I started preparing for my race when I got home from my grandfathers funeral Friday night, so I went out for an easy 5k run with my wife Joanne. There is nothing like getting all your training and fitness in the last min before a race! but that is how my less is more training plan works most of the time.
I was planning on going for a easy ride Saturday morning too, but when I got up it was pouring rain and it wasn't looking like it would let up, so I canceled my ride and decided to relax the rest of the day doing nothing, which is fine because i don't want to over train before a race, and with my 1000m swim on Monday and my 5k run last night I was more then ready to race! ;)
It was a 2 hour drive to Binbrook which is located south west of Hamilton. The weather was overcast and foggy and when I got to the race site there was a light misting going on. The grounds where soaked from rain and everything was just soggy with puddles everywhere! Perfect for a race! lol.
It wasn't cold out, but it wasn't warm either, by the time the race started the weather was looking better, the rain/ drizzle/ misting had stopped but it was still overcast.
After I parked I grabbed my bike and gear and racked it after finding out what my race number was, I then went to pick up my race kit/shirt and number, I was # 124. I then went back to my bike set up and laid out my stuff, attaching my bib # to my race belt and now I was all set. I then headed down to the beach where the swim start was and ran into a few friends including Jon Dow from the Barrie Tri club. He and I were the only representative of our club at this race. I also met up with other friends including Adam, Carrie and Kent. Kent was doing the race announcing for the day.
After a quick chat, I went to check out the water. I decided I wasn't using my wetsuit for this race and wanted to make sure the water temp wasn't to cold. I was pleasantly surprised to find the water was just right! they announced the water temp as being 73F which is perfect for swimming without a wetsuit! I went in the water and did a little warm up swim of maybe 200m then stood around waiting for the start of the race.
The Race...750m swim, 27km bike, 6.5km run
And were off, I started my swim on the outside right from the start, to stay clear of all the bashing. I don't like bashing, so I don't mind swimming a little more distance to stay clear of it. for the most part I had a clear lane and as I eventually cut over I grabbed onto some swimmers toes for some drafting. things got a little tight around the first turn buoy where you are almost standing up straight as you take the turn around with the current of all the swimmers wake, then I got more free lanes and was clear swimming until the last 100ms when some woman swims from behind me, then almost through me when as I was taking a stroke my hand coming over hits her goggles behind me but she kept swimming through and passes me. I shake my hand off and continue swimming until I get to the beach. As I stand up in the water to run out and up into transition I give my hand another shake and notice I'm bleeding! I then realize when I smacked the woman swimmer her goggles must have cut me? Oh well! I continued on.
I ran through transition to the bike area which was a good 300-400m away and quickly throw on my bike shirt race belt, bike shoes helmet and gloves. I un-rack my bike and run with it to the mount line and start my bike ride. T1 time was 2:10.
http://www.msctriathlon.com/ms/events/2010/course_maps/binbrook_tri_swim_course.gif
I have never raced this race before so I had no idea what to expect for the bike ride. I was told it was flat with some small hills. I didn't want to ride to aggressive, and the fact the roads were still slick, I went with a see as I go attitude and paced myself accordingly, but was keeping my eye on my bike computer to keep my speed above 30km/hr on route. For the most part the roads were flat with gentle grades upwards with some easy risers and only a couple of short low grade down hills where I could take a break from peddling for about 10 secs each time. The ride is an out and back around the conservation area with several right hand turn on the out and left hand turn on the way back that we had to be cautious on as the roads were wet. When I came in to the dismount line, I un-clipped my shoes and coasted in towards the dismount line and well before the dismount line I jumped off my bike and ran to and over the dismount line into T2 to rack my bike, but as I dismounted I heard some guy yell out " Nice dismount! now that's how it's done! " I laughed as I ran with my bike to T2 .... I finished the 27 km bike in 50:39 for a 32km average.
http://www.msctriathlon.com/ms/events/2010/course_maps/binbrook_tri_bike_course.gif
I racked my bike and changed into my running shoes and started out on my run with a quick T2 transition of 1:22......As I ran out of transition onto the run path I tried to tip toe through the soggy muddy grass, but with each step and the long journey through the water soaked grass it was useless to try to keep my shoes from getting wet, but I still made the effort to jump over the bigger mud puddles along the run route.
The run took up around the lake along a grassy trail which was quickly becoming a muddy trail with all the runners ahead and behind me. The grass trail turned into a gravel trail then through some wood trail where we had some slippery muddy hills to go up and worse coming back, had to go down. The run took us out 2 km out before the turn around where we came back the same way. When we got back to the transition area, we continued across the soggy wet grass acroos the swim start beach and finally onto a paved path and out to the other end of the park for 2.5 km, then back before coming to the finish. I ended up running for the most part only walking a couple of times going on the uphills. I finished the run 6.5km in 43:35 which I was quite pleased with.
http://www.msctriathlon.com/ms/events/2010/course_maps/binbrook_tri_run_course.gif
I finished my race in a total of 1:53:31 and was 6/16 in my age group. 123 overall. I highly recommend the Binbrook race.
I would also like to give a shout out and congrats to Jon Dow who had a great race finishing 13Th over all and taking 3rd in his 20-24 age group! With a time of 1:28:51 Way to go Jon!
My friend Adam also did well finishing 9 over all and 2nd in his Agegroup of 20-24 in the Duathlon with a time of 1:33:26 Way to go Adam!
Carrie did great to finishing 7/14 in her 25-29 agegroup in the triathlon. with a time of 1:57:18 Way to go Carrie!
Jon Dow on the podium
Me with Friends Carrie and Adam doing what we call the bite, which is usually done with winning a medal, but none of us won a medal, so we found the next best thing! A water melon slice! lol
My results link....
http://www.chiptimeresults.com/resultsreader.php?y=2010&r=MSbinbrookT.htm
