2021 Jamestown Olympic Triathlon

2:31:46     2/20 AG     43/278 Overall

Swim: 31:33   (2:05/100m)         T1: 2:24

Bike: 1:06:16  (22.5 mph)           T2: 1:24

Run: 50:08     (8:03 min/mile)

Getting back into action after rehabbing a soccer injury that had sidelined me for about a month. The river was fairly choppy, but the bike course was fast. Between the heat and the injury layoff, I didn’t have the run that I wanted. I actually had to walk a bit starting around mile 4.5. I hadn’t had to walk in an Olympic distance run since my very first one, so that bummed me out. Still good enough for 2/20 in my age group though.

2021 Age Group Nationals Olympic Tri

2:30:45     79/161 AG     667/2737 Overall

Swim: 27:52   (1:51/100m)         T1: 3:09

Bike: 1:08:31  (21.77 mph)          T2: 1:54

Run: 49:19     (7:55 min/mile)

I finally made it to Age Group Nationals in Milwaukee after years of trying to qualify and then fit the race into my schedule. The swim was wetsuit legal, but crowded since there were a couple of bottlenecks on the course. I loved the bike course, but there was a high bridge that had to be crossed going out and back, which had high crosswinds. I had to take it easy on the descents on the bridge since my disc was catching too much wind. I ran out of water around mile 15 on the bike, so I started getting a little dehydrated. I had a decent, if unspectacular run given the warm temperature and the humidity. I was just happy to be there and not a podium contender so I went hard, but didn’t dig but so deep on this one.

2021 Patriots Sprint Triathlon

1:17:40  1/15 AG     18/203 Overall

Swim: 15:20  (2:03/100m)          T1: 2:47

Bike: 36:09    (21.7 mph)            T2: 0:47

Run: 22:35    (7:16 min/mile)

Holy cow, the river was rough! It was hard to swim more than a few strokes at a time without swallowing water. Total washing machine effect. The bike course was fast, but I got slowed by vehicular traffic on the way back in, which cost me some time. I was pretty happy with the run, but it was warm, so I couldn’t get down to 7 minute miles. I was happy to top the AG podium on this one.

2021 Pleasants Landing Sprint Triathlon

1:15:50  1/11 AG     12/180 Overall

Swim: 16:07  (2:09/100m)          T1: 1:51

Bike: 36:36    (21.8 mph)            T2: 1:42

Run: 22:33    (7:16 min/mile)

I topped my age group podium again in my last race of the year. The swim was nice in Lake Anna, and the bike course is a bunch of rolling hills – very little flat sections. The run course is also nothing but rolling hills, but its pretty fun. I had a pretty solid race start to finish, but was surprised that my swim time wasn’t a little faster based upon how good it felt.

2021 Kinetic Multisports Super Series Champion M40-45

2021 was a pretty solid year for me. I focused solely on short-course racing (Sprints and Olympics), and made my age group podium in all five local triathlons. Those results allowed me to win the Super Series for my age group, netting me a little bling.

2022 One City Marathon

3:54:23  (8:57 min/mile)    22/35 AG     147/359 Overall

I trained all winter for the sole purpose of setting a marathon PR (sub-3:48) at the Newport News One City Marathon. My real goal was 3:45 and I was sufficiently trained to make that time goal. Its a point to point race, starting near Ft. Eustis and ending in downtown Newport News. Basically, the entire course heads south. Unfortunately, it was unseasonably warm and there were strong winds coming out of the southwest. So yeah, pretty much a 20 mph headwind most of the way with wind gusts to 30 mph. I t was maddingly windy in some sections, and I tried to laugh it off to keep from having an emotional downward spiral. People were peeling off very early, and I actually saw someone crying at quitting around mile 10. I held things together for about 20 miles on a PR pace, but eventually, the wind won out. While I was disappointed in the outcome, this was actually one of my gutsier performances. I started hurting pretty badly around mile 14 and it could have really gone all to hell, but I managed to hold things together somewhat and still finish under 4 hours. I did end up in the medical tent after finishing and then was so dizzy after getting back to my hotel that I couldn’t get off the bed for almost an hour.

2022 Monument Avenue 10k

45:27  (7:19 min/mile)    43/536 AG     498/12129 Overall

I set out to beat my PR of 45:51 (7:22 pace), which I set in 2017. Since my recent training had focused on the marathon distance, I was pretty skeptical that I could do it. I decided that I’d just run my PR pace from the start and see how long I could hold it. I was pretty much on pace at the turnaround, but was in serious danger of bonking. Once I made it to mile 5 I told myself that I had to finish it off, but it hurt. A lot. I’m still surprised that I was able to PR, but my mental game was strong that day.

2022 Smithfield Sprint Triathlon

57:44   3/26 AG     36/341 Overall

Swim: 5:05    (1:42/100m)          T1: 1:27

Bike: 28:00    (21.4 mph)            T2: 1:03

Run: 21:59     (7:05 min/mile)

My first triathlon of 2022 was also my first triathlon racing with Jillian. The pool swim and run were not problematic for her, but I did worry about her a bit out on the bike course. She did great, even though she didn’t make her age group podium (she was racing some really fast Endorphin Fitness girls). Having spent most of the winter and spring focused on marathon training, I didn’t feel like I was on form for the intensity of the sprint distance. Still, I managed to get third in my age group and earned another coveted pig trophy.

2022 Jamestown Olympic Triathlon

2:33:34     2/18 AG      29/271 Overall

Swim: 34:18   (2:17/100m)         T1: 2:40

Bike: 1:06:41  (21.6 mph)           T2: 1:01

Run: 48:52     (7:52 min/mile)

Another rough swim at this venue – which makes three in a row. I felt great on the bike, but it was a pretty warm run. I was still able to finish the run in under 50 minutes, which is typically my main goal in an Olympic race. My friend Clay raced with me, and even though he’s younger and prettier than me, I was able to hold him off.

Colonial Beach Sprint Triathlon

1:16:43     2/20 AG     14/238 Overall

Swim: 15:14   (2:02/100m)         T1: 1:27

Bike: 36:19     (23.1 mph)           T2: 1:11

Run: 22:31     (7:15 min/mile)

This was my first time racing at Colonial Beach, and I have to say that it’s one of my favorite venues. The river swim was smooth, even if the Potomac did taste a bit brown. If brown has a taste, its the Potomac. The bike course was 14 miles instead of the standard 12, but it was really flat and fast. The course finished with a scenic run out and back along the river. Overall, a really fun course. Second in my age group didn’t hurt either. The only negative thing I can say is that I had to get up at 3:00 a.m. to get there on time. Next year I’d like to make a weekend out of it.