Kansas 70.3

Race #2 of June.  To sum up the conditions:

- 30 mph winds, gusting to 36 mph
- 94 degrees, a new record for June 10, in Lawrence, Kansas
- not a cloud in the sky for duration of race
- Water temp. race morning of 76.8 degrees, i.e. non wetsuit swim
- Above mentioned winds put a nice 1-foot plus chop on the water

Fun.

Most of the above was foreseeable well before the race start.  Water temps Friday and Saturday were already above the 76.1 cutoff.  The winds were howling, and it was hot.  As a result, I had no desire to even start this race, didn't feel like swimming in the wetsuit wave (last wave of the race), didn't want to bike in the wind, and certainly didn't want to run under the noon day sun.  I honestly would have been content to just pack it in and go home.  If asked at any point Saturday afternoon I would have put my odds of starting at maybe 25% and the odds of finishing at maybe 10%.  The drive just wasn't there.

The only upside of my shitty attitude, no prerace nerves, I just didn't care.

Swim

Until about 6:30 - 6:45 race morning I wasn't entirely certain what I was going to do.  First decision was wetsuit, no wetsuit.  Without I get to start with my wave at 7:00ish (and later get plucked from the bottom of the lake), with I have to wait until 7:30ish ( and feel like a putz for not being able to swim).  The wind and the waves made it an easy decision.  A calm morning and I may have given it a go sans wetsuit.

Second decision, swim or back to bed.  In my head I honestly didn't know if I'd suit up when the time came or go back to bed.  I think the mental ramifications of pulling out prerace eventually led me to "give it the old college try" and I suited up.

Swim wasn't terrible considering my rude awakening in the water from last week.  Tuesday I did a 1-hour continuous pool swim just for a mental confidence boost, just to prove to myself that I could.  It helped.  I should have done it through a water exercise class, may have prepared me better for the waves/contact.

Couple of gallons of water swallowed, couple of coughing spurts brought on by my trying to suck air through a wave, some unpleasant boat exhaust at times.  I've swam in worse conditions, but not much.  I did discover that my blue tinted goggles are not ideal when you have to breath into the sun.  Ended up swimming most of the first half with my eyes closed.  The out seemed to take forever, once I hit the second turn buoy I mentally felt like I had it licked and could relax a little.  Time was 47:17.  By comparison, my 2009 time was 46:20.  I'll take it.

Bike.

Bring on the winds.  Brutal.  Brutal.  Brutal.  The only good things about starting in the last wave, and being a slow swimmer, it's easy to find your bike and lots of people to pass on the bike course.  Miles 35-38ish absolutely sucked, turned directly into the wind on one of the hilliest sections of the course, took almost 20 minutes to cover those three miles.  Saw several walking their bikes up hills in this section.  I pedaled down a hill on this section at 13 mph.

Ended up with a decent ride, was able to keep the spikes in power to a minimum.  Was able to stay seated and spin up all the hills.  Couple of times I felt myself getting out of the saddle to hammer up a hill before the "what the hell" moment came and I sat back down.  So for that I am happy.

Finished the bike in 3:07:12.  Just over 5 minutes slower than 2009.  Given the conditions (heat/wind), I'm happy with it even though I should be in much better bike shape this year.

Run.

Holy hot batman.  I don't deal well with heat.  Especially if you combine heat with direct sun.  I quickly found out that if I attempted to run more than one or maybe two cones at a time I'd start getting dizzy and/or get a major side stitch.  For the first loop I ran at least part of every mile, even if it was just the last 100-feet to the mile marker.  The second loop found the running much more sparse.  I think two or three short attempts which did not go over well.  At some point (likely very early in the run) finishing upright and healthy became more important than pushing and ending up in the med tent.

Given my mental state prerace, I'm pretty happy just to have finished.  The run was 3:01, total time of 7:01:40.  I've read in various spots that over 400 either DNS or DNF.  I believe it, there was a lot of suffering out there on the run, I was not the only one walking.  Not by a long shot.

Conclusion

Suffice it to say.  I'll doubt I'll ever do this race again.  I love the venue, love the course, race director and volunteers were awesome.  Everything within control of the RD or volunteers was handled perfectly.  Absolutely no complaints.  I came back for a reason, loved it in 2009 as well.  But I just won't risk weather conditions like that again.  I know it can happen anywhere, but Kansas in June, have to expect hot and windy.

Horrible Hilly this Saturday.  100k or 150k of up down repeat on the bike.  Have not decided on the distance yet.  Following weekend I may hit Lake Geneva for the Bigfoot Olympic.  Then Xterra Dairlyland the last weekend in June.  June apparently is race month.

Lake Mills Sprint Tri

Maybe 3-4 weeks ago I decided to sign up for the Lake Mills Sprint Triathlon.  My reason was singular, I have not done an open water swim of any sort since Ironman Wisconsin in 2009.  With Kansas 70.3 looming a week from today, I wanted at least one test run before dropping in for the 1.2 mile swim.

Couldn't be happier with the decision.  Within maybe a 100 yards of the swim start I started to freak out, panic maybe.  Combination of going out to hard, a little contact, coldish water, and a couple of not so clean breaths.  Bobbed a couple times, took a few strokes, bobbed a bit more, and resumed swimming.  Was a little hairy there for a moment,  wasn't sure I was going to be able to recover.

Remainder of the swim was largely uneventful, did swim square into one dude doing the elementary backstroke.  Made it out just shy of 8-minutes for the 1/4 mile swim.

The rest of the race was gravy, wasn't real concerned about anything else today but the swim.  Enjoyed the bike, said hi to most that I passed, thanked the volunteers.  Did have to swear at one rider who out of nowhere decided to do a u-turn right in front of me (after I had already moved left preparing to pass her).  Was a very close call.  Just shy of 48-minutes for the 16 mile bike.

Run was an uneventful out and back on a gravel trail.  No watch, just ran at what felt like a decent pace.  25:23 for the run.

Overall time was 1:25:xx.  Which put me just back of midpack in my age group and just up from the midpoint among the men.

Wife took a bunch of pics, but these are the only two I like:

Floating, just after the bike dismount.





Coming into the finish, maybe another 10-yards.

I really like that second photo, even more so because of the back story.  The dude behind me, #541, passed me maybe 100-150 yards before this point.  On any given day, and especially today, I wouldn't have given it a second thought and just let him go.  But as he went by I happened to look down at his calf and noticed he was in my AG.  So for shits and giggles I decided to sit on his heels and try and take him at the line.

About the point where the women in yellow is standing I picked it up, went to the outside, and ended up holding him off by a second.  I sit here looking at the picture and still laugh, pretty much at myself just for doing it.

So Kansas 1-week from today.  Should be interesting, if the swim doesn't kill me the run just might.  It's supposed to be hot, I don't deal with heat well.  But I like the Kansas 70.3.  Of all the races I've done, this was my favorite venue/course.  Looking forward to getting back.