Lake Geneva Escape Series Triathlon – Missing my flight and Eighth Overall by seconds

November 30th, 2017
Hold on...this is going to be a roller coaster ride.

Hold on…this is going to be a roller coaster ride.

To finish out the Escape Tri Series, I’d get two weeks this time to recover.  I was not alone on this trip, bringing my girlfriend and her son along for the ride.  We were flying from Denver to Milwaukee and driving to our Airbnb in Muskego, which was only thirty mins away from Williams Bay and Lake Genevea.

Running out of road

Running out of road

The most drama we had on our trip was being late for our flight.  We had a late morning flight but given some early morning training and getting the place ready to rent out on Airbnb, caused us to leave a little late. Not to mention, we ran into unexpected traffic along the highway.

This is Triathlon!

This is Triathlon!

We had to do this perfectly so that our luggage and us could make it on the plane.  I jumped out first when we arrive at departures to go check my bag. It was passed the 45-min window but luckily the agents were nice enough to take it. I told them I don’t care if it doesn’t make this flight, I just can’t get on the plane without it. There was not another flight until Friday and that was too close to the race on Saturday.

Enjoying farm country

Enjoying farm country

Claire did a loop in the car around the airport and then came back. She and Jacob went stright to the gate, while I had to drive the car to parking and take a lift back.  I was down to minutes of making the flight. The whole time on the bus ride and waiting in line to be seen by TSA was nerve  wracking.

When in Wisconsin...

When in Wisconsin…

Once I went through the metal detector all I had to do was grab my bags and run.  Except that my bag set of an alarm with the TSA personnel.  I kindly told them that I was going to miss my flight but they did not care. It was not any security check either. They did the whole shabang. I was wanded and patted down.  But what took the longest was them checking my, bags which were stuffed. They took out every piece of clothing and items of food.

IMG_7835

It was rediculous.  They did five different swabs but had to touch almost everything in the bag. I had a US military ID, TSA prechek and I was late for my flight. They did not have to get this detailed.  All the time Claire was calling and messaging me to hurry. Everyone was on the plane and the gate door was closed.

Farmland

Farmland

When they finally finished, I frantically stuffed all my stuff back into my bag. However, I could not find my military ID.  I said what the heck, Ill just have to get a new one. I ran to the train, slowly but surely it got to my stop and then I ran to the gate. No one was there, but the plane still attached to the walkway. I called Claire and told her to tell them I was there. I could hear her stressfully yelling at them to let me in and to go back to the gate. I hung up as I watched the walkway detach from the plane and back up.

Just looking...

Just looking…

Eventually, a Fronteir attendent came back through the gate. Apparently, she had come back three times to check to see if I was there but one time too soon. I missed my flight by minutes or even seconds and frankly because of TSA.  Yes, I was late getting there but how TSA checked my bag was like nothing I had experienced before.

Smile for the camera

Smile for the camera

Only thing I could do was go to customer service for a new flight. Lucky for me they were nice enough to wave any fees and get me a ticket to Chicago that night since all the Milwaukee flights were booked.  This would just mean that Claire would have to drive to pick me up and Chicago was not too far from where we were staying. This gave me enough time to go find my military ID, which I found hiding under one of the TSA machines.

Getting another opinion for my aero position

Getting another opinion for my aero position

Claire ended up asking the Airbnb host to come pick me up since she cannot see too well at night and she refuses to get glasses. The Airbnb was kind enough to pick me up, for a small fee, and I made it after all that. Surprisingly Wisconsin was experiencing a weird heat wave and it was hot and humid. Literally, it was in the 80-90s. This made for a more difficult race, but we all had to suffer through the same conditions.

Water temp good, bad organism not so good.

Water temp good, bad organism not so good.

The lake water was refreshing but it was dirty. It had good visibilty but it had high levels of E. coli and other bacteria. I only found this out after the race, but aparently the swim almost did not happen because of those little critters. I had a similar swim as the Nation’s Tri, staying with the main pack until halfway through and getting dropped on the way back to shore. Just amazing how loosing some feet for a few seconds turns to many seconds.  Oh, how the draft is real.

Trying to get a feel for the podium

Trying to get a feel for the podium

I came out of the water about 30 seconds behind all the other guys.  There was a big hill right out of transition to allow me to get back with the group. I ended up only getting closer and they rode away once they got to the top of the hill. I just had to do what I could to not let them get too far ahead. Except this time, there was one straggler and I pushed to catch up to him.  When I did and passed him, he just passed back. After a while of going through the procedure of passing him and he immediately passing me back, I let him lead.

Hanging out waiting for me to finish.

Hanging out waiting for me to finish.

By the end of the bike, another competitor passed us but we stayed with him until transition. My transition was a little slower than usual, given that I forgot what I was supposed to do. That lasted for a couple of seconds but seemed like eternity.  Once I remembered what I was suppose to do, I was quick to regain contact with the other compeitor who I had been with most of the bike course.

Jake came out for the hardware. Nope, no gold.

Jake came out for the hardware. Nope, no gold.

We passed the other compeitor during the first mile. The out and back run course was actually brutal. It was 5k uphill with a few flats and the hills had various grades. Adding to the difficultly was the rising air temperature.  But I was feeling okay and did not push it too hard, letting the other compeitor control the pace.

Guess what we were planning after the race

Guess what we were planning after the race?

When we almost got to the turn around, I took the lead and then put on a good accerlation at the u-turn.  This opened up some space between us. I started pressing the pace, charging to reel back some of the other competitors, who looked like the heat and that first 5k had done some damage on them.

Charging all the way to the finish.

Charging all the way to the finish.

I kept a high turnover and accelerated through the turns and it was working. I was in thirteenth going out of transition.  Eventually, I started to pass a few people. I did not keep track of my position so kept pushing with the little time I had left.  About a half mile away from the finish, I passed another with sights on another.  I just charged and was making time on him, even with such a short distance to the finish.

About a hundred meters from the finish, I could tell I would just barely miss passing him. I also had to deal with some dryheaving. It’s been long time since I have pushed myself that hard.  I crossed the finish line in eight with a starting position of ninth.

Results

Results

 

Six Flags Fun!

Six Flags Fun!

With the rest of our time in Wisconsin, we visited Six Flags, a cheese market and a famous local popcorn shop. All in all, The Escape Triathlon Series was great. Well designed courses and the local volunteers and PEM event crews put on solid races. The only improvements for Series was the Geneva run course where we had to share a small sidewalk with athletes traveling in both directions. After the tally of the points given at each race, I placed 16th in the series with three points, two points at Nations and one point at Lake Geneva. As a result, I should qualify for The Escape from Alcatraz, which is ultimately the championship of the Escape Triathlon Series in summer of 2018.

Post race Six Flags

Post race Six Flags

I am a true believer of eating and promoting a plant-based diet for maximum nutrition, performance and recovery. Furthermore, I encourage the pursuit of living life and searching and holding onto quality relationships—be true to yourself and live life with others. Revel in the journey, not just in the destination. I’m pleased to be apart of the club team US Military Endurance Sports and race in The Escape Triathlon Series this year. I would only be half the athlete and man if it were not for the wisdom of my coaches and mentors, Tim Crowley and Louis Tharp and all my family, friends and supporters, like Vasa and Sabble Water Optics. Go chase your dreams too!