LIFETIME MARQUEE SPRINT -- FIRST TRI OF 2015

Lifetime sponsors the first triathlon each Arizona season in Tempe Town Lake in April.  The venue is in the same general location as the November Ironman race.  The major difference outside of the distances, is that the bike is completely on city roads.  Also, the photo's you see here are provided free (well, not really free since you paid for the race, but they are provided at no additional charge as part of the entry fee).

I've been slowly getting back into shape, shape for a 69 year old that is, and this was a good opportunity to see how I was coming along.  I entered the sprint (750 meters, 13.9 miles, 3.08 miles) as I did not want to adjust my training for this race.  And because my knees were still limiting my ability to run train any significant miles.

I had an auspicious start.  Half way down to the start from my house I realized I forgot to bring either a watch or my garmin bike computer.  That meant I would be racing by feel and blind to technology. Glad it was only a sprint distance.

The swim was wet suit legal and my split of 15:24 was slower than my practice time trial of 13:30 (with pull buoy to simulate the wetsuit buoyancy).  Partly slower because the timing mat used for the swim split may have been at the transition entrance which was a jog from the water and after I had been stripped of my wetsuit.  However, I was first in the 65-69M by 3 seconds.

The first transition was best described as clumsy.  Struggled with the race belt. Almost left transition without the helmet chin strap clasped. Dropped the bike and had the water bottle pop out.  I was in second exiting transition.

The bike is always a challenge on this course.  Last time I counted it had almost 20 turns of which at least 3 were 180's. There are many expansion joints and occasional paver stone stretches.  But it is always fast if you survive because it is flat and crowded which gives you unintended legal draft as you catch and pass.  I quickly regained first after mounting the bike.  I averaged 25 mph.

The second transition was gratefully smoother than the first. As I started to leave the bike rack another old guy was racking his bike.  I was not sure of his age but I knew I had to be minutes clear of anyone in my age group to hold onto the lead through the run.

Into the run I was passed by this old guy going significantly faster than I knew I could hold.  Since he had compression socks on no age was visible on his calf.   Since my training runs have all been done with a run/walk routine (either 4 min/1 min or 3 min/2 min splits) and I planned to run this whole 3.08 miles, I was in no shape to chase him down. I just had to run my run. I was able to average just over 8 min miles.  It was a flat run course and a mild temp day. The old guy in front of me?  He was only 62...

So I finished first in the 65-69M category in 1:16:43, 52nd out of 370, being gaped over 16 minutes to the winning time of 1:00:17.