Donut, Bike, Run – 2015 Life Time Tri CapTex

May 27th, 2015

Donuts have arrived!

Wait, what?! No swim?  So is the race going to be a duathlon? No.  Oh, only a bike and run. Interesting.  Those were my reactions as I was getting my race packet and being briefed by the volunteer that the swim was cancelled. It made since with all the rain Austin has been having lately.  The problem was not the water of course, but all the run off that had accompanied it. I’m usually not the fastest swimmer but one of the fastest swimmers so I was looking forward to a full triathlon as an advantage.  With such a letdown, I had to create my own triathlon in the form of donuts, bike and run.  My wife Heather had come back from a wedding in Florida and had brought me back a dozen donuts. These were not any donuts but from our favorite donut shop in Clermont called Donut King. I did not eat them for breakfast but I did eat them at dinner the night before. Followed by a 3 hour sugar-coma-nap.

Its Christmas all over again…

The race actually went very well for me. The weather was overcast with chances of rain but it held off until later in the afternoon.  The bike was a time trial start so I went last in my category to play cat and mouse.  I have always liked to go last, which goes back to my high school and track days when I let my teammates start 2 seconds ahead of me when doing speed work.  During the bike, I seemed to get faster each lap and rode very comfortable the entire time.  Probably the donuts.  The only negative I guess was a little stress that occurred during the fourth lap when I hit a hole and heard a noise that sounded like my wheel rim had made contact with the asphalt, thus popping my tube. Luckily, it was only the aero bars bending out of place. The new aero bar wasn’t too bad and I was able to bike the rest of the race in a different position without too much strain on my back. As soon as I got into transition, it was go time.  I had passed 19 of 21 people during the bike who had started before me in my wave so I was already in podium position but wanted the win, which had eluded me since 2010.

Is this Aero?

I started the run off fast but held off a little so I could ease into a faster pace over the course of the entire run.  The leader was over a minute up on me out of transition and over the course of the 3 miles that lead had grown to almost 2 minutes.  But that was all it would grow because I was ready to descend the last half of the run. After 5k I started to gain 20 seconds on the leader every mile.  Probably the donuts. I also got a little concerned because my quads felt like they could cramp at any minute. Although, I just focused on my form and my breathing and was able to ward them off.  By the last half mile, I was closing but it did not look like I was going to pass him. However, I had started last in my wave and I think he started first so I was really racing against the clock at this time.  He crossed the finished line first and I soon followed.  By the end I had beaten him by 29 seconds plus the 2 min time penalty he had gotten on the bike. I had won overall fuel by donuts.

Racing against the clock.

Although I did not get to do a typical triathlon, I was very pleased to have eaten half a dozen of the world’s best donuts, biked 57:41 and run 32:28, my fastest yet for that course.  And the icing on top, not on the donuts, but the day, was to have Heather there to support me.  We enjoyed the rest of the day with some good food and playing in the flood waters that commenced soon after the race.  As planned, I executed a great race leading up to The Armed Forces National Triathlon Championships in Hammond, IN in a couple of weeks.

Overall honors.

I am fortunate and honored to represent the US Army and race again for the US Military Elite Triathlon Team, part of US Military Endurance Sports. Racing and training is effortless and made possible by the following USMES sponsors: BoeingSnappleScottSRAMPrimalOsmo NutritionHoney StingerZipp,HeadsweatsRudy ProjectsXterra Wetsuits ProGold BikingKlean AthleteClever Training, and Schwalbe. I’m thankful to be serviced by and involved with my local bike shop, Jack and Adams Bikes. Team Sterghos also includes VasaSable Water Optics and Total Immersion. I’m coached and trained by Tim Crowley of TC2 coaching. I eat and promote a plant-based diet for maximum nutrition, performance and recovery. I also promote the pursuit of living and relationships—be true to yourself and live life with others.

And done.