- Distance: 2.25 Mile Run, 15 Mile Bike, 2.25 Mile Run
- Time: 1 hr 32 min 29 sec overall; 18:49 Run, 53:05 Bike, 20:34 Run
- Place: 1 out of 2 in age group; 19 out of 29 men; 22 out of 39 overall
- Weather: Sunny, 5 mph winds, temps in the upper 40's
I came into this race feeling pretty low-key. Earlier last week I experienced what can best be described as a right calf muscle strain. Ever since it happened I have stayed away from any running to rest my calf as much as possible for the race. I was still able to do some swim and bike training without any pain, but I was concerned that my calf would be an issue during the race. I made sure that I warmed up and stretched as much as possible beforehand to minimize any problems. This was the fourth year I've done this race so I knew the course well. The race is normally small with 75 to 100 people participating, but this year's turnout was half the usual amount. The temps were milder and the winds were lighter than in some previous years so the weather wasn't going to be a factor. The race is a 2.25 mile run that is alm
ost entirely on wooded trails, followed by a 15 mile two loop bike course on the road, and ends with the same trail run again. The first run started out fairly crowded but quickly spread out on the trails. There were a few areas on the trail that still had snow and ice from the snow storm several weeks earlier, but the bigger problem was from all of that melting. The mud and water puddles on the course definitely slowed the pace. About halfway through the first run I could tell that my calf still wasn't 100%. It was causing me to be slower than I wanted, but it did force me to pace myself for the rest of the race. My transition to the bike went smoothly and I headed out on the road. The bike course has a couple of long gradual hills that really cut into your mph pace, but I was anxious to see how my recent bike training would improve on my old times on this course. After the first loop everyone was so spread out that it was hard to see anyone in front or behind me. I guess if given the choice I would prefer a
more crowded course because it gives me a target to focus on trying to pass. As I finished the second loop I realized that my calf was a non-issue on the bike, but the second run would probably be a little more painful than the first. My second transition was noticeably faster than my first, and as I started out on the run course it took me a while to feel like I was running with a normal gait. The run course was now in worse shape than the first time around because of all the footprints in the mud. I certainly got a little more wet and muddy the second time around. My calf was hurting but not enough to stop, so I figured I could finish the race without any major damage. As I finished the race my overall time was a couple of minutes faster than any of my previous times at this race. I was a little disappointed with my run time splits, but with the muddy conditions and my calf problem I guess I couldn't be too upset. I was happy with my bike split because it showed improvement from my training. Overall I think there is still room for improvement, but I will try to get my calf back to full strength and keep moving forward. On a side note, it feels a little embarrassing to win first in my age group when there are only two people in that category. I don't understand why there was such a low turnout this year.
ost entirely on wooded trails, followed by a 15 mile two loop bike course on the road, and ends with the same trail run again. The first run started out fairly crowded but quickly spread out on the trails. There were a few areas on the trail that still had snow and ice from the snow storm several weeks earlier, but the bigger problem was from all of that melting. The mud and water puddles on the course definitely slowed the pace. About halfway through the first run I could tell that my calf still wasn't 100%. It was causing me to be slower than I wanted, but it did force me to pace myself for the rest of the race. My transition to the bike went smoothly and I headed out on the road. The bike course has a couple of long gradual hills that really cut into your mph pace, but I was anxious to see how my recent bike training would improve on my old times on this course. After the first loop everyone was so spread out that it was hard to see anyone in front or behind me. I guess if given the choice I would prefer a 
more crowded course because it gives me a target to focus on trying to pass. As I finished the second loop I realized that my calf was a non-issue on the bike, but the second run would probably be a little more painful than the first. My second transition was noticeably faster than my first, and as I started out on the run course it took me a while to feel like I was running with a normal gait. The run course was now in worse shape than the first time around because of all the footprints in the mud. I certainly got a little more wet and muddy the second time around. My calf was hurting but not enough to stop, so I figured I could finish the race without any major damage. As I finished the race my overall time was a couple of minutes faster than any of my previous times at this race. I was a little disappointed with my run time splits, but with the muddy conditions and my calf problem I guess I couldn't be too upset. I was happy with my bike split because it showed improvement from my training. Overall I think there is still room for improvement, but I will try to get my calf back to full strength and keep moving forward. On a side note, it feels a little embarrassing to win first in my age group when there are only two people in that category. I don't understand why there was such a low turnout this year.
