natbikes.com

Clermont Florida…

Sean was telling me how great the pool at the ‘NTC’, it was truly spectacular. Two days after ending our drive here, I did another 1900m test, and after a month of 22km swimming weeks I was a little disappointed to only take 15s off my time.

RACE DAY. Florida’s Great Escape Triathlon, March 9, 2008
1km swim, 27km bike, 5km dirt run was the deal for the day
I have been telling anyone who would listen… watch out for the energy of the first race, as I have 2 years pent up competitive energy, and I was planning on taking it out on the elite field with prize moolah 3 deep.
Triathlon race days start early… 5am up, 40 min later out the door. Transition set up in the dark, and off for our warm up bike ride in the dark. I really have to thank Sean for walking me through the steps of a warm up, and TL for the triathlon 101 tips in the pro section of the transition area.
On the beach minutes after sunrise, I found myself in the second row, the person in front turns around to low five me and it’s my joined-at-the-hip friend of the past 6 weeks Sean. The wind and waves are up, and air-horn-honk, we’re off.

By the time we got to the first buoy I was in 2nd! Focusing on navigating the course, my swim-form suffered, and on the way back it seemed that a few people passed me, but not all that many. (As it turned out this was the NA competitive debut of the 2XU V:1 wetsuit.) Running out of the water coach Barrie Shepley seemed surprised to see me, which I figured was a good thing, and when I got to the transition area, most of the bikes were still there (which I though was a VERY GOOD thing - Bless the V:1 wetsuit, fastest thing in the ocean, I owe you one buddy).

I lost a few more spots getting my shoes on, but once I was rolling I managed to pass 15 of the 16 people who’d started the bike ahead of me… It was really cool to see that Sean was the only person I didn’t scalp on the bike and that he had a fair lead on me.

As I slipped my sneakers I was dismayed to see people showing up only 10 seconds behind me, and I headed off to the beach and dirt parts of the run, on my wobbly legs.

Though I have been doing a fair amount of running, only one run has been hard, and a few tempo ones. NONE have been measured on distance, so I had no real concept of what 5km on foot would feel like- so I erred on the slow side (at the beginning). At the 1 mile mark, I was still in second and climbing a hill. At the top I could see Sean safely off in the distance, out of touch in first. At this point stole one glimpse back, breaking the ‘never look’ rule, and saw a line of runners coming after me. Yeeps, go legs, go.
At around the 3km mark ‘Collington’ passed me, and from the doubling back of the course I could see that I still had around 10 seconds on the last spot. This meant that I had to run really hard from there to the finish. And I did. I think it’s been a few years since the bottom corners of my lungs have been put into use, but fortunately they were available today.

Hitting the pavement and 500m to go ‘Kunckles’ called out ‘don’t let that guy take your cheque!’. OUCH.

• Triathlon is a very painful sport.
• I have never been this pleased by a 3rd place result
• It was also great coming in to the line, with Coach Barrie there (he’s stuck his neck out supporting me this season, as I have no recent results)
• That middle picture is how close I was to getting caught.
• The following 2 days my legs truly paid for the effort
• I had the fastest bike of the day, and Second fastest T2 (having not done one in 14 years! but they were quick then)
• The 2XU wetsuit snagged the 1st & 2nd fastest swims of they day in it’s debut, as well as performing magic for me. Thanks Dave Cracknell - I LOVE MY V:1!
• Sean thanks for letting me train with you RES FIRMA MITESCERE NESCIT
• Also because our clothes haven’t come in yet, I borrowed one of Sean’s old race suits, so I was an honorary ‘Bechtel’ for the day (triathletes write their names on their buts for some reason), which confused a few people.

A quick thanks to the team here c3online.ca

No less than 3 bike shops have been helping me over the past month, I vouch for them, and not a lot of other shops. So if you are in the area, be sure to stop in

• Anthony’s Cyclery. Anthony is a great guy, training for the Games in China. Stop in have a cup, or pot of coffee in Riverside CA
• Action Sports is a long time supporter in Bakersfield CA. Their ‘Mega Store’ is the most impressive sports/ cycling shop ever. A must see.
• Epic Cycles Clermont Florida
• Steve HED maker of the fastest wheels and handlebars, helped me ride the split
• When I need stuff on a last minute whim I call ACS Distributing in Aurora

I know that this sounds like a giant thank you letter, but when the cash flow is $250 for 2 months training on the road, the gear support that we receive is hugely appreciated. They are all good people, if you are wavering in the checkout line, waver in their favor as a thank you for their supporting us. Thanks to them, and you for reading.

the next blog will have some bike gear photo’s

MALE ELITE TRIATHLON RESULTS
Place O'All No.   Name                    Age City                      St Time    Rank Swim    Tran 1  Rank Bike    Tran 2  Rank Run     Penalty
===== ===== ===== ======================= === ========================= == ======= ==== ======= ======= ==== ======= ======= ==== ======= =======
1     1   526 Sean Bechtel             24 Caledon, Ontario            1:11:03    1   11:46    1:10    5   41:42    0:22    3   16:05
2     2   516 Kevin Collington         23 Orlando                   FL 1:12:42    2   11:47    1:23    9   42:56    0:38    1   15:59
3     3   527 Nat Faulkner             27 Bracebridge, Ontario        1:13:03   12   13:31    1:30    1   40:43    0:31    8   16:50
4     4   521 Derek Oskutis            21 Annapolis                 MD 1:13:07    5   12:36    1:22    7   42:00    0:54    5   16:18
5     5   520 Zach Winchester          26 Winter Garden           FL 1:13:14    7   12:55    1:43    4   41:18    0:43    6   16:36