Last Season - Race 2 (my second race)

After the first race, I learned lots, got a few more brick sessions in and anxiously waited for my first open water race.  It was a particularly dry and mild winter/spring which lead to very low water levels in the Ottawa River.  So low that they have to reposition the swim course because it going to be too shallow otherwise.  Because of some constraints the course was actually shortened to 400m during this process.  My obsessive compulsive preperation was in fine form, reading the race details over and over, the rules, and some pointers on the open water swim.  I made a list, checked it 4 times and got everything prepared well in advance.

The race day was very humid and the forecast was calling for rain, rain, and more rain.  The water was of suspect quality - I think the local ducks and geese weren't helping the low water levels.  But the race was on as long as there was no lightening.

I got a great spot in the transition area, and had a pretty good warm up.  The start was  shallow water start, and there were only 2 waves, Men, and Women 5 mins apart.  There were about 130 males starting, probably too much.  Somehow I ended up in the middle, which I cam to realize was not a good position.  When we started, the only thing that could describe what was happening is spawning salmon, because it sure wasn't swimming.  In the first 100m I swam over some guy doing breast stroke (wtf, start at the back) and like wise got swam over by others.  Them some guy hit me in the head, not once, not twice, but three times.  I wish it stopped at two, not because of the pain of taking an arm in the head, but because the third time knocked my goggles off.  Not that the water was particularly clear, but still, what a pain. Finally by the first turn things at thinned out and I got into a rhythm, probably slower than I wanted, but at this point, I was just happy to be racing.  I got out of the water and there was Marie cheering like crazy!  She handed me my watch and off to the transition I went.

Sometime between the start of the swim and the end it start raining.  Just a little at first, but the by time I was on my bike, it was raining gangbusters.  Crazy rain, but likely no wind.  I got into a good cadence on the bike and eventually caught up to a large group of people.  Although it wasn't a draft legal race, people seemed pretty happy to take other people's wash in the face.  I tried to power past the group, and just when I thought I was past, the power savings of drafting left them with more energy and they were able to over take me.  I tried this probably 3 more times until I was drained.  I settled into a slightly slower pace and went on my own way.  I ended up posting a great bike time all things considered.

I moved to the run and felt much stronger this time around.  But just as the run was stating the rain let up and mother nature turned on the heat.  Boy it got humid and hot fast.  I was able to keep a pretty respectable pace for the race, Marie managed to see me a pass a few times, and boy can she cheer.  I think she scared the people around me.  I finished strong, and felt pretty good.  I didn't get made fun of crossing the line this time, so that was good.  I must have looked like I was enjoying myself all the more.

Overall, the conditions were terrible, but I was very happy for the experience, and despite the weather, I posted a respectable time.  The swim was slower than I would have liked, but the bike and run were right were I wanted to be if not a little better.

My 400m swim was + T1 was 10:51, my bike was 23.7 km in 42.29 and my T2 + 5km run was 24:35.
http://www.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=46418&first=&last=corey&bibnum=&page=&sortby=place&city=&sizeofpage=200&limit=2000

Next up Graham Beasley, my first race not sleeping in my own bed the night before.