Race Result

Racer:	Brad Payne
Race:	Diamond In The Rough
Date:	Saturday, July 9, 2005
Location:	Perryville, MD
Race Type:	Triathlon - International Distance
Age Group:	Male 35 - 39
Time:	3:17:15
Overall Place:	606 / 678
Age Group Place:	45 / 50
Comment:	First (and last) time as Clydesdale

Race Report:

1 Mile Swim: 33:30
T1 Walk: 4:31
27 Mile Bike: 1:39:13 (16.3 mph)
5 Mile Run: 57:51

If you're reading this report you will remember that you chose to read it as I have decided to publish but not distribute. This is for two reasons: one, I'm pretty disgusted with how this season has progressed, and secondly, there seems to be an increasingly vocal impatience among the general population of the message board for people who aren't performing at their best. In one sense, I can't blame them as I'd rather read about folks overcoming adversity and achivieving PRs too. But at the same time, this sport is challenging, it is difficult, and there is much to be learned from the dark side as well.

And its not a case of not seeing this coming. I signed up for this race a long time ago. It was supposed to be my "A" race. I've known for months I'd have to swim a mile. Yet fatigue and distractions have kept me from the water. I'd be so tired by the weekend that I'd let my body tell me how much sleep I needed. On Friday night, I'd just turn the alarm off and see if I could wake up on my own in time for a RATS swim and ride. Lately, it just wasn't happening. So there I was on race day, staring at the river wondering if I had the mental toughness to swim a mile when my longest swim all year had been the 500 meters at the Charlottesville debacle just a few weeks ago.

Traffic was a bear on the way up, but I did get there in time to weigh in. Sure enough, my first year in fatherhood had led to a few extra pounds. I'd be racing as a Clydesdale after weighing in at 173 in 2004.

I was patient during the swim and simply did my stroke from bouy to bouy. After a while my swim cap started to give me headache, and once that started, I began to notice how tired I was getting. The timing chip was chafing my ankle as well. The last quarter mile was tough.

I was in no mood to run once I emerged from the water. I watched the eager little weasels dart around me, but I knew that my race was already over.

The bike was long and hilly. I thought my crotch had gone numb until I hit section of bumpy road before that long climb at mile 22. It wasn't numb after all.

The funny thing about running when you don't feel like running is that you have a choice. You can stop running and drop out of the race entirely. It will be a DNF, and it happens to a lot of good athletes on bad days. That way, there is no offical record of just how slow and out of shape you are. I had that choice, but I wasn't going to quit on purpose. I slogged it out and "earned" my pathetic time. I figured the team could use a 1/2 point.

I pretty much ended the season after the race. I had already signed up for a race in Richmond and did it, but if I don't have time to train, then I'm not going to waste money and frustrate myself until I can get out of this rut. Not having time to swim is killing me when it comes time to run, and it is running that I love to do. So for the remainder of 2005, I'm going to make running fun and worry about finding a pool to train for 2006 once I graduate in December.