2010 Peak Triathlon

The PEAK Tri returns to Montana!

The Peak Tri 2010 was the first Missoula Peak Tri and my 2nd training race. Being the first race you never know what kind of crowd the race will draw. Well, the race hype behind this one was legit, entry sold out within a couple days of opening up back in February.

The competition was very accomplished. The field included five, count ‘em five champions of Montana races. They included Olympic trials swimmer and former Ironman Swim record hold John Weston, Grizzly Triathlon and Missoula Marathon champ Elliot Bassette, Zootown Tri winner Justin Cloute, Jeremy Oury and of course yours truly. On top of that, the field had handfuls of top contenders that finished top 3 at the local races last year. This is not the field that I dream of when I am off racing shape, but I can’t control that.

"The Murder Machine"

"It's Muuuurrrrddeeerrrr" Chamillionaire.

Before the race started I noticed my bike was attracting a lot of attention, duh that’s because it is awesome. My favorite NASCAR driver, Jeff Gordon, has a really flashy car, it attracts attention. My bike is the equivalent on the triathlon scale, whether it is rolling at 25mph or racked in transition it looks good. I have affectionately named it “The Murder Machine.” This year it has committed a few minor felonies while seeing the lead of the YTri, but it has not been charged with pre-meditated bike split murder like last year…yet.

Anyway, I felt great during my swim warm up, feeling the confidence to swim well, but apprehensive about the chase pack that would soon be riding hard to catch the swim leaders. I knew Weston would nuke everyone, but after that it would be unknown. The only thing that I have been able to put early season time in on was my swim so I knew I was due for a great swim. The first 4 laps saw Elliot, Justin, and I swim even, I was very happy with my flip turns, they were flippin’ amazing (pun genius). I swam, what felt like, incredibly fast for the next 3 laps and put a couple body lengths on Elliot, Justin and everyone else besides Weston. I think Weston took a break mid swim and got a massage before jumping in a finishing up.

I exited the pool feeling great in 2nd place, the first time I have out swam Justin or the 2006 Griz Champ Elliot. I had a great transition, my internal dialogue talking “sunglasses, race belt, helmet, move your a**!” I hit the mount line with a flying leap aboard the P3.

I made a hairpin 180 out onto the course. I hit the throttle and rode for a mile before getting my feet into my shoes.

After slipping my feet into my tri shoes, Elliot went by, then Justin in tow. The race held there for about 2 miles until the first big climb. Elliot, being small and a great climber, split our draft-legal pack apart. Justin hung about 10 lengths ahead of me. I knew that the intensity was too high for my level of fitness, I knew I needed more training to ride at redline. Descending the big hill I flew by Justin while doing 42 mph and hurting bad. He bridged up to the barely legal 2 bike lengths and stuck there until a mile after the turnaround.

At about 8 miles I continued to hurt badly, I was too tired to even think of taking a split to anyone in front or behind me. I stuck in 4th place and made the sweeper into T2 while riding Justin’s 6. Antara grabbed my bike, I calmly gave a stiff-arm to the volunteer that had grabbed Justin’s bike, keeping the volunteer from crossing my path and slowing down my transition. I had a great T2 and left in 3rd just in front of Justin.

The Liable Party for the Blisters

I currently do not have the form to run well so I just plain suffer, this course was hard and hilly, adding to my misery. Justin soon went past, while I suffered through anaerobic meltdown and the worst blisters ever, Oury went by running the fastest I have ever seen him run. I was so out of it I missed the 2nd dog-leg on a course I scouted for 20 minutes, dang lost a couple more spots for my stupidity.

With blisters killing my feet I was slowed to a walk on the last huge hill losing another spot or two. I nursed it into the finish with my feet at level 10 blister pain and my body at level 10 fatigue, crossing 11th overall and third in my age division. It didn’t help that Susie from the health club came up to me after the race and said, “We had you as the favorite to win.”  She did say she loved my bike though.

My muscles, lungs, and feet hurt!

There is not much to say about my race, I knew I wasn’t ready and it showed late in the race. I am getting there though; I can feel it after every race and hard workout. I don’t ever want to be in this position again, racing without being ready; this year is the only time that should happen. I can already see that I will have more than adequate training time with work; I will do what it takes, the exception being this year only.

I did win one thing though, the best entourage. My parents, my sister and brother-in-law, Corrie, Jess, PJ, Chris, Carrie, and friends were all cheering for me and it rocked.  The race itself was awesome, best run race in history, awards within an hour, lots of volunteers, tough course with good logistics, cool shirts, plus I left with a race belt and transition mat for awards. I won’t be surprised to see other Montana races copying this race…just like they copied the Aquathlon.

Painful as it looks?  Yep, every step was foot based torture.

Here is to another race and lots of training for me.