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Carl’s Trail Triathlon |
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Written by Micheal Green
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Friday, 29 August 2008 |
Carl's Trail Triathlon
 In September, the State climbing championship, “Trophee des Grimpeurs” is held at Kensington Metro Park, here in SE Michigan. The climbs aren’t long, but steep and often. This was the location of the recent Carl’s Trail Triathlon.
The race started with the forecast for rain, the radar showed a green band of showers heading our way, timed perfectly for the start of the bike leg – just what I wanted, slick roads for the steep 40mph downhill sections of the park.
Kent Lake was at 75 degrees and the swim was uneventful…..just a murky brown soup from the recent high rainfall experienced in the mid-west. I exited the water about 30 seconds ahead of the second placed swimmer. I hit the transition quickly and didn’t overstay my welcome - onto the bike. Typically, in TT’s and Tri’s you get onto the bike and find a groove, stick to it and stomp a good pace, not here: instead it was find a groove; climb a 10% grade; descend; find a groove; climb again; descend; find a groove..…etcetera, etcetera, plus the expectation of rain! Up and down, up and down, the bike leg went well. I extended my lead and waited for the rain – but it never came!? A few spots here and there, but not the drenching everyone had expected. Into T2. In and out in under a minute, and onto the run.
The warm temperatures and humidity of the impending rain made the run uncomfortable. As my weakest leg of the event, the expectation of the racers behind slowly catching me on the run is a real possibility, plus the knowledge that I had only beaten the guy behind me my 40 or so seconds the year prior, created a mixed sense of competitiveness, impending doom and “I think I can pick the pace for a bit, but for how long?” Fortunately, I set a decent pace and counted down every mile, using all corners to look for those behind..…he never came.
I finished as the first male competitor to finish, completing the event five minutes faster than I had two years ago when I finished as the overall winner. Feeling good about my race and the knowledge that I had given my all, I eagerly watched for the younger age groups to finish – typically where the young guns lay down some impressive times.
I finished in second place overall. A racer 15 younger than I laid down a run with a minute faster per mile pace than I, and erased the times I had made up during the swim and bike. A great event, no rain, a good performance, but most of all - FUN.
Michael
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