Canada Games, Day 5

I didn't have time to right a post last night, so you are just going to have to deal with it 12 hours late. Yesturday was the individual race for the triathlon. Race morning went off without any problems, got up, ate, made sure I had everything packed, and then we took the shuttle down to the race site.

I set up my trainer in the athletes tent facing the race course so that i could watch the girls go by as i warmed up. Dorelle had a good race, coming 5th, Joanna was 6th, with the fastest run, and Domi was 11th. Aparently the water was really choppy, so we lucked out with that, but it was so much hotter for us.

I did a nice long run and swim warm up, and then it was go time. We were lined up by province, with me in between Tristan and Ian. I had a fairly good dive, gaining about half a body length, but then everyone just kept clawing at my feet for about 25 metres before I could get clear. The B.C. guys and two N.S. guys were all side by side for the first 300m to the bouy. Then it strung out a little, with me getting forced back in the pack. I just swam on feet the rest of the way in having no trouble doing so. Into T1, a ran past my bike to antoher cervelo, then realized it wasn't mine, so i had to go back a few bike to mine. This almost caused me to miss lead pack.

On the bike i just had nothing. I have never had any trouble pushing the bike in a tri before, but it took everything that i had just to stay in the pack. My legs just felt awful, and i know that if i had felt well i would have had no problem pulling through. We put about 1 minute on the chasers on the bike, so we started the run about 1:40 up. In the last km, JP broke away, putting about 10 seconds on us, and i knew that the other B.C. guys werent going to chase him, so i decided to let him go, and maybe that little surge would take something out of his legs.

I started the run with the mindset that i would build throughout it. I guess it worked. I felt awful from the start. My hamstrings were killing me, and I just had no pep. After the first loop I had dropped about 10 seconds behind a group of 3 guys. I started to feel a little better, and I emphasize a little, so I picked it up. In one lap I brought back that 10 second gap, and gapped them by about 10 seconds. The third lap really hurt, and the heat was starting to get to me (35 degrees). My hamstrings were giving out, and it was all I could do to stay ahead of Cole for second. I crossed the line in second, 50 seconds behind JP and 10 seconds ahead of Cole. Congrats to both of them, they both had amazing races.triastan and Ian posted the 1st and second fastest runs, I know they are a little disapointed, but you have to take the positives aways from this race.

Here is a photo from our newsletter of me at the finish, found here.


So until later,
CH