Mid-season catch-up
I guess about now marks the middle of the year for my race season, and I'm way behind as always these days of journaling my races and training. That's a shame, I often find myself using google to go back and look up triathlon related stuff, results etc. directly on my triman livejournal aka blog.
This year I've been focusing on going back to short course, working much harder than I have in probably 10-years on my running with the help of Austin Distance Challenge winner, and Trail Roots founder, Erik Stanley. For the first time, I set out to complete all the races in the Texas Tri Series. I've entered on and off since the series started in 2007, I made the 2008 Finishers party by the fact I volunteered a couple of the races but other than that, have been focused on long course racing or leading the Jack and Adams Sunday shop ride.
To be honest, as the master of over expectation, I really hoped to win my age group at the Tri series this year, I made that boast to a number of my peers, including Ralph Stanley who is racing the tri series this year precisely because I am trying to win it :) I also discussed with Doug, Gary and others.
As it turns out, for my age group the tri series is becoming a war of attrition. After the Rookie there were 21 in the Age group results; after Lake Pflugerville Tri, 12; and after the mot recent race, The Couples Triathlon, there are now 6, of which I'm 5th.
I have a tale to tell on how I lost about 4-mins, maybe more at the Rookie; how my bike just didn't come together at Lake P'ville, but I have no excuse for this years Couples Triathlon which was my fastest since I first raced it in 2007. So, it turns out I'm just not fast enough.
Still as we head into Jacks Generic Triathlon I'm feeling great and hopeful I'll be able to claw back at least a few seconds on the swim and bike, and hold my own on the run. Last year I won my age group at the Sprint distance, this year for the Tri series I have to compete in the intermediate distance, which is 1000m swim, 25.8 mile bike, and a 6-mile run. We are back at Lake P'ville but doing two laps of the course in reverse this time.
Next up, well after Jacks Generic, it's the next round of the Pure Austin Splash and Dash