Sunday, May 16, 2010

Spring Training is Over : JCC Tri by the Sea race report

Today started my Triathlon season for 2010. My annual attendance at the JCC sprint Tri in Marblehead MA. I consisted of a 250 yard swim 10 mile bike and 3.5 mile run. The swim is in a pool and a time trial start where racers are placed in order of the estimated swim time finish. This year I entered a swim time of 3:10 and I was seeded 9th. .



Race morning wake up 0515. I woke up and coffee, cereal with banana. Packed the car and drove my 4 min commute to the event start. Set up and got my warm up in. bike felt good and a quick run with some strides and plyometrics got the body loose.



Swim: watch 3:10



I entered the water 2 min after the 1st racer started. There is a 15 sec delay between racers. I felt great in the water, my swim warm up was a bit sluggish but that was mental. I got through my first 100 yards in about 1:12. When I got to 150, I was tapping the girl in front of me and she was swimming into the guy in front of her. I can say it was frustrating because I was moving pretty well. In fact at the 200 yard mark I had to stop in the middle of the lane because there was a back up of swimmers. I finally got passed them and sprinted through the last 25 yards. I looked at my watch when I hopped out and read 3:10. Probably could have been sub 3min if I didn't get hung up.

T-1 was usual. No issues.



Bike : 10 miles, computer 25:56 (avg power 264)


I have ridden this course more times than I can count. I got on the bike in 6th place. I knew Dean Phillips Fit Werx owner,would be rocketing out in front. By the time I got to the causeway I had passed three more people. I was holding a good pace and power was ok. I am still learning how to balance my power when it comes to a course a hilly as this. It is not that the hills are big but there are a lot off them. Nevertheless I was holding between 245 and 265 on the flat areas. After the first loop I merged with the on coming racers and in that pack was good friend Marty Miserandino, Fit Werx owner, the two us raced the next two loops together. I also caught the next two people ahead of me. Leaving Dean out in front. After getting back T2 my legs were feeling pretty good.

T2= no issues, shoes on and out.

Run= 3.5 miles watch 21:01

Got out onto the run and knew that Dean was ahead of me but unsure by how much. Dean is a good friend and great athlete. I also knew that he has been battling nagging injuries all winter that had prevented him from running and had a pretty serious crash in a TT in Maine just 2 weeks ago. With all that, I have been running very well this spring and was keeping my mind focused to try and get him in my sights. I felt like the run was going well. I forgot to check my splits but knew I was moving well. The last mile has a turn onto a side street with a tough uphill that leads into a long downhill. Once reached the top I could see Dean at the bottom making the last turn back onto Atlantic Ave. At that point it was a little over a half mile to the finish line. I had timed the distance between at that turn and it was just over one minute so I knew that If I could hold my pace I might catch him. After 52:00 flat, 2mins off last year's time. I pulled it off.

great job to My brother who took first place Clydesdale, and to Vin Miserandino who finished third overall and Marty who finished 7th. Also congrats to April Bowling who took top prize finishing first for her age group! It was a great season opener!

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