Timberman Race Report

Okay. So in retrospect Sunday turned out to be a pretty good day. Overall my goal was achieved; a spot to Clearwater. I had a good bike an as expected swim and I learned a lot on the run.

The water was warm during the swim and in between dodging passed swimmers and tapping toes (Sorry Mr. Schweihs) I started to get toasty. Wet suit stripping is fun but it is always nuts. A quick, but not too quick, transition put me on my bike and a straw sip away from some refreshment.

For such a challenging bike course I had a pretty enjoyable ride. I was worried that the turns at the bottom of every downhill were going to zap away potential speed but managing to stay aero and fast made for fun bike riding. Although I shutter to think what would be if I was another inch closer to the cones on the last turn onto route 11. Also I made it up to 52 mph on hill down on 107...I thought that was pretty good. Yah?

Starting in the 10th wave makes for an interesting disposition on the bike. You're passing tons and tons of people and feel pretty studly. But it makes it that much more difficult to settle into your plan and hold a straight line. If nothing else it abolishes any monotony. But you have absolutely no idea of where anyone in your wave is, and you get held up on the technical sections. But climbing the 'monstah' with all those people and rolling down 106 with a huge line of bikers in front your is pretty cool.

I tried to cool off with and drink a bottle of water at each aid station but realized a little too late that I needed to reload with more liquids. With twenty five minutes to go I choked down my last salt pill with my last squelch of Gatorade. At the top of the final hill I almost asked a guy with two full bottles for a sup of his water. Maybe I should've.

After another quick, but not too quick, T-2 my plan was to keep it reserved for the first couple of miles and maintain consistent splits for the rest. I managed to achieve the former but quickly realized that my legs were in no shape to attain the latter and my times consistently slipped over the last 10 miles. And, by the way, did anyone else have an insanely long mile 6 to 7 split? I can't tell if I just was really slow through the turn around chutes and over the grass or if it was marked wrong.

Despite pulling out my D Game on the run I managed to offer up a 1:30 half. Fortunately the heat repressed everyone and I still can't believe I didn't get passed. I kept waiting for it, especially towards the end.

You ever watch The Biggest Loser when they have the option to eat a whole plate of their favorite food that's sitting in front of them if they just give up? Me either. But those cold cups of Gatorade (not so much the warm ones, each aid station was a crap shoot, dagg) were like a little temptress offering up her goods. "You can go forth unto this heat and land of suffer or stop here under this tree. Take a seat and soak up this cold sweet nectar laid here before you as a gift from Kuahana, watch your compatriots suffer and give unto the relaxation my darling." Must...not...stop...

Dude, I just could not turn my legs over faster. I was all, "Okay I crested that hill, lets get smooth and turn it over on this slight downhill here. That sounds good. Okay...you're doing it, picking it up, high tempo, nice....feeling good...keep it up...uh oh...waiiiiit a sec...that lady's catching back up to me. Crap. Go faster, by any means!!!"

Didn't cramp though! (Thank you salt) Even though I was sure my quad twinges on the bike were going to take me into the hurt box. Lucky...

So any way. I want to give a couple of props to the Works crew for cheering me on and for the post race bevvies. It was great to have a strong showing.
And a big Thank You to the Fam, Sarah and Boog for supporting me through the weekend. Now it's on to the future! Tally Ho!