Well I completed another sprint triathlon, the Seafair Triathlon last Sunday in Seward Park and I was pretty happy with my results.  I set a new PR, finishing in 1:21:40, which was 53 seconds better than my previous best, set in 2003.  It was also almost seven minutes faster than last year's time so I was really happy. 

 

I did the swim in 14:40, which was also a personal best by 1:20 (also set in 2003) but had a sluggish transition to the bike, going 2:50.  It's stupid but I had a sock inside out and I actually took the time to take it off and put it on again rightside out.  Kind of stupid and I'm not sure why I couldn't wear it inside out, kind of funny.  I was really concentrating on the bike portion and I really pushed hard and missed another personal best by just 23 seconds, finishing that in 37:58 which was way faster than every other year except 2003.  I might have done better if my breaks hadn't been sticking and squealing and I've got to get a roadbike before next year.  I was kicking butt for a hybrid rider but I just couldn't stick with some of the road bikes on the downhill and long straightaways.  I flew through the bike to run transition in 1:09 which I was pretty happy with.  The run was another PR by 3 seconds, finishing in 25:02.  That time ranked 502nd overall so that was my worst segment despite being my best time ever.  I really pushed hard in the others and left the run to sort itself out.  I had some lactic acid built up at the start and managed to push through it. 

 

With the wave start, you can read people's ages on the backs of their legs and see how much time you've made up on them.  The last mile and a half I was passing back and forth with a 24-year-old woman.  She re-passed me coming down the heartbreak hill with a mile left and then I got her back when she had to stop to tie her shoe.  Coming into the finish line I wasn't kicking too hard because I didn't want to pull anything.  Suddenly I hear the crowd roaring and since I wasn't about to pass anyone, I knew someone was about to pass me.  I saw her shadow too late and she had momentum on her side to nip me at the line.  She did manage to help me fend off another guy my age by one second though.

 

I finished 333rd out 1405 finishers but 48th in my age bracket. (110 in the age bracket, 677 men overall)  Had I been two seconds faster, I would have placed second in the women's 50-54 age bracket and I would have been 4th in the men's 60-64 group.   That's inspiring that those folks are beating my butt. 

 

My swim time ranked 370th, bike time ranked 387th and run was 502nd.  I only dropped 15 places overall in the run so I hung in there.  Normally my worst leg is the bike, so there were a lot of fast runners this time.  I hit all my main goals.  Only thing I didn't do was go under 1:20:00 but that was my pipe dream goal.  I really only trained hard for 3-4 weeks and I only ran a couple of times so hopefully I can get another few races in and show more improvement.