http://www.racecenter.com/results/2008/scdu08.htm

5k run/15mi bike/5k run on a windy, flat course.

38th/231 overall, 14th fastest bike split.

bib #61, time: 1:28:44 (goal 1:35)

This was my first running race since Clearwater in Nov, 2006. I started running again in December with a mix of water running and treadmill. A couple of weeks ago, I added flat trail running to the mix. This was my first time on pavement.  Hence, I pretty much expected to turn about 30+min 5ks, as that's about what I had been running in training.  Adding up my expected times, i thought a 1:35 would be awesome.  My race plan was simple: run, bike hard, run.  Ideally, I wanted a negative split on the run to force myself from going out too hard.

 

With that in mind, I started up at the front of the pack for the race, cuz I wanted to be with the cool kids :)  Strangely enough, whent he gun went off, I hung with the group.  My HR was ramping slowly and I was under threshold so I knew I cold hold my own.  Yet, my first reaction was that "this sucks" as I began to experience running "work" - something I'm not quite used to yet.  Soon though, my legs loosened up and I was comfortably holding a solid tempo.  I had no intentions of racing the runs, so I didn't question my speed until I saw on my garmin I was crusing around 9.5mph - and figured it was wrong.  At about mile 3 some guy announces to a neighber that we've been running 7:08's.  I was shocked :)

 

I had planned on hammering the bike hard.  Compared to my normal training rides, even the hardest 15mi ride would not empty my tank.  So I got on my bike, turned the corner into a solid head wind.  Flat out, i was moving 17-19mph in full aero gear.  Once I hit the turn-around, I hovered just below 30mph - hittting a max of ~32.  AWWW. YEEAH. Off run 1, I was about 76th.  On the bike, I reclaimed about 47 positions with the 14th fastest bike that day.  A solid ride in my book.

 

Run 2 was fairly easy cuz I knew I was nearly done.  Race position damage control.   The first two miles I just slowly ramped my speed.  Once I realized I could finish under 1:30, I focused on making that happen and then cranked it up with about .5 to go.    To finish under 1:30 was crazy satisfying.

 

This race was a real eye-opener for me on all the good training I've been doing.  Now that I'm self-coaching, I don't always have that reference point to understand where I stand.  Group training rides are one thing, but it seems until you have a race, it's hard to know how it's all adding up.  I'm really pleased with this milestone.  

 

Additionally, this race was the first time I got to meet a lot of my fellow teammates from the Ironheads tri team.  It's inspiring to see a group of friendly and well-conditioned athletes really kick ass.

 

Note: aside from those down in IMAZ, this race is chock full of local Portland talent...so this is another reason I feel great about my result.