Wildflower Triathlon, May 4-6, 2007, San Antonio Lake, California
Prior to give you my report about the fantastic Wildflower triathlon event i participated in, i’d like to introduce myself to you as a new Running Free team member.This is my 4th year in triathlon, mainly racing in the Olympic distance events. I am proud and very enthusiastic to be part of the team, starting 2007. I already met some of you at the Durham Forest 5 Peaks off trial race last Saturday and am looking forward to say hi to all of you in a next future!! I have participated in a few triathlon races here and there and knowing how difficult the trip planning can be when your destination is far from home, i decided to set up my company called SBR Organization Inc. It it my job to offer travel package to Athletes & their families to selected destinations in North America and France. Please visit my website at www.sbrorganization.com and don’t hesitate to contact me if any questions!! I will be attending most of the race expos at the Subaru Triathlon series events so stop by my booth to say “Hi” whenever you want…

Now back to the race report.

We (my wife, 4 years old daughter and me) took off on Wednesday May the 2nd to Los Angeles. Our daughter was so excited. She loves going on a trip for vacations..don’t know why but “hotel”, “ocean” or airplane are some kind of magic words for her!

Arriving at the L.A airport around 1pm, we took our rental vehicle and hit the highway 101 north. It was a beautiful scenic drive along the coast, nice weather and not too much traffic. After almost 3hrs of driving, we finally arrived at our hotel at Pismo Beach. We stayed 2 nights, enjoy the beach and discovered a incredible restaurant in the hotel beside ours. It was the best dinner out we had for a long time… On the Friday, we checked out and drive to San Antonio lake. The Thursday night was rainy and chilly so we were afraid that we would have a hard time when setting our tent on site…but on the Friday morning we saw the sun and the heat back, with a strong wind, though…1h30 later, we arrived on site. San Antonio lake is not on the Californian coast but more inland, in the middle of nowhere! the closest city, San Luis Obispo, is 1h drive away!!! People started to arrive as well so the campground on the lake shown some great and friendly activities already…

we set up our tent in no time and i head down to the expos to set my booth up. With a none stop wind, I spent the whole afternoon running after the brochures i displayed under my booth!!!

On the Saturday morning, prior to re-opening my booth, i went down to the swimming starting line to watch the long distance racers..What a fantastic moment!..about 3000 Triathletes from everywhere we’re excited to jump in the water for what will become a memorable race for the most of them….during the day, at my booth, i made few contacts with people, sold few goodies and made my business exposed as much as i could…Around 4pm, i took 5 minutes, went down to the lake and swam few strokes…this was my warm up for the tomorrow’s race…

On the Saturday evening, the place was just rocking out!! award ceremonies with the race winners, music bands on the central stage, people shopping like crazy (including us) at the expo!!! was really a great time!! no wonder the event is called the “woodstock” of the triahtlons!!! we went to bed in our tent at about 9pm. The time to read a story to our daughter and the light was off…

On the morning of the race, i was up at 7pm..the guys in the tent beside us made some noise that woke me up. I wanted to go out and ask them to stop but i just couldn’t! why? well, these guys were the USAT officers…couldn’t risk to get a penalty even before starting the race…it was time anyway as the race start for the first wave was scheduled at 9pm.

I dressed up, got my breakfast and head down to the transition area at about 8:30am. My wave was scheduled at 9:40am so plenty of time to set up my pack properly…10 minutes before my wave start, i head down to the swimming start. They let us warming up in the water 3 mins before we start. Now couples of minutes to go. This guy asked me: “What’s your goal?” “no idea” i answer. “This is my first time ever here. I just heard the ride and the run are hilly like hell so i took my road bike and will try to be beat the 3hrs mark!” so he said “good luck, my friends”. This was the 1st time in 4 years that i see people so excited at a starting line..they were all watching their timer, yelling things like “Hah!” “come on!” ” go, go, go”..ad so forth. I surprised myself doing the same….

In the water now. The usual fight in the beginning then things calm down. I feel comfortable from the beginning, able to keep my pace. 2 or 3 times the officers redirect me back to the proper direction. I exited the water in 30 mins on my watch, no dizzy or anything..at that time, i thought that i could have swam a bit harder…..on my way to the transition, i see my wife waiting for me, ready to take a picture. The little one is now sleeping in the stroller..i would have loved giving her a kiss..

in the transition area, “where’s my bike?” i got the right “aisle” but can’t locate my stuff! the area is so big, with more than 4000 racers during the day…Ah, here it is..no problem to put my riding stuff on and i’m off for the 40km ride after more than 3 mins in T1!!! oops….

the first hill is terrible! some guys, with their specific tri bike, are already on foot!!! glad i had a triple cranksets….it is already hot out there, i feel ok and stay with my usual speed…i ride with this guy..i pull him up, he pulls me down the hills..we stay together for the most part of the race, talking while riding…he comes from Portland, racing here for the fifth time…drafting you said?? well, this is an age grouper race so officers are not too picky. Hills, hills, hills,…..glad that my background is road climbing the mountains back in France, in the alps, where is my hometown… 5 kms to go when i look at my watch for the last time: 1h20mins..not quite excellent..disappointing? considering the extremely hilly course, i would say not really for me…anyway…back in T2, another 2m33s wasted in searching my spot and i am on the run course. Starts with few steps to go out of the transition area then directly on a hard packed trail. It is so hot by now that i am already sweeting like crazy under my runner’s cap. Fortunately, volunteers with a water hose wait for us at the top of the first hill. Pace is correct for me, 5:05, i am confident. I feel strong going up the hills but weak going down..don’t know why, though….at the mid point of the race, the “Naked” aid station…every body feels like gaining energy, reboosting, don’t know why, Hmm…!!! I get my last gel there and start challenging a huge hill!! “looking good!” i can hear…Yeah right!you don’t want to know if i feel good, too!!! at the 8kms mark we are now back on the road. The entrance of the park in close by, also meaning the last kilometer will be all downhill. Should be a relief…but i can’t speed up downhill! most of the guys i passed by few minutes ago are just flying now…my legs just don’t want to go faster!! the last flat 400 meters and i can see the finish line..here again, i try to speed up but just can’t..i am stuck at the same pace!! i pass the finish line, stop the watch…a wet towel on the shoulder and the neck, a bottle of water with a basket of local strawberries given by the volunteers and i look at my watch: 53 mins. On the result board, i see: 3h, 08mins, 32secs. Damn, my first Olympic distance over the 3hrs mark!!! a little bit disappointed at this time, then few minutes later, i just realized that i gave everything i could considering the poor training i had, the hot and dry temperature during the race and the extremely hilly ride and run courses….so it’s not that bad, after all.. Actually, what makes me more disappointed is that my wife and daughter are not here to see me finishing…but they’re all excuse because i found my daughter having her afternoon nap in the tent..”how was it?” asked my wife when i gently open the tent zip. “fantastic!” i Said. ” the best race i did so far. I definitely have to come back next year!”

it’s already 5pm. We have now packed everything, took the road and drive to Santa Barbara for 1 night at a hotel, before heading back to Toronto on Monday… Can’t wait for next year….