^{PLACE & TIME:}  Troy 5th - 1:38:21

(Click on Pictures to make larger)

Formerly the “South Bay Triathlon”, and once voted “the best little triathlon in California”, the Morgan Hill Sprint Triathlon is going to be a lot of fun.   We stayed at the Ridder’s last night and enjoyed time with some of our “San Jose” friends, including Laura & the Jacksons.  Didn’t get much sleep and really tired, but really excited to see how hard I can push today.

We arrive at 5:40am and cars are parked ½ mile away already.  The UVAS Reservoir is high and the small peninsula of land where the race festivities is held is green and lush. 

Race director, Ryan Coelho, is nice enough to invite our FCA Endurance ministry to each of his races.  Robin drops me off with my gear and the FCA equipment and goes to find parking.  With about an hour before race time, it’s hard enough getting my gear and myself ready, let alone setting up the FCA booth, but I feel great about it and realize that God will reward any extra efforts for His cause.  Soon I have help as Anna and our friends, Dave, Victoria, and Clyde start preparing the booth.  No time for a bike warm-up but I do get in a run.  I accidentally brought my old beat-up shoes without my Superfeet but will make do.

Triathlon Family

I run into all kinds of friends..  Dave Slothower is here despite feeling really ill.  We used to race together back in ’95.  Andy Robles, the original race director for this 20 year old event is here celebrating his birthday by doing the triathlon he started.  Michelle Ridder is racing and 4mo. Pregnant… what a trooper. She’s always up for a challenge.  Great seeing Steve & Carrie Chavez after their St. George Ironman.  They’re fast racers and big FCA supporters at Iron Prayers across the nation. And my other FCA Endurance teammates, Dave Blackmon, who I went back-n-forth with at Wildflower and Clyde, Cory and Christy Floyd, all fairly new to the sport.

Without realizing Ryan Coelho gave FCA-E it’s own rack, I rack my bike in a different spot.  But I meet a guy named Ryan and his girlfriend, Mihaela, and tell them about the FCA pre-race prayer.  They both come, along with Andy, our teammates, and a few others.

FCA-E Pre-Race Prayer

The Pre-Race Prayer is a great time, the highlight of my day!  10 min before the race start and 12 of us are calmly content to gather and pray for each other, the race, those not racing, and the ability to give God the glory.  I know everyone will have a more fulfilling race because of it.  God is so good that way.

The Swim

I go without booties.  The water isn’t as cold as Wildflower.  I get a warm-up in and line up with the 6th wave.  I see Robin, Anna & Ariel on shore cheering.  I’m near the front. Go!  I swim straight while many head left.  No draft and pushing hard.  A guy on my left is veering right into me.  I surge to get ahead.  I hope I’m not going to hard.  Around the first buoy, I start to get in the groove.  I think of my last masters swim workout which went well.  I can feel my arms grabbing the water with my full force behind them.  It feels so much better than Wildflower.  On the backside I sprint for a while to catch a good draft.  I squeeze in behind and now have a great leader for the rest of the distance.  I’m recovering after each surge and my breathing is better.  After the last buoy I make a move and am able to pull ahead to the finish.  It was a great swim for me!  19:33.  Thanks, God.

The Bike

My suit come off fast.  I run to my bike.  Put on the rolled-up arm-warmers and head out on the road.  Once the feet are in the shoes and the warmers unrolled (they make a big difference on a chilly morning) I start building up to full speed.  I forgot my Garmin bike computer and my Garmin  forerunner so I’m racing light… just by the stopwatch.  I’m just going to push as hard as I can.  I’m passing people in the waves ahead.  I pass a woman who looks pretty casual (without any real race gear on) and then begin climbing a hill.  I’m a little surprised to see the woman re-pass me and leave me in the dust on the climb.  I tell her great job climbing and she says, “Thanks, that’s all I got going for me”.  I tell her she’s doing great and maybe I’ll see her on the next climb.

Now a Forward Motion guy and a guy on a blue bike, in my age group, come flying by.  At first I think there’s no chance, but I set my sights on them anyway.  Down the hill into the hard right turn.  This is where I try to gain on them.  Volunteers yell, “Slow down, sharp turn”.  Up ahead I see the guy lock his breaks in the turn and his blue bike fish-tailing back and forth 4 times!  Each time showing the full side of his disc wheel.  I’m amazed he didn’t go down.  The sight makes the Forward Motion guy slow way down and gives me a chance to take the inside and get ahead of both of them.  I love this bike loop, I’ve ridden and run it so many times over the years.  Both guys come back and pull ahead again.  I tell the guy, “Great recovery back there”.  “It sucked” he says.  I’m pushing harder now.. so much that my knees are complaining a little.  But I think of my last ride with the Victory Velo Thursday night group where I mirrored Todd Allington up the climb. He’s an awesome climber and by watching him I’m learning how to ride better.

On the next descent with another hard right turn, I again pass my 2 competitors.  I encourage them each time we pass.  Through the S-turn I know so well I pass another guy.  Now it’s up the little kicker hill.  I saw Dan Perkins yesterday on a training ride and he advised me not to blast it but to save it for the descent.  I try to maintain a good push without gassing myself.  But I’ve pulled ahead of the other 2.  Now, out-of-the-saddle near the top I wonder if I did go too hard… perhaps they are taking it easy in hopes of passing me on the descent.  I’m still able to push it and stay ahead on the descent.  They pass me on Watsonville Rd and now it’s the gradual climb to the finish.  I really want to beat them to the transition.  I sit and climb well past them and then sprint the flat ½ mi to the end.  Good dismount and then switch to running shoes.  43:51.

The Run

I put on socks, which slows down my T2.  I don’t think my feet are ready yet for no socks.   Finally, on the run.  Feet are cold and tingly.  My legs are toast!  Full of “cement”.  Haven’t felt this bad on a run all season.  But I press on and know things will change.  Sure enough, after a mile, they start loosening up.  Each mile is a little faster.  I’m below 7min now.  I’m feeling weird things in my feet and can’t tell if they’re just thawing out or causing injury.  I’m running my fastest now this year.  I start to feel my rt. Hamstring getting tight.  I shorten my stride and pump my arms.  It’s working.  I’m keeping the run under control and still moving fast.  I remember a few years ago when I ran here and one of my Jr. High kids gave me water from the aid station.  It was a special moment with much significance in terms of answered prayers from Jesus.  I see my old racing buddy, Mark Cosgrove, going the other way.  And then David, Carrie, Steve, and Dave B.  Always great seeing the faces, even though it’s hard to focus and all I want to do is close my eyes because all my energy is going into keeping my feet flying.  Finally, I’m near the finish. Thank you, God. And there’s Anna, excited to see me and ready for the connection.  Hand-in-hand we race the final meters to the finish!  32:56.

Yay, I’m so appreciative that God let me go fast, and 2 weeks ago, let me go long.  I can still go long with 1 kidney and my healing foot can go fast without hurting.  I think there’s going to be a lot of excitement to come in races here on out.

My splits compared to the previous 5 years doing this race…

Go Steve!

Go David B!

Go CJ!

Go Carrie!

Go David S!

Go Cory!

Go Clyde!

Go Michelle!

Go April!

Go Christy!