Sunday, October 2, 2011

Giant Acorn International Race Report

Saturday - October 1, 2011 - Bumpass, VA , Partly cloudy, 55F

Race website
RESULTS

Shawn Buddenhagen - 7th Clydesdale - 2:57:36


My cheering section
    My day started off with a race to the race. I wanted my family to join me for the day, but I paid the time penalty. We left at 7:05am, and the race begins at 10am, with a 2.5 hour drive. You do the math that is tight. I put the pedal to the metal, and made it with 20 minutes to spare. My wave didn't start until 10:20, so I had some extra time to get ready.


My wave swim start, I'm the one swimming upstream like a salmon.




The swim - Two important mental notes - buy a wetsuit, and work on sighting. The water temp was perfect 76F, but the air temp was about 55F at the start. I felt like I was swimming well, being one with the water, but my time was just ok. I did a fair amount of drifting however, pretty much like a rudderless ship. I would look up and see the buoy swim 20 strokes, look up and say where did the buoy go. It would be interesting to see the gps track of my swim, it would look like the start of a sail boat race. Overall, I am pleased with my swimming progress this season. I went from almost drowning at old point to comfortably swimming 1500m with relative ease.





The course was rolling hills, nothing too steep, with a headwind for most of the time. My legs were feeling like a Peter Cetera song, soft, uninspired, and mostly lame. I finished the course in 1:07, which was second in my group, but not lighting the world on fire.




Show me some love.


I am smiling to hide the pain.

The run - My run training has been hit or miss lately. The conditions were perfect, with temps around 60F. My goal was to run the whole course, and I succeeded. My time was 59:35, and I kept a comfortable pace for most of the run.

Finish line runner's high.


Overall it was an awesome course, and a great event. Despite freezing most of the time, the family had a great time. I feel that I have made great progress this Tri season, and have some secret training plans for the off season, so watch out!

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