Team Over The Hill
Our first triathlon was exactly one year ago. We took 3rd place. I was hooked.
May 2006 was our second triathlon, a sprint distance. We took 1st place.
The weather was good in spite of a chance of rain. The cloudy sky was great for keeping things cool. The only challenge was going to be the 15-20 mph southwest wind. The relay teams went out in the 5th wave of swimmers. David finished in just over 24 minutes. Last year we wasted too much time in the transitions. This year we practiced and minimized those times. The pressure was now on me to complete the 40K bike course in good time. Please keep in mind this is using a steel-framed 1980s vintage Bianchi frame and no aerobars. My drivetrain is Campy Chorus 8, and I borrowed a Rolf Vigor Prima front wheel from my friend, Martin--thanks!. I also performed the rite of passage of every serious cyclist: I shaved my arms and legs!
My pace heading out was fast. The key was to pace myself so I wouldn't hit "the wall" before the finish line. About half-way, we started heading back--uphill and into the headwind. I felt like I was crawling along. Apparently everyone else felt the same way because no one passed me. With about 5 miles to go, we had a few nice downhills. Then suddenly State Park Drive appeared for the final mile. I gave it all I had, passed a guy who was flying, he passed me, but I passed him with 10 feet to go.
We worked hard, minimized transition times, received 2nd place, and beat last year's team time by 6 minutes! I thought our transitions were excellent. My actual cycling time was around 1:10.
If anyone has a nice triathlon or time trial bike built for a 6'0" person, let me know. I would like to get my time closer to one hour!
Maynard
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