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1.8 Years Ago

Last Year: Swim 9:55 9th/22nd, T1 4:24, Bike 51:25 (avg 18.73mph) 10th/22nd, T2 1:50, Run 25:39 13th/22nd, Age Group Finish 10th out of 22.

Goal for this year: Swim 9 , T1 2:10, Bike 48 (avg 20 mph) (this maybe pushing it with the hills), T2 1:15, Run 24 flat (3.2 miles 7:30 per mile) = Total Time 1:24:25 and yes that will be pushing it for all three legs but it CAN be done.

According to last year's results that would move me from 10th place to 6th place. Realistic goal = 1:30 or better Nice goal = 1:25.

GAME ON!!!

P.S. I forgot to mention that there are 33 people in my age group this year. Up from 22 last year

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Air temp of 36 degrees and water temp at 54?!! Sign me up! Where is this fabulous event?! Also, was that year the norm or are the warmer conditions predicted for this year more on par?

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The race is in Tallahassee Florida

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Stay tuned folks...pictures to follow...maybe...it just depends on if they get my "good" side.

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1.8 Years Ago

Eager to hear how well you do,

DW

Pain is fear leaving the body!

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Congrats on your race, you took seven minutes off your 2006 time so you should be totally psyched about that!

I hope I can make those sort of gains this year!

A.

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1.8 Years Ago

Finished 10th out of 22 last year. This year I finished 11th out of something like 31 so looking at the positive I went from being above the 50% mark to around the 33% mark.

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1.8 Years Ago

Nice training to be able to predict race results within a minute or so! It's nice to see some early year racing with improved results.

I'm looking forward to reading more of these success stories. Congrats again!

Greg

Total Posts: 668
1.8 Years Ago

Oops, I lied a little...I know 33 had signed up in my age group...one was placed there in error and another bailed out because his swim was not ready. That is how I came up with 31 in the age group but after looking at the results online, I NOW realize only 26 finished so my % was not as great as I had thought but STILL an improvement.

Pic: ME (packing the awesome cannons), "Baby Face" Brad (finished his FIRST tri), and "Tree Trunk Thighs" Burk (who looks like he saw a ghost)

[+] enlarge

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The above is a video link from the Red Hills Tri...The girl in one of the last shots (blue tri top blue bikini bottoms) was just in front of me on the bike and at the start of the run. I think she was 2nd or 3rd overall. Pretty impressive if you consider her calf. Look closely and you will see that one of her lower legs is VERY skinny. Not sure if it is a birth defect or if maybe she is just coming off of a broken leg. Either way, it did not seem to effect her ability to race.

Oh yeah, and there was a couple who were getting married that raced. He wore a tux tri outfit and she wore a bride tri outfit. The entire wedding party was also in the race. COOL HUH?!! You can see their video by clicking the link under featured videos.

http://www.tallahasseedemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=CD&Date=20070324&Category=PHOTOS04&ArtNo=703240801&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=1

Here are 28 pics from the newspaper about the race. The very last one #28 you can barely see Brad and myself. Brad is leaning up against the post and I am in the grey hoody with the white visor.

GREAT RACE...GREAT DAY!!!

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1.8 Years Ago

With only enough time to take a quick warm up swim out and back I was up on the "beach" ready to go. I found a good spot between two guys and our wave was off. Hit the water and everything seemed okey dokey. Swimming, avoiding feet and elbows I was moving along nicely. Looked left and I saw a kayak and a few swimmers. Looked right and I saw a bouy a good distance away. I think I went a little off course. No problem. Adjusted and headed back toward the pack. Before I knew it I was right next to the buoys and swimming straight. Hitting the first turn I thought I was making good time because it seemed quick, however, I did notice that the water seemed HEAVY. It was hard to pull through it and therefore was a little more exhausting than what I had trained for. Made the second turn and started back in. A couple guys blocked me and I had to pull up once but it gave me a chance to spot the dock and the exit was beside it. Keep on swimming, keep on swimming...I could tell I was close and pulled a couple more times then felt for the bottom with my feet. Stood up and started out. Low and behold, our local Clydesdale Champ (who was in the same wave and our 2nd fastest swimmer) was right in front of me stripping off his cap. I ran up behind him and yelled something to let him know I was there.

