Back when this was still the 5430 Long Course triathlon, I had decided to sign up for the
race in order to try and improve my time. Once the series had been sold to WTC or the
Ironman brand I had even more incentive. I wanted to see how WTC ran their events and I wanted to participate in an "Ironman" event even though it was not a full Ironman.
WTC did a good job of communication about the event as it approached. They put together a PDF file that you could download that fully explained the course, rules and schedule. They evenposted a countdown to the event on my Facebook "Wall". This status resulted in that family members and friends were aware of my race.
My brother, Chip, surprised me by flying in from Florida for the event. He has participated ina number of triathlons so he knows what is involved. He also offers a lot of great advice. His visit really meant a lot to me.
Dinner was pasta at Macaroni Grill. Preparing for a triathlon is much more involved than preparing for a road race. I put my race number on my helmet, my triathlon bag and my bike. Nutrition is important since I will be competing for 6 hours. Check the bike, check the tires. Pack the wetsuit, bike shoes, running shoes, etc. Go over the checklists for all three segments and the transitions to each segment. Go to bed.
Race day morning! Roll out of bed at 4:00 AM and eat a quick breakfast. Mix up Perpetuum and HEED. Pack the truck and drive to get Chip at his hotel. We drive to Boulder and discuss strategy and life in general.
Once we reach the reservoir we grab my gear and head for transition area. The transition area is crowded with nervous participants. I set up my gear and pull on my wetsuit. Thank heavens it still fits. Sky divers land as part of the national anthem - a nice touch. I give the tires one last check and leave the transition area.
The swim course is very different this year. We swim counter clockwise in a course that is nearly an out and back. We line up by age group and wait for our wave to start. My age group is the largest and has to be broken up over 2 waves. We start in deep water and I bob while waiting for the start siren.
The siren sounds and off we go. It does not seem crowded but I did get a smack in the back of the head followed by an apology. I just put my head down and swim. I look up and I am swimming off to the left of the course. I correct and see the field leave me behind. There are a few other yellow caps around and we swim on. I feel very comfortable but I am not pushing very hard. I find that I am still drifting to the left of the course. I try and site the buoys more often. The buoys seem to creep by. I try and race another yellow cap so at least
it does not seem I am last out of the water. Finally, I reach the shore again. My swim time is 51 minutes which is about a minute slower than last year. I must work on my sighting andjust swimming faster. Chip is there cheering me on. Charley, the RMTC coach, is also there cheering. I wrestle the wet suit halfway off and run for the transition area.
I find my bike out of the hundreds still left. I wrestle out of my wetsuit as I hear the announcer comment "Pulling off our wetsuit is like wrestling with yourself...". Yep, he is right on. Helmet, sunglasses, shoes, grab the bike and go. I look at my tires and my front tire is FLAT! Oh crap! I quickly change out the tube and inflate it with CO2. The tire does not inflate. I look for thorns and try another cartridge. If it does not work, the race is over. I cannot stand to think that all of my training will be wasted because of a flat tire.
I say a quick prayer and inflate the tire. My T1 time is 20 minutes. I hope that is a record. I wait a few moments and it seems to hold. I leave the transition area and clumsily mount my bike. I pedal to the entrance of the reservoir and check the tire again. It is still pressured so I head out on the course. Only 69 miles to go.
I ride and hope the tire holds. I look down and I see that the tire does not look completely round but I keep going. I try to finish my first bottle of Perpetuum before the first aid station and toss the bottle before grabbing a bottle of Gatorade. The hand off goes smoothly enough. I keep riding up US 36 with traffic whizzing by. I hear the fast movers pass with their carbon Big Wheels. It is a great day for a ride, it has not started to heat up and there are a few clouds. I hope the clouds stay for the run. I turn on St Vrain and coast. The route turns south and then back past the reservoir. I start the second lap and try and
consume some gel and more Perpetuum. The tire still seems to be holding but I think I am starting to feel more resistance than normal. After 40 miles, my hamstrings are starting to hurt. The bike is not rolling like it should. I hope the tire holds for another few miles.
At last I reach the reservoir again. My bike time is 3 hours and 21 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than last year. Who knows how much faster I would have been if I hadn't had the flat. The century ride in June helped. I must do much more cycling next year. I dismount the bike with a great deal of relief and no coordination. My legs are tired but at least I do not fall down.
Rack the bike and change to my running shoes. The clouds have disappeared and it is hot. I grab my hydration belt, make a pit stop and start the run. 13.1 miles to go. The run course is 2 6.5 mile loops around the reservoir. I run the first mile and my legs are tired from the ride. The heat makes it hard to run. I did not do enough BRIC workouts and I can feel it. I grab Gatorade or water at each station. Wet sponges are wonderful, better than dumping a cup of water on my head. I can feel the sun burning my arms. My pace is awful. This is HARD!
I see Julie at the end of the first lap. She is excited until I tell her I have another lap or 6 miles. I see my sister, Michelle and Chip. I toss a wet sponge at Michelle as I pass by. The second lap is hotter than the first and slower. I walk most of it until I reach the end. Running actually feels ok, no injuries. My hamstrings are tired and sore from the bike ride. I no longer have the will to race, only to finish. As I finish the run, I see my family and I run for the finish. My run time is 2:40. I just did not train enough for this distance.
I cross the line and volunteers efficiently take my timing chip and hand me water, a hat and a medal. These are hard won prizes. I am grateful that my family is there at the end. I am disappointed with my time but I am glad I completed the race.
After a few days I reflect on the experience and I find that I can look back on it and regard it as actually a lot of fun. My arms and shoulders are badly sunburned. My race number is tattoo'd into my arm. I am thankful that my family supports me and I am thankful that I have the time and physical ability to train and compete in triathlons. I am even more determined to train harder in order to perform better next year.
