Archive for June 2nd, 2009
Race Report: Issaquah Sprint Triathlon
A beautiful day at Lake Sammamish State Park gave way to a horde of racers, swimming, biking, and running in the morning sunshine, and I was among them. For those of you who don’t know this sprint triathlon consisted of a 1/4 mile swim, 15 mile bike, and 3 mile run. The swim was fast, and I was out of the water in under six minutes, great for me, considering my #1 goal every race is not drowning. Also, the water was warm and inviting, almost enough not to wear a wetsuit, which on the one hand I kind of which I had done, considering that my foot got stuck in transition and I lost a good 15 seconds trying to get it out. The bike was similarly fast, so much so that I doubt the 15 mile number given by the race officials; my bike computer claims it was closer to 13 miles. My race partner, Ian, and I were only 2 seconds apart after the bike leg, but luckily I beat him on transitions, getting onto the run course with a 40 second lead and holding it through to the end. I wasn’t very happy with my run time, and I definitely see room for improvement on transitions and the bike as well, but overall a great start to the Triathlon season.
Similar to the last race I had a couple of goals, mostly achieved.
1) Finish in top 10% of the field: 88th out of 929 competitors. 12th in Age Group of 69.
2) Was only beat by 9 women, with a maximum time deficit of 4:31. The women are within reach…
3) Finish in under 1:15:00: overall time 1:09:24.
Next up is the Lake Padden Tri on June 27th, a bit longer and tougher. Time to stop drinking beer and start riding my bike…
War in other words.
Theme For A Tapestry
The general has only eight men, and the enemy five thousand. In his tent the general curses and weeps. Then he writes an inspired proclamation and homing pigeons shower copies over the enemy camp. Two hundred desert on foot to the general. There follows a skirmish which the general wins easily and two regiments come over to his side. Three days later, the enemy has only eighty men and the general five thousand. The general writes another proclamation and seventy-nine more men join up with him. Only one enemy is left, surrounded by the army of the general, who waits in silence. The night passes and the enemy has not come over to his side. The general curses and weeps in his tent. At dawn the enemy slowly unsheathes his sword and advances on the general’s tent. He goes in and looks at him. The army of the general disbands. The sun rises.” -Julio Cortázar, Historias de Cronopios y de Famas
