Race Report: Gateway Triathlon

[Chas Threlkeld]

Bonjour, mes freres,

I had a last minute entry into the Gateway Triathlon in Carlyle, IL this weekend. I hadn't planned on this race and registered the Wednesday before the Sunday race, so I was training through.

This was a small race with 103 total finishers at the Olympic distance, of which only 66 were men. Conditions seemed chilly in the morning with the thermometer reading 45F (7C). Luckily the lake was a comfortable 66F official race temperature. This is still chilly, but ideal for a wetsuit swim.

The gun went off for male Olympic competitors at 8am, with an in-water treading start. Swimming is my forte, so my plan was to stay smooth and straight. In the past couple races, I've gotten lost when I started sighting off the wrong things. (Skyscrapers look like finishing shoot pillars at the right distance.) I'd also been working on my technique over the past few weeks, noting that what I'd learned through high school and what is efficient in the water are not the same.

I was mostly successful staying on course. I had a couple drifts a few yards one way or the other, but since my wave had bright orange caps and there were several other swimmers keeping up, I got back on track. I came out of the water 4th, which was respectable. 22:46 split, 1:32/100m pace

One of the top three was clearly a swimmer, as I passed him as he walked to the transition. I passed two more competitors within 100m of the bike mount line.

My plan on the bike was to keep a high cadence and try to maintain consistent power output. While this wouldn't have been ideal had I been in it to win it at the Olympic distance, I wanted to practice some discipline for my longer course races later this year.

About 2 miles out, passed the final competitor, and took the lead of the race. I kept my cadence high and my power variability low. I also got some practice shifting my gears in the back of the course where we got some good short rolling hills. The volunteers could have been a bit more vocal about the gravel on the course and cones could have been placed with better lines in mind, but the weather had warmed up and the ride was very nice.

My legs felt strong-ish. As I mentioned, I was training through this race, and I could feel the heavy lifting I'd done on Thursday when going into the wind. I figured I'd need a lead-out of 6-8 minutes on the field in order to maintain my position through the run, but that wasn't to be. I prefer to chase instead of be chased, but I still had a respectable split of 59:37 over 23 miles, 23.1mph, third fastest bike split.

As I changed into my running shoes, I heard the announcer over the loudspeaker say that the 2nd Olympic cyclist was about 300m out. I knew I couldn't hold first with that little of a lead, given my usual running speed, but I'd do what I could.

The run course was a 10k out-and-back with the first and last mile across a dam bridge. At about the 2k mark, the eventual winner overtook me. I'd been keeping my 1k splits and was surprised at how fast I was running, but couldn't keep up with him. I held onto second until after the turnaround. Then I kept getting picked off as the runners in the field got to show their strengths. I ended up in 8th place. However, my run split (49:04, 7.54/mi pace) was one of my strongest 10ks that I can remember, so I'm pleased with the start to my year.

Since the race was so small, and age groups are only every 5 years, I was able to take home 1st in my age group. You're all welcome to a beer in my commemorative age-group winner pint glass whenever you like.

[Paul Halupka]

Fantastic, dude. It's just nice to think that the more we work at this stuff, the more it starts to come together in all the right ways. Congrats on having a strong race where you felt good, the pieces came together, and you still have growth to look forward to when you're at your peak. Stoked for you... reading this makes me want to do a triathlon. Ok, maybe a duathlon. 

Ok, maybe a 10k TT. 

Or like a 10-lap pursuit. 

--

paul halupka

ha-lup-ka.com

rouleurs-jusdorange.tumblr.com

[Edward Weigel]

I always enjoy reading these reports, especially from those I don't see often (hint hint... PAUL, DREW, LUCAS) 😁

Chas, awesome to hear about your great performance on a spur of the moment Tri! Good stuff man! We should get out on a ride soon. 

On Tue, May 17, 2016 at 1:34 PM, Chas Threlkeld <chas...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Paul Halupka]

Good call, Ed... I gotta get back on my race report game. Too much energy expended in creative shit-talking in these fantasy cycling leagues... :)

[Edward Weigel]

And for those of you that think I should call myself out as well.. Alas, I have not been racing recently. Back at it soon though. 

[Nathan Pfeifer]

Haha, word, all!  I know I have been kinda off the email grid lately, and have had some interesting races to report, including a positive Fox River Grove weekend just passed.

I'm deep into things at work, and exploring a change to my work/living situation, in the form of a trip and interviews in the Bay Area over an extended Memorial Day weekend.  Between exploring/preparing for that, training/racing, work, and some weekend visitors of late, I have been deeply remiss in keeping in touch.  But I miss you all in many ways...I've been racing mostly alone (despite the supposed team I am on), and sorely miss the rides/commutes with folks to talk through all these big issues I'm wrestling with at the moment.  I know you're all still there, but time is such a motherfucker.

Chas - I'm so impressed with the discipline you are showing in the training/racing.  I think that singular focus/discipline is the most important part of executing your best possible Ironman day, so I have no doubt you will maximize your potential.  It's a long road still til August.  Those are some impressive swim and bike times!!  You're gonna hafta get used to leading instead of chasing with those as your strengths. 

With love and longing,

NP 

[David Loring]

Chas - great report, thanks for sharing.  Like Paul, it makes me think I should get into tri's.  I just need friends to do the run and swim for me.

For those of us who haven't left the flatland, I do plan to finally go on a couple of rides this weekend.  Hopefully I'll remember how to clip in.  

Work and the upcoming baby has kept me off the bike, so it will be a few years before you find a race report from me.  But alas I can finally contribute to a quasi-race report.  Two weeks ago I responded to a dare from a friend to enter an open 5+ masters tennis tournament up in the burbs (that's like a 1,2,3 cat race I suppose in cycling terms).  I expected to get wiped out in about 30 minutes, as half of the guys playing are former college players or better.  I ended up winning both of my matches rather dominantly on Saturday, which put me in the sweet 16 on Sunday.  I was feeling good and cocky starting off my Sunday match.  Stupid.  2 games in my body decided to remind me that I'm out of shape, and I ended up re-tearing my shoulder (cool name though - called a SLAP tear) and that ended the tourney for me.  It was still a great experience and my father actually came to watch, which was probably the first time he's seen me play since high school.

D