New Jersey State Triathlon

Really well organized race by the folks at CGI.  Loved all of the timing mats on the run.  Really nice bike course too.
Results here: NJ STATE OLYMPIC TRIATHLON

T -12 hours	Getting Ready	Race wheels on bike… check; Transition bag… check; nutrition bottles in fridge… check – why does this take so long every time?  Play with Garmin to see if I can figure this multi-sport thing out.
T -10 hours	Sleep – or lack of it	Night sweats – can’t sleep – relax – think of a nice easy swim
T -8 hours		Still can’t sleep
T -3.5 hours	Bio-essentials and load up car	Hit the can, then onto a liquid breakfast + banana – no caffeine – never caffeine…  Load the bike and transition bag in the car.
T -3 hours	Car Ride	Uneventful - Sena has to flick my ear a couple of times so I don’t fall asleep at the wheel.  So tired.
T – 1.5 hours	T0 – Register, Portajohn, Set up in Transition	Heading over to registration I hear – ‘Wetsuit legal race today’ – AWESOME!  As Smarty says - nothing like the smell of wetsuit rubber on race day morning.  In transition, Smarty is ready to roll already with the best spot on the rack.  Announcer going on all morning about how this is the best weather and we will see a course record and many PRs today… Not me, not with this leg – I’m just hoping to get through this thing without injuring myself further. Intermittent conversations with O, Howe, Smarty, Rhyno, Brooks, racers next to me on the rack.  How does everybody set up so damn fast? Shoes in cleats held by rubber bands… check; bike in right gear – ah shit, undo rubber bands, get bike in right gear, redo rubber bands; helmet, sunglasses, running shoes, race belt, load up hydration system, sun tan lotion, wet suit, goggles, swim cap, body glide, number on bike and helmet, bike computer on...  holy shit there is a lot to think about –Ok, I think I’m ready to head down for a warm up swim.
T – 30 minutes	Warm up swim	Long walk to the swim start – tough on the feet.  Last porta john stop, drink some water, warm up in the swim – beautiful lake.  Already getting hot in this wet suit.  National Anthem – I stay in the deep water and try to stay cool.
T	Swim	Surrounded by Smarty, Rhyno, Brooks, Olaf in the elite wave – damn, this is the way to race one of these things.  5,4,3,2,1… and we are off.  I think me and Olaf are behind Smarty – looking for bubbles and feet – gotta draft – bubbles and feet baby.  100 yards, no problem… 200 yards – not so crowded.  Lots and lots of buoys. 800 yards I’m starting to pull left and going inside the buoys – wtf?  Can’t keep a straight line.  Can’t get into a rhythm.  Wet suit is great, but it’s throwing my balance off… rotating too far.  Just keep going breath, breath, switch.. breath, breath, switch. Yellow Buoy, turn left.   Hardly anybody in sight – where did everybody go?  That’s the problem with a small wave I guess.  Reach, pull, reach pull.  No more bubbles and feet.  Damn, on the wrong side of the buoy again – get back on course.  Getting hot… Where is that last yellow buoy – this was fun when I started, but it’s getting old – I wanna get on my bike dammit – I’m a land animal.
T+25	T1	Finally get out – not seeing many other athletes – very different experience in the elite wave.  A couple seconds to get my land balance back – volunteer thinks the old man is going to fall.  I start moving again, up the hill, goggles off.. get this damn wet suit off next – really heating up…  legs.. won’t… move… come on, get to the bike.  Half the bikes gone from the elite wave – ok, not the last one out of the water.  Peel off wet suit – leg 1 off, leg 2 off – boy that was easy – thanks to the THR boys for showing an old dog some new tricks…  helmet, sun glasses – go…
T+26	Bike	No flying mount – too rough on the balls for sure, but get up to speed quick enough.  Feet in shoes, moving good – oh yeah, hit start button on bike computer – damn it, still on multi sport – thinks I’m in transition – screw it – just ride.  Legs not feeling strong - too much biking this week - I shouldn't have ridden 20 miles yesterday!  Passing a few guys on the bike on the first loop, but these guys are the elite wave and are moving pretty good, so not doing too much passing.  Loop 2 is kind of hairy – tons of inexperienced cyclists all over the road.  Just stay calm – ON YOUR LEFT with authority has me cutting through this mess like a hot knife through butter.  Lots of high speed turns – focus – try not to brake.  Almost take out a rabbit at one point.  Coming into T2 3 assclowns on the same team are slowing way too much fumbling with their shoes.  I just fly by them, do a fantastic flying dismount (another new trick thanks to the boys in THR) and a run into T2.  I hear Sena yelling something, but can’t make it out amongst the din of the crowd… gotta love the crowd support – soak it in baby…
T+89	T2	I see Smarty running out and there is Brooks getting his shoes on.  Not too many bikes on the elite rack – cool – making progress.  Helmet off, shoes on – GO!  Now see if my leg holds up…
T+90	Run	Halfway through exiting T2, I realize I forgot my watch – oh well.  Catch Brooks very soon and he asks me how my leg is – I can feel it, but it’s ok.  Taking small fast steps like I should after a hard bike.  Moving pretty good, but breathing hard… back off a little… stay in control – 2 more big races after this one – don’t screw up your leg.   Barbee passes me pretty strongly before mile 1 – ok, no problem, the guy is a stud – stay in control.  Barbee isn’t really pulling away too fast.  I realize I can’t go downhill fast because of my leg, but I’m ok climbing.  I see Rhyno coming back – he’s not looking good… then Smarty – he is looking strong.  Brooks is falling back just a tad, but hanging tough.  Here comes O, he looks good at mile 1.  Leg is getting worse with every step, otherwise I feel great.  This is so much easier than Eagleman.  More turn around points, Rhyno struggling, Smarty starting to struggle… my leg starting to be a factor and slowing me down – relax, stay in control.  Brooks staying on my heels.  Coming into mile 3 – should I quit?  Leg is sore and will bother me for days and eat into my training, but it’s only three more miles – I’m going for it.  MAN DOWN – Smarty on the trail side rubbing his calf – ‘Sucks brother’ is all I can think to say and keep going – I’m hurting too and just need to stay calm.  Half mile on the grass is torture, but I get through it and back on the paved trail.  I see Rhyno coming back – he looks like shit and says he feels like shit.  I feel great except for my damn leg.  I turn around and see Smarty, back from the dead.  He catches me and passes me, so I just hang on.  He doesn’t really pick up the pace and I’m pretty comfortable and in control here, so just stick with him.  See Brooks – he has fallen pretty far back, then O and another THR jersey - KC –where did KC come from?
T+2:10	The Finish	¼ mile from the finish Smarty cramps up again and starts to slow, I catch up hand tell him to suck it up and finish this damn thing with me.  ‘Come on Smarty, you can do this’.  We come to the finish chute together and have a strong finish, but not an all out battle, matching stride for stride and trying not to do too much more damage to our bodies.  Smarty reminds me to smile for the cameras, but for the life of me, I couldn’t find a camera in sight.  Can’t wait to see the pictures. Finish clock is at 2:12 - holy crap - a PR by 3 minutes on a bum leg.  Beauty!