Race Result

Racer:	Reid Kiser
Race:	Virginia Run Sprint Triathlon
Date:	Sunday, May 13, 2007
Location:	Centreville, VA
Race Type:	Triathlon - Sprint
Age Group:	Male 30 - 34
Time:	1:04:05
Overall Place:	22 / 353
Age Group Place:	7 / 41
Comment:	First race of the year and a lot of first times (journal this before I forget)

Race Report:

Time Recaps:
Swim - 5:22 (overall rank 146 - 2:09/100m - there's some meat left on this bone)
T1 - 1:02 (first time for me to average 1 min/trans)
Bike - 33:38 (overall rank 14 - 22.1 mph)
T2 - 0:58 (work smarter not harder on transitions)
Run - 23:03 (overall rank 52 - 7:26 min/mile - not as much meat, but need to keep grinding)

Pre-race:
The alarm goes off at 4:30, of course I woke up at 2:00 am, so I snooze. Wife's alarm goes of at 4:35, so she's snoozes. My snooze alarm comes on and we figure it's time to get up. Initial feelings are of excitement as this is the first race of the year for me and the first ever for my wife, however, are bellies are full of heavy salty foods from the night before (friend's engagement party). First time, we have been the ones to stop drinking at 9 and leave before midnight. We know this isn't the way to prepare for a race, but what can you do (live life).

This is also the start of year 2 for me and there is some redemption I would like to get this year. Redemption really means improvement, there wasn't any wrong doing in the first year, just not much of a swimmer and get a little panicy. Weird given I was certified scuba diver at 12. So triathlon is a steep learning curve, actually many steep learning curves and I accept that. This is the best sport in the world because of that and I am ready to learn and get better.

So we pack everything up and head out the door at 5:15, all went smoothly since everything was done the day before minus loading the truck. Nice drive in the dark down Fairfax Co. Pkwy and I ask Mary Beth if she's excited. She was very excited and for her to be excited when she is usually starting REM sleep means even more. As we approach I-66, David Bowie and Under Pressure (Vanilla Ice ripoff song) comes on the radio so we turn up to add to the energy. We pull in the parking lot no problems, unload, head to transition area. Well one probably, didn't check the weather conditions minus getting into the car. Should have brought long pants to stay warm before start. Had long sleeve shirts and some windbreakers, so we survived.

Speaking of windbreakers, there was also some wind. Today will be the first time I race with a disc wheel. Got a few times in last week to adjust and hopefully find some crosswinds to work on handling, so really wasn't too much of issue except for a few places I would need to lean into it. Overall, glad I went with the aero wheels. They hummed and so did the Brady's old Saber. Not quite Brady speed, but then again I run 7 minute miles on a good day and no a second faster. Speaking of Brady, I find out we have a mutual acquaintance who co-hosted the engagement party with us the night before (Marybeth (Ricciardella) Perdue).

Back on topic, we set up my wife's transition area (my Mary Beth) and she got a nice choice spot right on the end of her rack by the run start. I was a little less fortunate, but happy with my transistion area minus the guys who didn't want to get the duffle bags dirty by setting in the grass or mulch versus the asphalt path that leads out of the rack. I am not the type of guy to say anything and just go with the flow (carma always figures in somewhere). So we get a 5 minute warm up jog in (another first) and a warm up swim in the pool (another first - this really helps set the tone and gather yourself if you are an anxious swimmer). Usually, I am so scrambled getting to the race after too many snoozes ore putzing around trying to gather everything. This was a huge bonus in staying calm and relaxed for the swim, which is never my forte, especially in an overcrowed 25m pool. But all is well minus the water drying off in the cool breeze.

Race:
Mary Beth and I depart (she's even # and I am odd #) to opposite ends of the pool the swim starts. This year is redemption for me. Last year, the water felt much colder and I couldn't breath and had panic attacks that led me to breast stroking and wall hugging on my way to a 6:30 (250m) swim. Goal this year was 4:30, which I can do any day of the week by myself in a lane or splitting a lane. The whole turning back and forth in a 25m pool just doesn't work for me. I caught the guy in front of me and then the next and was on pace. As I pass the second guy at the wall. I look back and 4 other swimmer are quickly approaching me, so I panic and think about proper etiquette. I decide to go and halfway across I get the infamous foot tap for passing and then the guy behind the guy passes the two of us and I stop at the wall to let 3 people pass. My rhythm has gone and can't find my stroke. So I Tarzan swim for 10 meters to get past the panic attack and slowly start getting a breathing pattern down for the last 50 meters. I lost some time on the walls with the group passing and the fact that I don't do the fancy flip turns under the ropes. Maybe I'll add that to the list of To Dos for the summer. So I hop out of the pool shortly over 5 minutes, but no sweat since the proportion of the swim time to overall time really doesn't matter unless you are looking for a spot on the podium. I do look at the podium, but it's far off and need more experience and real speed.

