Race Recap: Pacific Coast Triathlon (9/11/11)

Other than my still sore knee, I was really looking forward to this race.  Because of a variety of reasons, this was the first time my wife and my mom were going to see a triathlon in person.  No extra pressure there, right?  Well, I was not only doing the race, but I was volunteering at the race expo on Saturday for the OC Tri Club.  I enjoy working with the club, and Saturday was a great chance to meet a lot of new people.  Since my mom was in town, she and my daughters came with me on Saturday, and while I was at the booth, my daughters and grandma got to spend some time on the beach.  Unfortunately, it was a bit chilly and cloudy, not exactly what Grandma from Nevada wanted to see in California.

So, before I go into the race, the only negative to this race is the location.  Don't get me wrong, it's super scenic, the problem is the parking.  Unless you get there really early, and carpool, you're at least a mile away.  This isn't bad for the racers with bikes, just a bummer for the spectators that have to find parking and then walk (sorry Shannon).

Also, an extra cool part about the race this year, since it was on 9/11/11, was the firemen out on the course.  It was great to see them running in their gear, holding an American flag.  I can only imagine how heavy and hot it was running in that gear, and the boots too.  It was a nice tribute to those that lost their lives on 9/11.

The 1/2 Mi. Swim (14:22 @ 1:47/100 pace)

The swim starts about a 1/4 mile down the beach from the transition area, so it's a nice walk to the starting line.  My age group was the third wave to go out.  The water temperature seemed good, maybe 65. Since this was a beach start on an ocean swim, there's always the challenge of getting through the surf.  Fortunately, the surf was pretty mild and close to shore, so there was only one crashing wave to contend with.  Diving under was fine, but it knocked my goggles down my face.  I got them back on quick, but never was able to get them sealed on my right eye.  This meant I was forced to do most of my breathing on the left, the ocean side.  At least it was a short swim, so I just had to deal with it.  Other than that, this was my favorite swim of the the races I've done.  The temperature was good, the water was clear and calm, and I actually spend a decent amount of time swimming in a pack.  This is something I've never managed to do for any length of time.

T1 (4:17)

Exiting the water, I felt good.  Now it was time to tackle the hill.  To get the the transition area, you have to head up a super steep, paved path.  I walked most of it, but occasionally jogged. The path is lined with spectators, so it's great encouragement to keep running.  OK, socks, shoes, helmet and watch, and I'm off.

The 12 Mi. Bike (38:26 @18.73mph)

The bike route is two loops, entirely on PCH.  This bike course is mostly rolling hills, there's never a long stretch of flat road.  I felt OK on the bike, but I know I should have been a little faster.  This is a course I'm sure I could average 20mph, next time maybe.

T2 (1:26)

Not much to saw here.  I changed my shoes, grabbed my visor and racing belt, and then off to run.

The 3 Mi. Run (22:26 @ 7:14/mi. pace)

I need to go back and check my Garmin on this distance.  I heard there was a course change due to some beach erosion, so it probably wasn't a full 3 miles.  I know I didn't run a 7:14/mi pace, since this was my first race since Wildflower in April, and my Runners Knee has kept me from running more than 6-8 miles per week.  Anyway, the start of the run was the first time I saw Shannon and the girls.  It's a great boost of energy to see your family there cheering for you.  Any chance I could have them show up every mile on the run when I do an Ironman?  Is that asking too much?  The run course is a nice trail along the coast.  It's an out and back so you also get to see people you know.  Since this is an OC race, there were plenty of OC Tri Club members to see along the race course.  Jumping to the end, I saw someone in my age group not too far ahead of me, so I made a push to pass him before the final 200 yards.  I don't want to be that guy that sprints the last 50 yards just to cross the finish line right in front of a fellow AGer.

Final (1:20.58)
21 out of 58 in 35-39 AG, and 148/442 Men

Overall, a pretty good day, looking forward to doing this race again next year.