Welp, I got on the overall podium. 2nd overall. Pretty stinking cool. I know it wasn’t a big huge race, but still, I’ll take it.
This was the first of three races in about 20 days, so it was going to be an interesting few weeks. Tapering, racing, revving back up, tapering, racing, lather, rinse, and repeat. I’ll have like two little mini-tapers with a more serious one leading up to The Nations Tri or some Olympic out there.
The Medford Lakes Triathlon is in my cousin’s old ‘hood, so I guess that’s why I’m drawn to it. It’s cheesy, I know, but whatevs.
My old man group was the second group to go. They let two minutes between groups so for the most part I had pretty clean water and even without a wetsuit I was faster than I was last year. I felt pretty awesome.
The bike is two loops of a neighborhood, relatively flat with a couple little rollers (one sorta big one in the backstretch that’s pretty fun coming down). I worked my way through some of younger guys. I averaged about 24 mph, which I’m very very excited about.
By the end of the bike, only two dudes were in front of me, with a guy from my old man group close on my heals (he absolutely crushed the bike course)…I was certain he was going to catch me. Absolutely certain. I started doing the math in my head and thought I might be able to hold on for fourth overall.
But then the run happened. I felt great. Absolutely great. A younger guy caught up with me, but then I passed him back. We went back and forth. I wasn’t too worried if he ultimately passed me, because I knew had two minutes to give. Because of this dude though, I completely left the guy from my wave behind and was able to put a big enough dent into the guy who would have been second, that I was able to snag the podium spot. Dope. My first ever top three performance ever. Heck yeah.
Also, it was one of my fastest 5k’s ever. Even considering there was a bike and swim before it.
The best part about finishing that early is that there was no line for the post race massage. High five! And it was good one. Thank you sir, I never caught your name but you have amazing hands. I say that without one hint of irony.
Post race, I cleaned up my stuff (I was going to say I cleaned up my junk, but somehow that just seemed inapropro), scooped up my trophy and a $75 gift card to Denizen & Quigley. My wife jokes that I’m well on my way to turning pro because at this rate I’ve made about $200 this year…most of that in gift cards…which you can totally support a family of three on. Totally. Plus, cats who eat more than I do. So yeah, don’t quit your day job, kid.
Lastly, nice job to DQ events. There’s nothing fancy about their races. They’re homegrown, totally unpretentious (yet well organized), solid little races.
This was the first of three races in about 20 days, so it was going to be an interesting few weeks. Tapering, racing, revving back up, tapering, racing, lather, rinse, and repeat. I’ll have like two little mini-tapers with a more serious one leading up to The Nations Tri or some Olympic out there.
The Medford Lakes Triathlon is in my cousin’s old ‘hood, so I guess that’s why I’m drawn to it. It’s cheesy, I know, but whatevs.
My old man group was the second group to go. They let two minutes between groups so for the most part I had pretty clean water and even without a wetsuit I was faster than I was last year. I felt pretty awesome.
The bike is two loops of a neighborhood, relatively flat with a couple little rollers (one sorta big one in the backstretch that’s pretty fun coming down). I worked my way through some of younger guys. I averaged about 24 mph, which I’m very very excited about.
By the end of the bike, only two dudes were in front of me, with a guy from my old man group close on my heals (he absolutely crushed the bike course)…I was certain he was going to catch me. Absolutely certain. I started doing the math in my head and thought I might be able to hold on for fourth overall.
But then the run happened. I felt great. Absolutely great. A younger guy caught up with me, but then I passed him back. We went back and forth. I wasn’t too worried if he ultimately passed me, because I knew had two minutes to give. Because of this dude though, I completely left the guy from my wave behind and was able to put a big enough dent into the guy who would have been second, that I was able to snag the podium spot. Dope. My first ever top three performance ever. Heck yeah.
Also, it was one of my fastest 5k’s ever. Even considering there was a bike and swim before it.
The best part about finishing that early is that there was no line for the post race massage. High five! And it was good one. Thank you sir, I never caught your name but you have amazing hands. I say that without one hint of irony.
Post race, I cleaned up my stuff (I was going to say I cleaned up my junk, but somehow that just seemed inapropro), scooped up my trophy and a $75 gift card to Denizen & Quigley. My wife jokes that I’m well on my way to turning pro because at this rate I’ve made about $200 this year…most of that in gift cards…which you can totally support a family of three on. Totally. Plus, cats who eat more than I do. So yeah, don’t quit your day job, kid.
Lastly, nice job to DQ events. There’s nothing fancy about their races. They’re homegrown, totally unpretentious (yet well organized), solid little races.