Knights of Columbus 5-miler
Raynham, MA, 3/14
This race was during one of those rain streaks that blanketed Massachusetts causing endless basement flooding and transportation via boats favorable to cars. Luckily, most road races are "rain or shine" and this one was no exception. Because it was my first race of the year, and because of the weather, I wasn't expecting too much.
Results - 40:36 (8:07 min/mile pace), 10th in my age group, 65th overall
Coyle Cassidy Scholarship 5-miler
Taunton, MA, 3/28
Having one 5-miler under my belt two weeks earlier, and not having to deal with a down-pour of rain as I did then, I felt much better for this race. This was another local race, and I was excited to get another race in my legs. Starting out strong, I eclipsed the first mile in 7:50, running stride for stride with my 12 year-old brother. I felt really good going into the next mile, I decided to run with him as a pacer to try to get him a PR. His previous PR was 41:15. At the end of the race, we were both able to cross the line together, getting him his new PR.
Results - 40:49 (8:09 min/mile pace), 9th in my age group, 48th overall
Merrimack River Trail Race 10-miler
Andover, MA, 4/10
A week after turning 24, I was geared up for this race. It was going to be the longest race I have ever competed in (as a road run only), and it was going to be a cross-country race which are always fun. This race was once again after one of the rainy weeks we experienced here in the north east, so the course was very muddy. I ended up running off course at one point, which added 8 minutes to my time, and completely covered in cuts and mud. But I can't wait to do it again!
Results - 1:39:49 (9:58 min/mile pace), 66th in my age group, 158th overall
A Cure is Coming 5k
Lexington, MA, 5/1
At this point in the season, my first triathlon is a week away, and all I've done is log longer distance races. I wanted to run a 5k as a speed workout as a last minute prep for my triathlons. Granted, I am no longer 140 pounds and running 18:00 5ks like I was in high school, but I am getting better than last year, I feel. The weather was perfect, sunny, warm and breezy (but not windy). And on the morning of the surprise 50th for my Aunt Karen, I recorded my best 5k in quite some time, so training is a success so far.
Results - 22:55 (7:22 min/mile pace), 3rd in my age group, 31st overall.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Max Performance Season Opener Sprint Triathlon
Hopkinton, MA, 5/9
Prelude: Last year, this race was very difficult for me. I trained for it, but not as much as I probably should have. I was expecting my natural athleticism to carry me through it no problems, but I realized I am not the same guy I was were I could get up and run for 10 hours no problem. Come race time, a small wind started picking up and eventually led them to altering the length of the swim course because one of the turn buoys blew away. I finished the (slightly shortened) 1/4 mile swim, 15 mile bike, 5k run in time of 1:35:38 (57th percentile overall). Not bad for hardly training at all. Oh, and I was Bib #1 for my first triathlon!
Pre-race: The Saturday before the race (5/8), felt very eerie. It was very dark and cloudy, but the water at the race site was very calm and still. There was no wind, no freezing temperatures, just a nice cool day. Something that would be very manageable to race in. Come race morning, I get up at 5:00am to pack my car, eat some breakfast and head to the race. The outside temperature is 39°F! I get to the Hopkinton State Park around 6:30, get my race number marked on my body, prep my transition area, and start to warm up. Oh yeah, I didn't wear any pants either! It is windy, freezing, and I am very worried about how this is going to turn out. Getting near race time, and the wind really didn't pick up, just stayed a consistent strong breeze at this point.
