Lakeside Ontario
Swim 750m
Bike 30Km
Run 7.5km
This was the first race of the year and other than doing a lot of swimming over the winter I really didn’t know what to expect on the bike and run. I really like Lakeside as a venue and will be racing the events there for years to come.
Swim
Swimming has always been my weakest event and this winter I decided to try and improve. I joined the Norsman Masters Club who swim 4 times a week and then another group started up in the same pool so joined them as well. I ended up swimming on average 5 times a week and saw huge improvements in the pool so was hoping that it would translate to the open water. So the gun goes off and a fellow beside me takes off like a rocket and I think OK here are a pair of feet I can jump on to. As I start to move his direction I realize 2 things, 1 that he is going too fast for me to get on his feet and 2 he is swimming way off course. I decide to settle in and just swim. I felt quite good for the whole swim and came out of the water feeling strong. Not sure how far off that other fellow went but I was first out of the water in my wave, so was very happy.
Bike
T1 was a bit slow and I need to work. Little did I know that the 30s I gave up to the fellow behind me was going to cause me problems later. I was happy that the roads were repaired and we were able to ride the old course as I like the big loop that we do. One word to describe the ride was windy. I felt like I got into a pretty good groove right from the start and was cruising along with a tailwind at a little over 45kph. At about the 4k mark of the ride 2 riders both pass me going at least 10kph faster and as always both in my AG. Since I had 26k left to go I thought this can’t be good. There is no way that I can keep up with these guys so hopefully I can keep the rest behind me. It was a good plan and too bad I couldn’t execute it because at about 15k another rider (from my AG) passes me and I am thinking what is going on, I am not riding slowly and for the last 10k we have been getting killed by a headwind. At about the 20k mark of the ride we start to get into some climbs and 2 of the 3 come back to me and I eventually repass them and start to gain back on the last guy. I didn’t catch him but came into transition only 5 seconds back.
Run
T2 I was better but still a little slow, first race of the year so not suprising. This was actually fun because 1st, 2nd, and 3rd come out of transition basically together and 4th only 10s back. I decide that I am going to push and see what I can do with the first place guy, Scott in 3rd says he can’t hold on so drops back. I duel it out with the guy in first before pulling away from him. I start to settle in and at about 2k they pull back up on me again. This time we are heading up a hill and Scott and I run shoulder to shoulder for 2.5k and drop the fellow in 3rd. I start to come apart at around the 5.5k mark and Scott pulls away, not quickly but nothing I can do. I want to run faster but it is just not there today so my first AG win is going to have to wait. The fellow who came out of T2 in 4th has now closed on me and knowing that I am not going to catch Scott I settle in and run in for 3rd.
I finished in 3rd and the gap between 1st and 3rd was just over 30s. Super close race and very fun to be part of, though as I said that 30s I gave up in T1 definitely cost me a chance at the win. Still a great start to the season and 10 more races to go.
Great seeing Team Running Free out in force with Mark and Gord flying the colours on Sunday. Sorry if I have missed anyone.
If you have not done this race before I recommend Lakeside II in September as you will not regret going.