Into T1 and I had a little trouble getting my elbows out (never happened before) Pull and pull and I am free. On with the shoes, helmet, glasses and I am off.

I can see Dave (Clydesdale guy) getting on his bike as I am coming through T1. I am thinking if I can just keep him in sight I can pass him later when I catch my breath. Clipped in and heading out I'm still eyeballing him. First turn out of the race area and up to the front of the park and I can't see him any more. A little depressed that he may have taken off I tell myself he will croak in the hills so not to worry. Right turn out of the park and we are off. I run up on one fellow and then remind myself this is not a group ride so I back off and go around. Jack up the gears and start mashing because we are coming up on a little descent. There's Dave and I have the momentum to pass him so I do and again I say something to let him know I am there. Then the BIG hill. Back down in the gears and spinning up the hill. Dave comes up beside me toward the top and we are racing shoulder to shoulder at 8mph. He beats me to the top but I can hear he is breathing heavy. I pass him again and say "it burns doesn't it?" He mumbles something and I never see him again. Off on the hills I realize I am having electronic problems. Bike computer is not working. The contacts are not picking up so I am riding blind to speed, distance and average so I just ride by feel. Still in some traffic I am passing and getting passed and then I pass again. A few females catch up and pass so I am pacing them 3 bike lengths back. I pass them on the downhills and we continue to leap frog when we come up on this dude riding in the left part of the lane. I HAVE to pass him on the right side and just shake my head. Somehow he gets back in front and one of the females comes up. I am on the right side, he is on the left, she is passing me and looks over, I tell her to come on over she is clear, so she does and I pass again on the right. (the guy got a penalty and Dave even told him to stay right but he ignored it. The official (personal friend of ours also) said she told him to get over and he ignored her. What a goofball. Anyway, went down the big hill but could not tell how fast I hit for a max. Was cooking pretty good and working those gears. I was passed toward the end of the ride by some speedsters but I passed plenty myself.

Coming into T2 was uneventful...took a little time tieing the shoes because no yankz or quick ties on this pair.

Out on the run and the legs were heavy but moving. Feeling pretty good and chugging along. Hit the 1 mile at 8:30 so I knew it was going to be a slow run but the knee was holding up. Off in the trails was SOOOOOOOOO nice. I cheered for the little girl cheering us on and told the lady who said we were over half way done that, that is what they are all saying. Hit 2 miles around a 8:17 so negative split 1 and 2. Back out on the road and up the two hills back to the finish. I could hear the music after the first one and the knee started to talk to me at the bottom of the 2nd so in the video we have you can see me hobbling up to the last turn. That was fine because I was almost done. Down the home stretch is flat and then the last .10 of the race is downhill so you can just open up the stride and fall down it. My GPS lost it's signal in the woods but the run time was still going so as I hit the finish and checked their big clock I had to do the calculations to get my final time. (subtract 2 wave starts 3 minutes each).

I was happy when I realized I was really close to the 1:25 mark since I had so many electronic problems and was just going. Everything else went according to plan. I need to concentrate on my swim because all technique went out the window as soon as the cannon went off. Transitions need some work because I do not do the shoes clipped in the pedal thing. I am too paranoid of losing one going out or coming into T1 and T2 but will work on that. I need to make sure I have Yankz on my shoes or something for a quicker T2 time. Most importantly I need to get out and run with some speedwork and bricks. A minute per mile should be easy to shave off and that means a 3 minute faster time.

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DW

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1.8 Years Ago

Nice editorial. So...similar to our newbie "Nicole the fish", it take someone of the opposite sex to get those legs "mashing" the gears on your bike! Ha.

Really, that was a great play be play. You know there are sites that will pay your a $100 to narrate big events. I'll have to look it up and get back to you with the name.

Tri on!

Greg

Total Posts: 202
1.8 Years Ago