Swim (1/4 mile): By 7:40am, most of the competitors have made it down to the water to start warming, hoping to get this race over with as fast as possible. It is still a dreadful 40°F at this point. However, the water was at a very deal-able 62°F! Hardly a comfortable temperature to swim in, but quite a break from the air temperature. It felt so warming to dive in and warm up to escape it. Getting out of the water after warming up my swimming muscles was another story; even colder than I remember! This year, being my second year doing triathlons, I am racing as an age grouper (male 20-24) rather than a newbie. This means I am in the first wave of the race. After all has warmed up, the race officials corral all of the waves together, send the first wave in the water to get ready for the start of the race. The wind picks up dramatically, blowing the turn buoys away and causing the race director to alter the length of the course (see prelude). Who can complain about a shortened swim, though! The gun sounds, and the 2010 race season has begun! I'm swimming like I've been training for this moment all winter/spring, and I'm enjoying reaching the halfway point at the turn-around buoy near the front of the pack; then it happened. Mother Nature all of a sudden decides that this is not what she wants, and unleashes a windy beast upon us. Wave after wave pounds over my head, and I can't breathe on either side of my body because they were just coming from everywhere. I am swimming now with my head out of the water, using so much more energy than I did in the first half of the swim. I hear the RD over the load-speaker giving instructions to the remaining waves, but I can't make it out. Two other waves get released while I'm on this dreadful swim back to the shore, and I realize I am going really slow. I am not alone though, because I see so many other of the same swim caps all around me. After taking 2-3 minutes to reach the half-way point of the swim, on a pace faster than any that I've done before, I end up swimming 11 minutes on the second half, doubling my swim time from last year. Things only got worse for the rest of the field, though, and the RD decided to cancel the swim for the last three waves. I found out later, after the race was over, that one of the rescue boats capsized and sunk because of the extreme conditions, other rescue kayaks were blown far away from the field of swimmers, and they needed outside assistance to help other swimmers. The race made headlines on channel 5 news: Chaos at Local Pond.
Swim Result - 14:01 (3:11 min/100 yards), 168th overall
Transition 1: Getting out the water was so difficult for me, not being a strong swimmer like many others, I was completely drained for this point. But I figured I was going to push through it, and I could rest when I was finished. I ran as fast as I could in a wet suit to the transition area, pulled it off, put on my biking gear and was out on my bike in the fastest time I ever did.
T1 Result - 1:26
Bike (10 miles): Knowing quite well that I was low on energy at this point, I decided to take the first few minutes in a recovery zone, trying to get my legs nice and warmed up before I start cranking away the miles. Many people passed me, but I knew I would catch most of them, and I did. About a mile later, I was cruising past people, many that had passed me within the first few minutes, but many more that had been ahead of me since the swim. I felt good, but not too comfortable. It was still freezing, the wind was pushing me all over the place, and my feet (which I didn't completely dry) were starting to go numb on me. The few hills I knew about, combined with the high-intensity wind, gave me a run for my money, and I couldn't pick up my pace any. It was not a good feeling, considering I felt I was miles ahead of last year on the bike, but I did my best in the conditions that were presented to me, and just tried to get to the run as fast as possible.
Bike Result - 36:09 (16.6 mph average), 98th overall
Transition 2: Just like in transition 1, I did my best to not let the easier parts, give me any more additional time. Finishing the bike leg, I sprinted into transition, removed my biking gear, threw on my running shoes, and was out on the run course on another transition PR.
T2 Result - 1:05
Run (5k): Thinking back to my race the week previous, I tried my hardest to push the pace from the start. But when the first thing you encounter out of transition is an endless sloping hill, it's pretty difficult! Not to mention I am running on little energy at this point. I knew this course pretty well from the year before, and I knew there was a very decent downhill right after this initial climb. I thought I would tough it out, stick on someones heals to pace me up the hill, and then coast down the downhill, recovering any bit I can going into mile 2. This worked for the most part, until I ran into mile 2 where I escaped the protection of the trees, into an open parking lot, and the relentlessness of Mother Nature. A pure nasty headwind hit me and the several people around me at this moment, and pushed us backwards for a short second. From this point, until almost mile 3, was completely troubled by this wind. We ended up running across this jeti, right next to the swim location, and it was very difficult dealing with the heavy winds. But I heard the music blaring at the finish line, and I decided I was done dealing with the wind, so I picked it up and pushed myself to finish.
Run Result - 26:04 (8:23 min/mile pace), 130th overall
Post-race: I made a vow with myself that I would never let myself have a DNF (did not finish) next to my name unless I was pulled off the course against my own will. My pride could not deal with that, and that usually gets me through the very difficult times and conditions. When things get too difficult for me, and I realize I can't make a run at the leader board, I just make sure I finish the race the best I can. The after race festivities looked like a lot of fun, but unfortunately the wind did not let up, it was freezing, and I just wanted to warm up. I grabbed my free lunch (which was a delicious BBQ!) and peaced to take a nap and wrap myself in blankets.
Final Result - 1:18:43, 10th in my age group, 109th overall (51st percentile)
Overall, I am extremely glad I got to swim because I got that experience under my belt. Now I know I can handle that situation again, and it should make me even stronger in training going forward.
