Team x tri in victoria: May 22/2011
Sato and I and Meggie bombed over to victoria the on Saturday morning (for Sunday morning race), I had screwed up my fery reservations (wrong weekend) but luckily the ferry wasn't full so it didn't matter. We stayed downtown and toured around victoria and the racecourse that afternoon, decided we still quite like victoria and would move back if it is in the cards sometime.
It was a beautiful course around Fort Rod Hill park in a suburb of Victoria. I was nervous the night before as it was freezing cold and rainy (like our entire spring season), not optimal conditions for a frosty like me. Morning weather cooperated and it was just overcast and cold.
Good swim, I just sit in and try not to lose too much time. Bike was a hilly course along the waterfront, I managed to catch the several faster swimmers pretty quickly and settled into a nice rythm. Second lap of the bike I passed the guy with those tri spoke wheels in the video. Run was prett much solo. I had one guy close behind me at the start, but by the turn around he had disappeared.
It was nice trial run on a barkmulch trail, feather soft landings when pounding along tired with poor form. Cruised across the line by myself, the 2 guys ahead of me were way ahead, the guys behind were way behind, so no sprint was required, just look composed for the crowd at the line.
Extremely happy with the race, my goal was to win my age group (which I did), but to be on the podium for 3rd overall was better than I had hoped for!
Team X Triathlon Results
Followed the awards with a frantic drive to ferry trying to make the 1300 sailing as we had to make it back to vancouver in time for package pickup for the North Shore tirathlon (pickep closed at 1600pm) the following morning!
That evening I was pretty pooched, but I was careful to hydrate and refuel well after the victoria race. Didn't sleep great, despite being quite tired and dragged myself and team manager Sato out of bed at 6am to repeat the process we had done the day before.
North Shore Spring Triathlon: May 23/2011
North shore race is a pretty big scene: they close mount seymour parkway (a big 4 lane road) and there is tons of people racing, supporting there familiy memebers and the kids of steel division has tons of kids competing. As a result the whole area around the aquatic center is a zoo of bikes, kids, families and warming up racers.
Lots of running around in transiton setting up my kit while Sato went off to find parking about a mile away. Last year at this race I got screwed because they started the heats about 40 minutes early, so I had to swim with a lane full of non-swimmers.
This year I was nice and early and when the inevitable time changes happened I was in line and ready to start with the '10-12 minute per 750 meter' grouping. Bang the gun goes off and away we go. Swim goes well, though as usual, I swallowed gallons of water. I can't figure out how to avoid this problem, it happens in every race. Swimming is my weakest of the 3, but I'm quick enough to not lose too much time, and then I can usually catch the pure swimmers on the bike and run.
My lap counter got mixed up and I didn't get the signal of when I was done. My counting always get mixed up when I'm bashing away with a lane full of people, so when I was pretty sure I was done I stopped and stared at the counter girl. She didn't know, but another girl leaned over her and shouted at me that I was done and to get outa there.
Sato was a little worried I had swum and extra 2 laps, but in hindsight I don't think I did. Outta the pool and onto the bike! There was a lot of people (maybe 10 or 15) in front of me after the swim, but after the first bike loop (of 4 total) I had passed several.
By the 4th bike loop I knew there was only a few left in front of me, so I was hopeful it would stay that way until the line. Good quick transition and off on the run. Run this year was a street run, which was good, as last years trail run was super confusing.
My run always starts slow then gets faster, so I had one guy that I passed on the bike catch up to me, then we ran together the remainder of the 5km. He pipped me at the line, but I didn't mind that much because he looked fairly young and was probably a different age group.
After going for a nice pancake breakfast at the nearby holiday inn we returned to partake in the awards. Lo and behold - when I checked the results I had met my goal of winning the age group, but also got 3rd place overall! Needless to say I was really stoked for so high an overall finish!
North Shore Tri 2011 results
So, it was a great weekend of racing - not dumping rain or crazy cold (well maybe a little crazy cold) and I had exceeded expectations in the results! Yay! The 2 firsts for age group meant I was off to a great start in the points series as well!
Video shot by Sato on the iphone and then edited on the same device, while flying to calgary to visit dad :-)
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