and then I hit the (one) aid station, dumped some water on my head, and turned around to head back....

.....*BOOM* WALL OF WIND...... (oh yeah.... we're still in Idaho Toto... and THAT'S why I was able to run so fast on the way out here...)

Proof that I can now get both feet off the ground while running...

So.... the run on the way BACK was a challenge for sure. I had to fight for it, but didn't dip into any red zones or even come close to bonking. My fueling and tapering had been great, and so I had plenty of stores left. I knew I still had a hard week of training ahead of me, and so I cruised in on the last half mile with a smile on my face. (Marian says I need to work on not being a basket-case after races.)


What a great first race to the season. I'm hoping this performance will "sling-shot" me into a good performance at Quest for the Capitol on the 28th of June in Boise. Lots of climbing on the bike course, so we'll see how it goes!

Until later!