2010 BLUE LAKE OLYMPIC DISTANCE TRIATHLON
 |
| 2010 BLUE LAKE OLYMPIC DISTANCE TRIATHLON |
NAME: H, Jensen
AGE: 33
SEX: M
TIME: 2:35:03
BRACKET PLACE: 25
SWIM TIME: 0:32:13
SWIM 100YD: 1:58
SWIM 100YD: 1:58
PLACE AFTER SWIM:318
TRANSITION 1: 3:58
BIKE: 1:09:22
AVE MPH: 21.11 MPH
AVE MPH: 21.11 MPH
BIKE RANK: 162
TRANSITION 2: 2:57
PLACE AFTER BIKE:224
RUN TIME: 0:46:33
AVE MILE SPLIT: 7:29
AVE MILE SPLIT: 7:29
PLACE AFTER RUN: 124
I wake up - 5:30 AM, and look outside to the utterly disgusting weather. Rolling my eyes, I wander downstairs to get my oatmeal cooking and shiver as I look out the window. This was one of those mornings where you can't quite see out the window, its a layer of glass and a layer of rippling water. Its obviously raining and raining hard.
On the way over to pick up James, my Tri Coach and friend - I groan at the classic February Oregon downpour and feel a twinge of annoyance as I realize its June. Even worse, the day before we enjoyed 76 and sunny! COME ON OREGON!!! WHAT THE HELL??? I have been in this weather enough to know very well that I am going to feel very cold, very wet and very uncomfortable by the end of the day.
Showing up at Blue Lake park, the weather seamed to only get worse... Here is a photo of a couple of kids who tried to run from one tent to another.
I elect to get the wet-suit on before doing anything else, like a switch - my body wakes up from the solid shot of adrenaline and nerves (finally realizing why I drove out here), creating a malicious grin which spreads across my face as I realize how much I miss competing - especially in such conditions.
I look out across the transition area and laugh at myself and my fellow athletes as we slip, slide and sink into what should be a grass field... It now looks something akin to a bog.
I really couldn't believe the fact that in a blink of an eye, I found myself neck deep in Blue Lake surrounded by a rainbow of different colored swim caps. I had no idea what to expect, except for the fact that I would finish... well, I would finish as long as I got though the swim... I don't even remember a gun... or an announcer or any indication that we should all start swimming but soon enough, I realized that I was avoiding feet and hands as we all attempted to swim towards a great big floating green buoy. I remember, after settling into a rhythm, thinking of my boys and Finding Nemo, as I sang... over and over and over... "just keep swimming, swimming, swimming... just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."
I felt really strong on the bike and actually enjoyed the rain for the first 16 miles or so. At about mile 17, it became quite a pain in the ass... no really, my butt hurt! You will be glad to know this was a first for me on the bike - somewhere deep between my right glute and right hamstring a muscle was screaming at me and really cramping up. I finished the leg strong but overall average speed suffered during the last few miles or so. Hind sight being 20/20 I should have realized that I was failing at hydrating properly. Who needs to drink when you are surrounded and covered in sheets of water??? I guess I did :). The transition area - as mucky, sloppy and slippery as it was, looked like an oasis.
Parking the bike, I took a quick look at my race flats and socks that were already getting soaked. What would be worse??? Soggy Socks or no socks at all? My split second decision was to go without socks, my first footfall out of the tradition area would make me regret that decision for the next 6.24 miles. That footfall landed directly in a 6" deep puddle - the gravel immediately infiltrated my shoe and I knew I was in for bloody feet by the end of the day. I turned my brain off and after a quick pee of the side of the road (causing me to have a 8:30 first mile), I was able to crank out 7:15s for the rest of the 10K. That felt great and boosted my overall standing to 124.
Overall, after taking in everything - the rain, the blisters, the metacarpal hamstring pull, the really slow swim, the incessant shivering after the race, the 4" deep muck in the transition area - I LOVED IT!!!!
I am so motivated to better my times, as there is so much room for more fun... for more improvement.
Stay tuned for the rest of the 2010 Season!
Special thanks to James Williams at Zing 3 Coaching / Club Sport for coming out and guiding me through my first Tri Experience.
Special thanks to Cheryl at North Lake Physical Therapy for helping me recover and get back to racing condition.
Especially, Super Dooooper Special thanks to my wife Shannon for supporting my passion and forgiving me for disappearing (phone got lost in the back of the car - she thought I died...) after the race... I love you Hon!
On the way over to pick up James, my Tri Coach and friend - I groan at the classic February Oregon downpour and feel a twinge of annoyance as I realize its June. Even worse, the day before we enjoyed 76 and sunny! COME ON OREGON!!! WHAT THE HELL??? I have been in this weather enough to know very well that I am going to feel very cold, very wet and very uncomfortable by the end of the day.
Showing up at Blue Lake park, the weather seamed to only get worse... Here is a photo of a couple of kids who tried to run from one tent to another.
 |
| A couple of spectators when they mistakingly stepped out of the shelter of the vendor's booth. |
I look out across the transition area and laugh at myself and my fellow athletes as we slip, slide and sink into what should be a grass field... It now looks something akin to a bog.
 |
| Transition area - Blue Lake... OK, OK, so its not but it looked like it! |
 |
| Dorie and Nemo keeping me company through the swim. |
 |
| Me coming out of the transition area... |
I felt really strong on the bike and actually enjoyed the rain for the first 16 miles or so. At about mile 17, it became quite a pain in the ass... no really, my butt hurt! You will be glad to know this was a first for me on the bike - somewhere deep between my right glute and right hamstring a muscle was screaming at me and really cramping up. I finished the leg strong but overall average speed suffered during the last few miles or so. Hind sight being 20/20 I should have realized that I was failing at hydrating properly. Who needs to drink when you are surrounded and covered in sheets of water??? I guess I did :). The transition area - as mucky, sloppy and slippery as it was, looked like an oasis.
Parking the bike, I took a quick look at my race flats and socks that were already getting soaked. What would be worse??? Soggy Socks or no socks at all? My split second decision was to go without socks, my first footfall out of the tradition area would make me regret that decision for the next 6.24 miles. That footfall landed directly in a 6" deep puddle - the gravel immediately infiltrated my shoe and I knew I was in for bloody feet by the end of the day. I turned my brain off and after a quick pee of the side of the road (causing me to have a 8:30 first mile), I was able to crank out 7:15s for the rest of the 10K. That felt great and boosted my overall standing to 124.
 |
| OK so these are not my feet, and really my blisters were no where near this bad... But this is how they felt!!! |
I am so motivated to better my times, as there is so much room for more fun... for more improvement.
Stay tuned for the rest of the 2010 Season!
Special thanks to James Williams at Zing 3 Coaching / Club Sport for coming out and guiding me through my first Tri Experience.
Special thanks to Cheryl at North Lake Physical Therapy for helping me recover and get back to racing condition.
Especially, Super Dooooper Special thanks to my wife Shannon for supporting my passion and forgiving me for disappearing (phone got lost in the back of the car - she thought I died...) after the race... I love you Hon!
0 comments:
Post a Comment