Lorain International recap

[watchman]

The definition of Humility is the accurate assessment of yourself.

Pride is too high a view of yourself.

Triathlons seem to knock pride out of me and add some humility.

This was my first Olympic/International.

I remember my first sprint. I thought 1 hour 15 minutes no problem. ( pride)
It was 1 hour 28 minutes ( humility)
It took 2 years to get to that point.

This race I thought 2 hours 20 - 30 minutes ( pride)

Actual 2 hours 39 minutes. ( humility)

This is all good for me. I need more humility ( according to my wife)

Matt C . you were right a couple of years ago. More races, less nerves. It helps being my 4th Triathlon.

The swim was fine but I did have this cough and had to cough under water. I felt fine though. There were some good size waves but ?? Oh well. Zig Zagged a couple of times. Tried to take the wetsuit off in the water. Not as bad as Huntington but not as good as practice. Still a wrestling match.

Bike is where I need the most work. Too many people passed me.
I had the worst cramp in my calf when I got off the bike. I could not move for at least a minute. Someone had to grab my bike. The calf just would not let up. Once I took a couple of steps it released. I thought I was done but I could run on it. It seemed to be on the verge on cramping on the run so I had to back off the run a little.
The last 3 miles felt the best of the entire day I am glad about that.

I remember my first sprint I felt like I was going to die. After this I felt better than any other race( sprint). I did get a 3rd place in my age group but I do not think there were very many in it so it is not worth much.

I think the issue I need to deal with is simply training volume. Overall endurance. I need more miles in the seat. I need to be at more Monday Bricks. When I thought I was ready for a sprint I was not. When I thought I was ready for the International I am not but I was really ready for the Sprint last month.

So I will set my sights on a Half Ironman so then I will probably be ready for and Olympic.

Overall fun day but humbled and more impressed than ever at all of you who do the Olympics and HIM and IM's. My friends think I am this extreme athlete. I tell them no way. You should see the people in this club.

Someday I hope to get close.

mike

[steve1835]

mike nice bumbing into you out in the lake, hope the cough clears up. the short versio of my race follows....

got a great parking spot right next to transition.

very good swim considering I'm nursing a sore shoulder..thought the life guards did a great job and the swim course was much better than prevoius years

bike went very well until I got stopped by a train..only about 30 seconds off stop time but what poor spot to kill momentum..ugh

finally had a run without GI issues and almost a run PR.

overall great day...kudos to Rick for having this distance with such a small number of participants...great voluteers out there and traffic control on the ride...Thank You all who helped.

SP

[MarkD]

Good work gents.

Moving up to a new distance will always humble. Give it time... Sorry I missed ya - catching up on life today (and a little swim mixed in !).

[MattCollister]

Sounds to me like you have a lot to be proud of.

MC

[Aussie Rob]

Nice work boys. I think it's good to get knocked down a few pegs every now and then Mike; I'm glad you see it in the same positive light....it'll keep you in the sport, and ultimately help you improve.

[philjolliff]

Great job! That has happened to me at every distance. It kicks your butt, teaches you some respect for the distance - then you go up a level - then you are really ready to race the shorter distance. It keeps getting better. In 05/06 I could barely walk around the house after a 10k.

[rinibry]

I would like to start with a great job mike, I know it was a tough race but I saw a great big smile on your face when you were running to the finish.

I had a weird start to the race, I am not sure what happened during registration but I met the bizarro bryan Rini, or more likely he met his. 2 guys the same age, same name, same race probably not weird for joe smith but a first for me, heck of a nice guy though.
the swim was a good challenge with 2-4 ft waves, I am glad they made it a 4 lapper because swimming in and out were really difficult for me to time the breaths with wave coming at you. waves coming at my side I can handle for some reason much easier.

I really like the bike course of this location, a tough hill or 2 but there are also long flat spots to really get into your groove. if there is a way to avoid the railroad tracks it would be perfect. I am still waiting for my times but I am pretty sure I was above 20 mph which is great for me on anything longer than 10-15 miles.

the run course i good for the competitive person like myself with plenty of chances to so see the other people on the course. the 2 5K laps gives you 4 crosses to see if you gaining or losing ground. I was passed by 2 people on the run the first I had about a 1 minute lead on off the bike (best guess) and I could feel him reeling me in lap after lap, the other was a guy named Zach who said he was not a great swimmer pre race but failed to mention he could run like the wind, I never saw him coming just heard footsteps and little blur go by.
I finished at 2:23 which was good enough for first in my AG just edging out the bizarro me but a short of my goal by 3 minutes again.
P.S. thanks to all of the sprinters for eating all the good bagels.
missed you Ang wish you were there

[robreddy]

Congrats Guys - nice job - and nothing better than a HUGE spoon full of humility - I like mine with chocolate but seem to always (and often) get it dry and plain - figure I'll get a heaping serving next Sunday

r

[Angie]

Thanks brian... nice job to everyone. I am feeling guilty about not heading to the race, but coach agreed that it was better to skip.