Timberbrook Triathlon

Continuing a proven streak - I seem to skip posting reports for bad races, and only list the good ones.  This is no exception.  This past weekend was the Timberbrook Triathlon, at the Manasquan Resirvoir.  The race consists of a 3 mile run, 2 mile kayak, and a 5 mile 'mountain' bike on packed, fine gravel.  The informality of the race means I have no splits, but they really wouldn't matter.

Fortunately, the weather was kind, and it was warm enough to not have to fear getting wet.  Race start, I was off with the front group.  Using the term 'group' lightly - the top 5 spread out almost immediately, with me in 5th.  No action for the first mile, then the expected fatigue of people who went out too fast.  Picked off #4, then #3 shortly after the turnaround.  First and second were well out of sight; my work was cut out for me.  Never even saw them the second half of the run, and they were in their kayaks by the time I got into transition.

Once the kayak started, however, it was obvious how skewed the race was.  Me, in my surf ski, versus some runner in a touring kayak.  Him with a teardrop paddle, me with a wing paddle.  The course was roughly an equilateral triangle; I had passed the leader within the first half of the first leg.  After that, the race was over; second place was a good 2 minutes behind me at the finish (a kayaker in a racing ski as well).  I was understandably in quite a bit of pain finishing the kayak, as my longest ride all year was about a mile, and I hadn't been on it at all in 2 months.  Fortunately, the rules allowed for the race officials/volunteers/ etc to help carry the kayak.  Kayak down, and a short jog to the bike racks.

The bike may have been the scariest ride I've ever been on.  After about 20 minutes of resting my legs, I was able to pretty much sprint the whole ride.  The trail winded a good bit, it was soft, there were unsuspecting walkers/joggers/etc on the trails, and I had my road bike.  It was surprisingly fun, despite having to warn everyone that a race was coming and dodge lots of trees.  I didn't see anyone in the race the whole time, and crossed the line just over 55 minutes.  Second place a little over two minutes behind me, and third comfortably over an hour.  Easily my most decisive victory, but expected from such a casual course.

Overall, it was probably my favorite race of the season, despite being effectively meaningless for me.  It also marked the end of an extended light period of training for me.  Starting this week, I begin an 8 month training plan leading up to Ironman Coeur d'Alene.  A slow, gentle ramping up of CTL until spring, with a focus on getting my FTP as high as possible.  If I can get my CTL up toward 150, I figure that I can afford to focus almost exclusively on threshold work until April.  A little more distance there, and come early May I'll be ready for Devilman, a 50 mile triathlon.  Another month of focused Ironman training, and CDA will be in the bag.