First race of the season

The first race of the season is sort of like the first time you played pokemon. Jarring, upsetting, interesting, fast paced and seizure inducing. Thankfully it didn't prove to be seizure inducing.

Cait and I drove to Indio and set up shop. We went out for some thai food. Turns out red curry is not ideal "stomach settling" food. After that we gorged on cookies and gummy bears. As my pancreas was shocked into submission, I noticed that my tire was flat...I pumped it up to discover a leak. Total panic at the disco ensued!

Cait and I rushed to walgreens to get super glue. FAIL. Too runny. We rushed to wal MART and got bike patch kits and some more adhesives. Panic mode was awful but I finally got it to the point where the leak was super slow...

Race morning came and I was feeling good. I started quickly but in the completely wrong direction. Annoying. I jumped back to the main group and swam strong to come out in 7th or so. 40 seconds back of Inch and a minute and change up on kling.

I got on the bike quick and was super nervous that the third world fix would hold... I hit the back brake on the first hill and the junk on the tire ripped completely off and got lodged in my back brake. It rubbed bad and was making horrid noises... I ignored it and pushed to catch inch 15 minutes in. The rubbing continued for the next 18 miles. I was pushing great watts and averaged 340 for the whole thing. The speed was shit though until the junk dislodged from my brake. The speed then jumped and I shot away from the group....I also ditched inch when the stuff came loose.

I had an immaculate transition onto the run and hit the gas. 1st mile was 5:20 and it hurt. I was running in 4th overall. Inch was a ways back and I figured if I could keep the pressure on I could keep clear.

I came around the first three miles quick. I stayed moving ok but got run through by a couple pros. Ended in 6th overall and 1st amateur. I am closing the gap on some of the top guys in the area. Although this is the key stat: I beat inch and kling. Scoreboard was just like ironman florida.

Good weekend. Next race is at the end of March. Triathlon camp next week!