Better Race

Megan, me and Katie from swim class, along with Vic Pardue. Taken by Katie's Mother.

The Republic Tiger Tri is the premier sprint distance race in the are in my opinion. Ultramax runs a class act. I had a good race, despite coming in slower than I wanted. I was shooting for 1:09, but finished just under 1:11. Faster transitions would have helped quite a bit. I still finished 6th in my AG and I'm pretty happy with that. Coming on the heels of the Concrete Man, it gave me back quite b bit of confidence. I enjoyed every aspect of this race.

The swim; I had a good swim and seeded myself in a very good spot. Throughout the 300 yards I had nearly a whole 25 between me and the swimmers ahead and behind.

The bike; I had just knocked out a 25 mile 19mph average training ride previous to this race and felt very confident. I cranked it as fast as I thought I could get away with. After passing several faster swimmers, I wound up battling it out between my neighbor Dennis and another young Asian fellow. I could have pushed harder toward the end and perhaps gotten closer to the 19 I was hoping for.

The run; I felt remarkably fresh on the 5k run. By this point in a race, you're just thinking about the finish line. The 5k was pretty flat and well staffed with three aid stations. Offers of a splash and/or a drink were on offer. When you hit the running track in the park, you can smell the barn and see the finish line. I cranked it up a notch when I saw I was in danger of coming in over 1:11. I finished strong at 1:10:56.

I waited for some of my friends to come in and hung around to see Dennis, Katie, Megan, and Zach get awards in their AG's. Pizza and other snacks along with an icy-pop at the finish topped it all off. I was glad that my Brother-in-Law Chris was able to come down and do this race again this year. I know he's been limited on races and training this summer. He and I did three races together last year.