Soak Up the Sun Triathlon Race Report

Well this past Saturday was Soak up the Sun triathlon and my first triathlon of the year.  It consisted of a 275 yard swim, an 8 mile bike and a 2 mile run.  This was my first triathlon ever last year and I guess if I don't count the flat tire in last year's Eagleman Tri this would just be my second triathlon ever. If I were to use just one word to describe this race it would be....medium.

I had to work in the Jackson area on Friday so I went up and stayed with a friend.  We had plans to eat some lasagna at his house but his wife felt sick (she is pregnant) so we had to go out for pizza.  After supper we went over to his house and played a bunch of Wii.  The whole time playing I am thinking man I hope I don't hurt my arm or something crazy.  We had a blast and I didn't hurt anything.  Saturday morning I was up before my alarm.  I got up, showered, got dressed and headed to the race site.  It has really been getting hot here lately and Saturday was no different.  At 5:45am the temp was 75.  I know that it is not that hot but it was still somewhat dark out plus add in the humidity and it can be brutal.  I got set up in transition in exactly the same rack as I used last year.  We are such creatures of habit or at least I am.  The girl next to me had a temple set up complete with 2 towels and a crate to sit on.  She had all of her stuff laid out over the space for like 4 people. I sat around and talked to a few people from Hattiesburg that were doing the race and some people I knew when I lived up there.  I didn't warm up at all.  They started us in waves in a time trial format 5 seconds apart.  You decided what wave you were in by your estimated swim time.  Last year I was conservative on my swim time but got caught behind a ton of people.  This year I got in the second fastest group and it made all of the difference in the world.  Every year at this race they have a kids division (under age 14) that always goes off first before everyone else but they wait until everyone is out of the water.  We finally started and the people were going off into the water one by one.  I lined up to a friend of mine's brother.  He is the guy I want to beat.  It was my time and off in the water I went.  I just wanted to get through the swim with no suprises.  I did not have any swim time goal because I had just swum for the first time in 7 months Monday before the race.  I settled in good and just concentrated on long gliding strokes and staying relaxed.  I didn't get passed but had to pass a few people but not nearly as many as I had to last year.  It was much less congested.  That was a smart move on our part getting in the faster wave.  Before I knew it my hand was hitting the bottom and I got up and headed to transition.  My time was 4:18 which was good enough for 5th out of 30 in my age group. 

I came into transition put on my helmet and shoes, grabbed a drink of water and headed out on my bike.  The transition area is in a grassy field and then we had to make our way down a path and out to the mount line.  I did a fliying mount and got going.  I already had my shoes on.  I didn't clip into my bike and put them on while out on the course.  Next race I will.  Transition time 1 minute. 

I didn't just jet out on the bike partly because I did that last year and plus it is all uphill until you get out of the neighborhood.  Last year I felt like I couldn't calm down at all so I thought just taking it easy until I got to the main road would help.  I had the same problem this year but more on that later.  The beginning of the bike course is all down hill and you can really get up some speed.  My plan was to do that but not get out of control on the heart rate.  The first third of the bike was really good for me.  I was moving along good and staying in control.  The second third really sucked,  I don't know why but I couldn't get going.  It was like I lost my focus.  Who knows?  The last part was just ok.  I rode the hills good in that section but I still wasn't moving like I wanted to.  As I headed towards transition I made a mistake that cost me some good time.  I got out of my shoes too early.  I thought that transition was closer and I missed out on bombing down the hill towards transition and you can't go as fast out of your shoes as you can with them on  Stupid.  My bike time was 25:05 for a 19.1 mph average and good for 11th out of 30 in my AG .  BOO.  Not what I wanted at all.

T2 was nothing special.  I racked my bike and put on my shoes.  The time was 1:08.  Pretty good.  Both of my transition times were faster by a ton this year. 

The run was awful.  Once again, I couldn't get going.  I also couldn't find my form.  My heartrate didn't feel out of control but I don't really know because I didn't wear my monitor.  This isn't good for just a two mile run.  Anyway on the second half of the run I did find my form and came to the end in a good time.  I just wish I would have found "that" the whole run.

Now that is pretty good form.  I know when this picutre was taken and it was right near the end when I found my legs.  My run time was 17:51 good for 15th out of 30 in my AG.  I finished in 49:12.  13th out 30 in my AG.  That is 7:50 better than last year.