The first triathlon of the season is always a bit of a reawakening. I see it as the natural order of things. The more you race, the more the little things falls into place.
Simple things like confidence in where to start the swim, timing in transitions and knowing when it's OK to push a bit harder in the water, on the bike or during the run.
I was very happy with my overall day in Oliver. I knew heading into the race that I was fit but I needed a race to better assess my current strengths and weaknesses.
While I slept great the night before the race, I woke with a sense of dread. I can't yet say why. I wasn't looking forward to racing.
I struggled to take in my prerace calories, and took in far less than planned. But I couldn't force any more in - at least I chose not to do so.
Margreet - my race photographer - was able to park close to T1 and so I was able to put on my wetsuit and then lie back into our Pathfinder for a few minutes.
Margreet - my race photographer - was able to park close to T1 and so I was able to put on my wetsuit and then lie back into our Pathfinder for a few minutes.
While Margreet knew that something wasn't right, she told me that I was going to have a great race. We both try to reinforce the positives ahead of races; everyone has enough doubts and there's nothing to gain from shining the spotlight on them.
After getting set up in transition and going down to the lake, I was still debating whether I really wanted to race. Part of it I think is pre-race nerves, but part of it seemed more than that.
In the last few years, I've felt comfortable starting at the front of the pack. For some reason, my confidence wasn't there on Sunday and so I started several rows back and it was a mistake. I knew it instantly. I had no room. I had to pull up several times. It wasn't a huge mass start but when there's nowhere to go, there's nowhere to go.
So a reminder: I need a bit more intensity at the start. I am a stronger than average swimmer and I can go hard - almost all out - for the first few hundred metres before settling down into a rhythm.
In Oliver, it's a long T1, about 500m. One benefit was the two very efficient wetsuit strippers. I was superbly impressed by how fast my suit was off. Volker and I exited the water at about the same time and he was running ahead of me towards his bike.
Onto the bike, I was clumsy with my new shoes. I need to thread the strap into place. I had this down to an art on my previous shoes. Still, I got moving. (The race was only the second time I've spun outside this calendar year. I'll have my shoes dialed in next month.)
I felt good on the bike. I have been training indoors with Coach Troy for months. I believe I could have ridden harder and therefore a bit faster but I chose as much as I could to keep my cadence in the 80-90 range.
I was prepared to give up a few minutes on the bike to have fresh legs for the run because I've been running so much the last four months and really wanted to give it a go in this race.
The bike course in Oliver fits me like a glove. It's mostly rolling, flat. One longish hill up and two long downhills. The road is well designed and most of it is in great condition. After the first 15km, I was on my own and that was OK. I reeled in a few people which always helps me keep my focus.
I averaged 35km/hr, down from 35.9km/hr two seasons ago when I was going full out to get an Ironman Canada spot.
My nutrition on the bike was perfect. I got in my Hammer Sustained - I had three hours worth. I also had two Powerbar caf gels and I had a can of Red Bull. Perhaps that sounds a bit over the top but it worked for me.
I didn’t see the overall time until I was heading into the finishing chute. I’m already looking forward to the Vancouver half iron next month.
**
Oliver results
Here are a few stats.
In 2010, there were five guys who finished faster than the winner on Sunday. As for the women, there were eight who would have finished faster than this year's winner.
In my age group, 45-49 I was ninth in 2010 when I stopped the clock at 4:53. That was 59th overall. On Sunday, I was fifth in my age group in 5:00 and 53rd overall.
2012 5th in age group
5:00:56 38:32 3:59 2:39:21 1:47 1:37:18
2010 9th in age group
4:53:54 34:16 3:21 2:35:34 1:39 1:39:06
