Crescent Moon Sprint Triathlon

This was my third triathlon, I wrote this report in September.

Short version.
750m swim: 17:17
T1: 2:53
13 mile bike: 44:27
T2: maybe 1 minute, I forgot to hit the button until I hit the exit
5k run: 26:15
Total: 1:30:42
These are my watch times.
Overall 30/250
AG 8/21

So, long version. Sorry no pics, we forgot the camera. Not really a big deal though. I only have one pair of tri shorts and one tri top, so all the pics pretty much look the same.

This sprint was held in the Aurora Reservoir, east of Denver, about 45 minutes from my house so we were up early. There was a HIM that started before my race so my wave went off at 9:05. Plenty of time to hang out, wait for the bathroom and get set up. I ate a bagel before leaving home, but forgot to eat again before the race. This kind of bit me later on the run because I felt a bit of an energy loss. I meant to eat a Cliff bar about a half hour before the start, oh well.

After my first sprint and my XTERRA in July, I felt very relaxed for this race. I mean I wasn't worried about finishing, so that stress wasn't there. The whole build-up to the race this time was fun and the day was just relaxing and fun.

I borrowed my friend's expensive carbon-framed road bike. So I got to train on it for a couple of weeks. Made a huge difference.

So I went out for the swim feeling good. I thought the water was cold at 65 degrees, but there were folks without wetsuits. I started out taking it pretty easy, as usual. I worry about running out of air. But since this was my last race, and I've done longer distance now, I decided to push it on the way back from the turn around bouy. I started swimming a little faster, and it felt okay. So I pushed a little faster, and then the swim was over. I think I have more speed in me. Really it feels like I can turn my arms over a little faster and "pull" a little harder. Looking forward to trying it.

I tried something new for me, wearing my tri-top under my wetsuit. I have worried about being cold on the bike, but it was no problem with temps in the 70s by race time. That saved me time in transition. I probaby gave the time back by putting on bike gloves. I should have gone without for a 13 mile bike ride. I didn't think they would take that long to put on, but it took about 30 seconds. I came in about 30 seconds behind a guy in my age group at the end, so those gloves are haunting me.

The bike course had some long hills on it. The RD had to change the bike course at the last minute because of construction. So we had to do three u-turns on the course, which stole a lot of momentum. I think I have more speed in me here too. I don't like road biking, it's boring to me. So I didn't do as much training as I should have. But I kept telling myself not to leave anything out there since it was the last race of the year. I need more hill work. I drank a bottle of gatoraide. And since it was a two loop course, I got to see my wonderful wife cheering me on twice.

T2 was quick.

The run was uphill, both ways. It seemed. It was a very long, gradual uphill to the turn-around point, with dips and hills on the way. Here I was chasing a guy in my age group, and we used different strategies. He walked the uphills, I ran them. But I slowed down, so I would almost catch him nearing the top of the hill, then he would pull away on the downhill. The whole last mile of the race went on like this. I never caught him. **** those bike gloves! I also felt a little wooden-legged and drained. I wish I had eaten something before the swim.

All in all, I had a great race! Best part was that it was fun. I feel like I can go a lot faster, too. I made some decisions while training for this race. I'm going to reign in my ambitions a bit. I was thinking of a HIM next summer, that's out. I don't enjoy the long miles on the road bike enough to throw myself into training for it. I plan to do an Oly and, at least, the two XTERRA races here in Colorado, schedule permitting. There is another off road tri (Indian Peaks Dirtfest) near here that I will do if I can. And I'll do this Crescent Moon Sprint again, it was well done and a blast.