A solid test of nerves, this one was!
I decided last minute to jump into this race because it was in my home town 2.5 hours away ensuring I’d have a place to stay and child care (my wife had to work). No taper. Just training through it. Someone bumps into my Küat rack on the drive down. Bike untouched, but my lifespan was surely shortened a couple years
My 6 and 9 year old and I show up to my dad’s house at 8pm and he’s not home. I get him on the phone and he’s on a date that was going a little late. ??I take the bike off the car to check everything one last time. Naturally, it isn’t shifting through half the cassette. It takes a while, but the nights speed bumps are smoothed and we get some sleep.
Race morning! Since I signed up late, I am the 341st person to start the time trial swim. One person starts behind me. We jump off a riverboat into the swim and things go well. One goggle socket is full of water immediately and I’m too stubborn to stop. Carry on... swim 1.5k in 25:??
T1 goes well. Bike leg is rolling along. Hr good? Check. Power sustainable? Check. Time to get some nutrition going. I saw a nutritionist recently whom suggested trying solid foods mixed in instead of all calories from a water bottle. Cool, I’ll try gummy bears... Mile 8, gummy bear #4 and I chomp something that has to be a rock. I’m wondering if a gummy solidified or what and spit it into my hand (still in aero bars!). Oh that’s a tooth. A crown actually, but basically my entire molar! The thoughts rolling through my head...”can I continue? Can I drink? Why does that hurt? Am I going to pass out? Why would I pass out? Blake, ride your bike.” (Never broke aero position)
Bike 40k in 1:00:51sec
T2 went super quick. I ran the first mile faster than my 5k pace. Great start to a 10k!! My dad and kids passed me in their car heading to the race to cheer me on about mile 2.5. I bust out laughing. People think I’m crazy (aren’t we??). Mile 3 goes by. I’m trying to hang on to my stand alone 10k pace now. I feel a hot spot on the ball of my foot...why am I not wearing socks??? I saved 8 seconds and now I’m paying for it. The hot spot turns into all out blister. This was supposed to be a training exercise for my A race in 2 weeks. Now I’m creating issues. By mile 5 I’m run limping. I hobble in to my kids cheering!
10k run in 45:??
Race time 2hours 11 minutes
I wait around a bit for results. They hand me a slip and I’m 79th place. Wait that’s not right. I stare at it. It says “sprint” at the bottom. No way!!! I find the right person. “Oops” I’ll fix it, but it’ll take 5 minutes to see where you place.
10 minutes later I show up in the results. 4th in my age group. 12th oa. For some reason I’m disappointed, which is stupid. Not what I expected at a race of 342 people.
We hit the road as my kids are done, my mouth and foot hurt. Blah. We get home, hobble in and naturally pull up results online. Now I’m listed 5th overall and 2nd in my age group. ??!!!??!!???!!!!! I don’t even know.
If it was easy, everyone would do it.