Running through T1, I am very happy where things are (could have be 6 or 7 minutes in the pool or DNF) and honestly I love to get on the bike. Besides the first race with the aero wheel and Lightspeed, this will be the first race I have my shoes clipped in to the pedals to save time.

Run out of T1 barefoot and hop on no problems, except I really don't feel my feet (cold and numb). So I pedal a few strokes and try to get some blood flow and slowly slip my feet into the shoes and stap them down. Ahh, much better than putting on shoes at the rack and running on cleats, plus I felt like, and maybe even looked like, I knew what I was doing. Riding a disc means walking the walk, right? Especially in semi-windy conditions. The bike was awesome as expected. Followed the advice to not carry a spare tubular tire on short courses and dropped the water bottle cages (minus the aero drink). So, I am on a fast machine and enjoy the fast ride (only one person passed me while I had my shoes secured). My feet are still a little numb and I am a little cold, but I learned from last year you eventually warm up and putting on anything after swimming is impossible.

Come into T2 slip my feet out of my shoes and stand up on the left shoes/pedal to dismount and did it without a hitch. Fly through T2 go to slip my shoes on a my toes are spread eagle from numbness. I sit down and yank on my shoes (no real time lost) and head out not noticing until I am leaving the rack there is one other bike (another first).

On to the run, I am strapping on my number belt and Garmin and stumbling on the concrete not so much from the brick effect but from that I don't feel my tarsals, metatarsals, anything north of the ankle. After 200 yards and everything is in order, all is well when out of nowhere someone calls my name and says GO REID! I turn around and it's some brown haired girl wearing a cap and sunglasses, so I don't recognize who it is. When did any stranger ever notice me for not be some other celebrity like Ian Ziering or some European futbol player. So the whole run I am trying to figure out who I know that would live anywhere near this neighborhood or come to see me race at 6:45 on Mother's Day. Anyway, the run went well. I "let" a half dozen fast runners pass me and just keep myself at threshold. I have been fighting bronchitis from allergies for the past two weeks and I sounded horrible breathing during the run. Sounds much worse than I feel. I do a 7.5 minute pace which is fine with me, though my goal was 7 flat. Those sub 6 guys always amaze me, so I try not to let it delate me. They must have run track or cross country earlier in life. If not, what's the secret?

I head to the finish and find my "fan club", and it happens to be our really good friends Tammy and Craig. Wow! I was shocked they knew about this and then came out to cheer Mary Beth and I on. It was a great lift for the last 1/4 mile (wish I would recognized them early - may have had the 7 min splits with the adrenaline boost).

As I come by the transition area, there's my wife starting the run. I didn't expect to see her this early, not that she's not a worthy athletes, but she hasn't swam one lap in the pool since last summer and only rode my road bike with clipless pedals once while not on a trainer (her first time in many ways). She does run a few times a week. Funny thing she asked me last night was what do I do if I get a flat? I told her not to wear her wedding rings and find a cute guy and let him know that everything is in the bag under the saddle ;-) She's so brave for the swim and the bike (I was EXTREMELLY impressed). I knew it was a good idea to marry someone athletically gifted (as well as all the other things she brings to table). For all the year's she's followed me through this journey, I am right there to give it back and enjoyed it more than finishing any event I've ever done. Can't wait to have kids!

Overall:
I finish, all feels well. I felt I gave it everything I had on this given Sunday and was very happy with my training efforts over the winter and all I have learned along the way. I am pinching myself and can't believe I made the Top 25 (first time). It's not an Ironman competitive race, but hopefully it's a place to start. Too bad I got into this sport in the middle of the "testosterone" age group, but I am probably one of those guys at times.

Now it's down throttle taper time and preparation for my next couple of firsts: going to Hawaii and doing a 70.3! Oh, I guess I have to leave the disc at home, but open water swimming is more for me (we'll see about the crowds).

Happy Mothers Day!
Reid