Double "U" #2 - "I Potts'd 'em!"

Before I get into the race report, let me set the stage. In triathlon there is a pervading belief that longer is better, and the iron distance is the be-all, end-all of the sport. This is largely an American notion. All to say that it isn't uncommon for the most talented athletes to focus on half- and irondistance races. Throughout the rest of the world there is a much larger focus on the Olympic or International distance race, it's even measured in kilometers (1.5K Swim, 40K Bike, 10K Run), thus it is this distance used during the Olympic games in a draft-legal format. Draft-legal racing refers to the bike portion where one is allowed to ride in packs and draft one another deriving an advantage from the athletes in front (imagine a small NASCAR race on bikes between the swim and the run). In everything, except draft-legal racing, athletes are required to maintain a set distance behind other athletes on the cycling leg, eliminating the advantage of drafting (that's why we ride the goofy looking bikes and wear douchey looking helmets). Also in Olympic distance races the swim comprises a larger portion of the race and in draft-legal racing, the advantage of a strong swimmer is even multiplied by the dynamics of the race. So, it's no surprise that I have decided to focus on the Olympic distance race and hopefully one day make my way onto the draft-legal (often called ITU) circuits. Well, that was boring, on to the race.

I went to Helena, Montana, our fair state's capital. They love it if you call it "Hel-lane-a". Not really, but it's funny. The Spring Meadow Triathlon is held there and it is an Olympic distance race (refer to history lesson above). How they squeeze 1.5K out of that little arsenic rich pond is pretty incredible. The bike course is an out-and-back, generally up on the way out and down on the way back. The run is a two lap affair around the arsenic pond and some other places, mostly on gravel and some pavement.

I decided, with the help of Elliot and Jen Luebke (a strong swimming pro here), that I should be less conservative on the swim. After settling into a good rhythm on the first lap, I decided to punch it for the last half, yielding a 2:30 lead and a 18:00 swim (a new PR for an open water 1.5K). I then went for the bike armed with the knowledge the first 1/2 would be slow (thanks Linsey)... and it was. I also realized that I was talking to myself to get up those hills, that's a first. I had really hoped to ride 1 hour but I didn't. Instead I rode 1:03, not bad considering my somewhat inconsistent bike training and rough road surface. Then the run! I love the run. It's, by far, my favorite part of every race, which is odd because I'm not super fast. My goal here was to run 38 minutes. After the first lap, I knew that I had a comfortable lead so I set about trying to get across the line in under 2 hours (which incidentally would also break the course record held by my first triathlon coach and former ITU racer, Brandon Fuller). I didn't. I had some ham-string issues and figured it'd be better to win by less of a margin than keep pushing, pull a muscle, fall over in the weeds and get passed a lot. I ended up running a 39 lowish which is also a 10K PR. All in all, I finished 2:02:36, 3:40 ahead of 2nd place and 2 1/2 minutes slower than the course record (not 4:00, thank you Helena Independent Record). Basically I'm like a shorter, fatter, slower version of my hero Andy Potts.

This is my second win and first Olympic distance win. This is hugely encouraging for me. I feel as though I'm garnering some vital momentum in the directions that I need.

I would like to thank my sponsors: .... umm, .....

and some other folks:
Thanks to Chris Cordingley and Team Chrissy for cheering me on. I love you all, too.
www.chriscordingley.com

Thanks also to Chris and Linsey for reminding me to not "save anything for the swim back." (Refer to prior Gattaca post.)

Here's what the Helena Independent Record said about things (they even used my picture!):
http://helenair.com/news/local/article_1147afa0-8d7a-11df-aff9-001cc4c03286.html