Miami International Tri
The first race of the year was in Miami on Sunday the 15th of March (http://www.mitriathlon.com/). I flew out on Friday late afternoon to get into Miami at 11:00PM, but we really didn’t leave the airport until after midnight. It wasn’t too late for, only 10:00PM in Colorado Springs, but I felt bad for my home-stay, Mary, who had to pick me up at the airport. Jasmine and I were on the the same flight and decided to meet at 11:00AM to ride the bike course, that meant I was going to put my bike together that night. I was up until 1:30AM getting situated and getting my bike together, luckily I was still on the two time difference.
I got up on Saturday at 9:30AM and headed to the race course. I was able to ride the bike course with Jasmine, she raced Miami last year and was familiar with the course, it wasn’t to difficult to follow. I got in the water after the bike, that felt nice it was a little warmer than I was used to riding in. Later I was able to go for a short run in the course, it was great mostly shaded and paved. Compared to the wood-chips that I heard they ran on the previous year.
I went out to a great dinner with my Home-stay Mary and her daughter Adrian. Later I found out that it was Mary’s birthday, Happy Birthday Mary (don’t worry I won say how old…..but it wouldn’t matter cause you don’t look it!) I was very honored to sped that special day with her and her family.
I tired really hard to go to bed early but I failed, I ended up in bed by mid-night. Since it was an early race, 7:00AM, I got up at 4:30AM. If you can do the math that meant I was really waking up at 2:30AM and going on 4 hours of sleep, "I am psyched" (Wedding Crashers quote). It was so early the race organizers had to put glow sticks on the buoy’s and the last main turn buoy they put a boat with a light near by so we come see.
SWIM: It ended up being a small women’s, only eight women started. Its same to safe that the starting line was not crowded. I was hard to see on the swim and since it was a small field, it doesn’t help me on the swim. Sara McLarty was off the front by almost a min, Jasmine Oeinck was soon to follow with Joanna Zeiger and Christine Jeffrey. I was a little over a min behind Jasmine coming out of the water. It was not a good swim.
BIKE: It was a two loop course relativity flat, with a head in one direction. I could see the girls in front of me, barley, and I wanted to keep them in my sights and possibly gain some time back. I caught up to Christine over half way on the 1st bike loop and could see Joanna as the next women in front of me. After the first lap the age-group athletes were merging with us and it was difficult to see who was who in front of me any more and it was more trying to move around the age-group athletes for the last lap. I never caught Joanna on the bike but I did gain some time.
RUN: The run was also two loops, out and back. When I came off the bike I was getting time checks on the women in front. Joanna was 15-20sec ahead and the leaders, Jaz and McLarty were 1min 20sec (later I found out the leaders were really 1min 45sec). I was not sure how I was going to feel on the run, but I felt pretty good. I kept my eyes on Joanna and slowly caught her by the first mile and could kind of see McLarty ahead. I fixated on her for the next few miles and eventually caught her about half way. I was happy were I was, and at the time I couldn’t see Jaz cause of the age-groupers know on the course. Went I finally did see her ahead at mile 4, I thought it was possible to catch her. I passed Jaz with less than a half mile to go and I wanted to stay with her for a while but I knew she could sprint, so I left her with a surge, I hoped she wouldn’t counter attack.
RESULTS: http://results.active.com/pages/displayNonGru.jsp?pubID=3&rsID=75769
That was my fastest 10K off the bike (it was also my fastest 10K period). 36:25 that comes outs to be a 5:52 mile average. It was a fast turn around I had to fly out that afternoon. Luckily Zensah was there and gave my a pair of the calf/skin compression sleeve, witch I immediately put on after the race, the compression felt great.
My Home-stay Mary and her two daughter Adrian and Vanessa was great. They were so excited it was like having my family there. It was great to share the experience with them. Later after my bike was taken apart and I took a shower we all went out to eat at this great Cuban restaurant before I had to catch my flight. It was a great birthday weekend trip!
It was a quick trip back, at least I got to sit next to another athlete that raced as well. Andy Potts, his wife Lisa, and there very adorable son Boston. It made the trip go by fast.
Inside Triathlon Article: http://triathlon.competitor.com/events/reed-repeats-at-miami-international.html http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/article/10550 http://www.xtri.com/features_display.aspx?riIDReport=5446&CAT=3&xref=xx