No summit this week, but a race!

I didn't get to the top of a mountain this week.  But, I am OK with that.  It was a choice.  I was planning on racing the Echo Triathlon.  A race I had not done since 2008.  I have determined that the summit goal stretches me physically.  Anytime I go up and down a mountain my quads scream at me for a couple of days (A Good thing).  So I laid off this week so I could feel good on race day, Saturday.  I was a little bummed this week because my sleep has been poor at best and I missed workouts on Wednesday-Friday because of work and family obligations.  Last week is a week I don't need to repeat anytime soon.  Tiring, physically and emotionally.  That is another story.  When Friday afternoon rolled around I was quite ready for the weekend.  Left work, went home, cleaned the house (we all have chores), took the kids to dinner, did a little fun shopping with the kids at Old Navy, packed for my race and was in bed by 11.  Way to late by Shawn standards, especially on race night.  Anyway, Saturday morning rolls around and off to the races. 

It is much easier getting two adults to a race than 2 adults and 5 kids to a race.  One of the benefits of having teenagers is that they can watch over their siblings.  Melissa and I left for Echo at 5am, arrived in Coalville, and rode to the south beach "resort" at the lake.  I am a "fan" of Echo Reservoir.  The last several years it has been a great hiding place for our family.  It is a mud hole this year.  They are repairing the dam and have drained the lake to late October levels.  A good 40 feet below last year. Very low.  This proved problematic for the tri swim.  Anywhooo, got to the lake, set up my transition and got ready to race.  You can see here that I have my "game face" on.  I have moved up and age group this year.  Had to show everyone around me that I was serious.  Just kidding. 

 What is missing from the picture is the half mile slog through dirt, thistles and mud to get to the water.  As mentioned above in normal circumstances this is a fantastic race venue.  Close to the water and generally pleasant.  The water was a murky mess.  When you put your head down, literal pitch black.  It was brighter when my eyes were closed.  I was glad that I have been playing a lot of water polo with the team the last few week. Heads up came in very helpful. 

 At the start, yellow caps = 40 plus.  Yep, I am one of the old guys now.

 The gun.  I am the one on the far right of the photo with head up, long arms, high elbows.  I have a confession to make in 20 years of triathlon I have never purposely hit another person until this race.  A gentleman was swimming to my right side and hit me in the head with his hand not once, not twice, but three times on 3 successive strokes.  Triathlon etiquette requires that if you are the one making the contact you back off, you are on someones  line.  As mentioned, I have been playing some water polo the last few weeks.  The offender received some of my Chuck Norris like water polo swimming skills in return.  He backed off after that (just a little elbow rake to the back, happens all the time at polo).

 I was 3rd out of the water in the old man division.  22 minutes.

 Melissa missed the swim to bike transition.  As mentioned, far away and at this point of the race congested.  No photos of the bike.  Which is a shame.  This is the first race that I was able to use my full race set-up (Boise was a blow-out).  It was awesome.  Super smooth and fast.  Up Echo Canyon I was riding 20mph, Down was about 32mph.  The thing about this set up is it just feels fast.  I averaged 22.5 mph over 25 miles.  1:08 split.  The 22+ was exactly the pace I was training for at Boise.  Really happy all the way around.  Which is why I had this big smile on my face as I went out on the run.  Melissa challenged me to improve my transition time.  I have been long blamed (literally from my first race when my mom was yelling at me to get going) that I am not very fast in transition.  Bike to run I had the 16th fasted in the race.  Better. 

 Close up of big smile.  I found out after the race, that I started the run in 2nd place in my age group.  This is a huge change.  My triathlon life could be encompassed in these words.  "Out of water fast, blown by on the bike, try not to cry on the run."  As mentioned I actually picked up many spots on the bike and it was just fun.  Being said, the lack of sleep and lack of stellar run work-outs the last month caught up to me.  I was about 10 seconds off my Boise half pace (7:30).  I averaged a 7:40/mile pace.  45 minute 10K.  For an Olympic race to be competitive you have to be at 7- to 7:15.  I think I could get there if some pieces come together. 

 I finished 5th in my age-group in the top 20 overall.  10-15 minutes faster than the last time I did Echo in 2008.  Post race massages always feel great. 

I am swimming, riding and running as fast as I have ever been. On the way home Melissa asked me if 10 years ago when I was turning 30 that someone told you that you would be faster as a 40 year old what you would think.  That question made me pause.  Then, I would have said you were crazy.  Now, I think I can be even stronger.  Feeling great, loving life.  It does take more time to recover now.  Got home from the race and crashed.  Napped for like 3 hours, went to a concert and drove to Bear Lake at 11 o'clock at night.  In general, I think we are crazy.  Gotta run more and go get some summits in.  Did I mention that my wife is awesome.  Thanks for your support Melissa.

Up next Kings Peak.