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This is Ariel's first race experience. The Lake of the Pines Triathlon is
a terrific local short-course race. It has
distances and relays for the whole family to participate in. Robin, Anna,
Ariel and I arive at 7am. I immediate run into Brad & Amanda Helmouth.
Amanda is doing a relay with 2 of her boys and the other boy is racing
individual. Local resident & top age-grouper, Dave Campbell, is here and
has recruited quite a turn-out for the
wetsuit
division which I'm doing as well. Although the water is plenty warm,
wetsuits are allowed and give us all a 1 – 2 minute advantage. I may
have to walk part of the run today. I've tried jogging lately but it
hurts. I done months of rehab, immobilization and exercises but can't get
the pain to go away so probably stuck with it for a while. It looks like
the surgery in January made my initial problem worse.
I
warm-up on the bike which doesn't bother my foot much. I ride around the
lake and stop at Tracy's new house to see the kids. Having a bathroom
without a line is a nice perk, too. The Zenors will come out to the course
to watch. I bike to transition, join the singing of the anthem, join Robin
for a prayer, and get my wetsuit on. The first wave starts as I begin my
swim warm-up. My goggles are leaking. I think of Michael Phelps and how he
set a world record with leaky goggles. I find the problem and make the
repair. All better.
I
line up with Dave. The plan is for him to draft behind me since I'm
usually faster than him in the pool. Go! Dave & I are out front neck and
neck. It's a short distance to the first buoy but right into the sun. I
swim hard but can't get ahead of him. He makes a great turn at the buoy
and
pulls ahead. I guess I'll be drafting behind
him. There are swim caps, from the first 3 waves, as far as we can. Dave
is swimming great and navigating through the swimmers well. I work hard to
keep near his toes. He's a perfect draft. I'm hoping I'll start feeling
stronger and take a turn at the front. As we turn around the final buoy,
Dave again makes a good surge and it's all I can do to keep up.
Nonetheless I try to move up on his side but each attempt is futile. With
50 yds to go I give my all and Dave & I hit the shore neck & neck. He pops
to his feet and hits the beach before I can even make a stride. But I
strip my wetsuit at the waters edge and pass him in transition.
With
a little lead on Dave I start the bike hoping to keep a gap as long as
possible. The
bike is feeling hard. I drink my Heed (sports drink) consistently. There's
Tracy, Daniel, Mariah and Jessica at the corner near their house. They're
all smiles. But Daniel always looks inquisitive.. he's very competitive
and probably taking notes on what it will take for him to do this race.
The hills are difficult for me. I match up with a guy of similar ability.
He passes me on each hill but I regain a lead on the flats. We talk to
each other at every exchange. "If this was a flat course you'd easily take
me", he says. "You're strong on the hills and look more relaxed than me",
I say. I see an '84 Honda CR motorcycle for sale and try to check it out
each time we go around. Reminds me of my old XL350. It's rare to see one
of these classic dirt bikes for such a good price.
We do 3 loops around the lake. We pass each other at the same spots each
time, complimenting each other and making each other push even harder.
It's great seeing Anna cheering so loudly next to Robin each time we come
by. She makes me go harder. My energy is holding up and by the 3rd loop
I'm taking the turns well and pushing even harder. I finally get a little
gap on my friend into transition. I do my usual rolling dismount but
almost pass the line. I hear the official say, "Oh, he just barely got
it". I cut that too close.
Starting
the run I've got almost a minute on my friend, and 2 min on Dave. I'm
currently first for the wetsuit division. Anna gives me a high 5. My back
is really tight from the bike making it difficult to run, but my foot
doesn't hurt at the moment which is a surprise. I'm only doing 9 min pace
but this is great for me. A guy runs next to me, he's supporting his 10 yr
old son up ahead. He says he was doing triathlons in 1984.. that was when
it was really a crazy sport. Hi son, Hunter, looks tired. His dad
encourages him. Now, as expected, my friend from the bike blows by me. I
think he'll do pretty well. I see Tracy and the kids and ask Daniel to run
with me. We go a ¼ mile together at 8 min pace. He says, "This is easy!
Why aren't you going fast?". I tell him I went extra hard on the bike to
get ahead of my friend, Dave, and therefore I can't run that fast but am
hoping he's not too close behind. At the ½ way point around the lake I
hear Dave talking.. he's running pretty fast with another guy. I say, "You
wouldn't pass a
friend,
would you?". He says, "A young one.. yes!". I try to pick it up a little
to 7min pace but the foot starts to hurt. At least I can still scare him..
I yell ahead, "I'm getting my 2nd wind, Dave", and then tell the woman
running next to me, "I wish I had a 2nd wind right now". We both laugh and
Dave doesn't seem to have bought it either. I count the guys passing me.
Kurt, who I met before the race this year and last, is #5 to go by. I try
to pick it up again, hoping to maybe get top 3 in the wetsuit division but
the foot holds me back. But I still
give
it my best always knowing that "anything can happen". #6 and #7 go by. I'm
almost done. Really slow up the last hill.. and finally the ramp down to
the finish. I give my praise to God and thank Him for letting me always
race better than I expect and feel better than I do in training. I talk to
some of the guys around me that pushed each other. Everyone feels like
this is one of the best races around. Afterwards we go to Tracy's house
and then to Dave's house and have some fun before heading home for naps
for all 4 of us.
Dave Campbell was 1st in the wetsuit division and 1st overall. I was 3rd
wetsuit division and 5th overall. My bike was just barely the fastest of
the day. And I was able to run/ jog the whole run. It was a very
successful and happy race experience for me. Thanks to God who gives me
the opportunity to race.
