Sprint at Chinook's Edge

May 29, 2005

Swim 750m 0:21:53 (74 place) @ 2:55/100 pace

Bike 20Km 0:47:45 (64 place) @ 25.1Km/hr pace

Run 5Km 0:28:26 (69 place) @ 5:41 min/Km pace

Total 1:38:04 71 of 77 Males, 19 of 20 in my age group and if you add in the Ladies I was 105 of 157

Oh what a week, I finished the Golden Triangle and have been very exhausted from work, basically not letting my body rest like it wanted to do. Wanda, Candy, and Baby Erin picked me up in Calgary on Saturday to help me pick up my last few things before getting out of Calgary. I always am amazed at how Calgary keeps growing outward, there is always something new to see when you head north it seams like. I finally replaced my rim tape so hopefully that is the end of the flat tires.

Sunday am, I had a really good sleep on the couch, but at 5am I was ready to get up. My cousin Andy was willing to wake up at 5:45 to get me to Innisfail for the 6:30 opening of registration. I have only done two TRI's so far but I am always amazed that people would show up late and then be mad that the bike racks were full, I forgot that most people would drive out from Calgary and may not be able to wake up as early, I could have waited till 7am to arrive.

My nutrition plan was to have a large glass of water with breakfast and finish a bottle of "Refresh" by 7:30, that worked well because I was able to use the bathroom just before my heat started. I wanted to finish my second bottle on the bike, took a few sips at 2k then big gulps at 8/10/15 and then finished what was left about 18. Finally I had a gel mixed in water for the first 2k on the run and had a Gatorade (?) at the mid point water station. After the race I had some Endurex recovery drink. I had no cramps in the event and I did not feel thirsty or bloated. So I think my plan was a success!

THE SWIM: One of my lane-mates announced that they put her in the wrong heat because she is a much faster swimmer. Thank goodness she told us because me and the other lady said at the same time, "your going first" I was surprised she only passed me 3 times. I kept pace with the other lady and ended up 25m behind her at the end of the swim. This pool had there ledge a little higher than I am used to so it took some effort to get my carcass out of the pool as my arms were like lead!! I am still in a bit of shock that I did as well as I had. I think I swam the first 150m without a stop. Then I did a 100m at some point I switched to 50m then finally had to rest every 25m

THE BIKE: In transition I had one heck of a time putting on my shirt. It just didn't work well. Once I got on the bike I felt really good the wind was gusty and couldn't decide what direction to blow in either. I cruised along passing people once I got out of town, most were ladies on mountain bikes. Traffic was nil so no battles with cars or anything. On the way back into town I saw this lady ahead and was catching up to her, the volunteers pointed to the right and she went straight. She wasn't even in the race! As I pull into the Transition area there was a guy heading out on the run course... I think I spooked the dismount line volunteer the way I came in because all she said was OH! (I watched the fast guys and they come to a complete stop, where I glide in and hop off in one smooth motion and start running)

THE RUN: So I sip my gel trying to think of how far ahead this guy in red could be. I recognize Amber Dawn from TeamX and she tells me I am the first one she has seen. I thought she meant the first TeamX. The next volunteer is Seleane (sp?) from TeamX and she didn't recognize me but when she did she tells me to book it because there was no guy in red in front of me I was the first runner she saw. I got to the water station and they hadn't quite decided how they were going to get the cups to people. I only had one corner where I was not certain where to go but the friendly volunteers showed me the way. I came around the last corner and it is about 4blocks to the finish and you can see that big banner then you hear clapping, it was very cool. Then I notice Andy, the Lumberjack Jacket stands out at a Tri event :) he thought he would come down the block and when the first person goes by go back to the finish line to take a picture. I had told him there was no way I would be the first person across the line.... WRONG I was the first, so I had a 100m sprint with my cousin to finish the race it was a lot of fun.

I crossed the line and the race nurse must have thought I lost my mind because she comes up behind me and puts a hand on my shoulder and says Don't fall over, walk it off, points me in a direction and asks do you need anything... just water (they started to hand racers a bottle as soon as they finished after that). She realizes that she pointed me in the direction of the bike out lane so she graps both shoulders to walk me safely across the roadway so I am off the course. Meanwhile I just want to across the road to the grass off the course because I know I was on the course. Andy caught up and tells her I got him and she walked away. You would think she never saw a finish of a race before. It could have just been me, I thought it was weird.

I bump into Mark and Chris, WayPastFast guys that know who I am. Mark is in the YMCA-TRI Swim Club with me and Chris knows me from the Running Room Events. They both asked me about the course, how was it, etc. I told them about the corner that confused me. Chris I found out later hopped on his bike and checked the corner and made an adjustment. Crazy things happen when you put the flags out on course at three am :)

I had a blast!!! I can't wait to do this again. I really love the Way Past Fast idea of "Safety first then Fun then Results"!