2005 Indian Creek Triathlon

Pre-Race: Man, 2:30 am is early to get up to drive to a race!  For me, anyway.

Swim: That's a very good swim course in a calm, clean lake.  It was pretty warm, low to mid 80's, I guess.  I thought it was a hair long, but those that know how to swim told me it was probably right on 1500 meters.  The rectangular course was well laid out with large, impossible-to-miss yellow buoys.  Those of us who can't see without glasses and don't wear contacts appreciate such things.  There were also a lot of canoes and boats along the course.  Not long ago, whenever I did an open water swim, I kept a boat in the corner of my eye, so that I'd know where to start yelling toward if I needed help.  These days my confidence is much higher so that's not really an issue, although I still can't swim worth a damn.  One day.....

Bike:  The hot topic here was the 0.3 mile stretch on Robinson Bridge Road that must be crossed twice.  It was scheduled to have been repaved before race day, but the schedule was not met.  It was hard packed dirt with plenty of loose gravel, and the beginning of some respectable potholes.  There were many marshals at both ends of this stretch making sure you slowed way down.  I dropped down to about 13 mph and it was no big deal.  The potential to crash was certainly there but I did not see or hear of anyone doing so.  Nor did I see or hear of any flats there, or  anywhere else.  Other than that stretch it is a very good course, mostly flat with good surfaces and little to no traffic.  My bike split sucked, but that's on me.  Sad to say, I heard from several different sources that there was blatant drafting going on.  I was so far back I can't say that I saw any, but I have no reason to doubt the guys who approached me and told me.  A motorcycle or two with a drafting marshal would have helped, but I realize that's an extra cost.  Still, it's discouraging......

Run:  I felt like the run would be the key to this race.  With the race now Olympic distance (1500 meters/40 km/10 km) for the first time instead of a sprint (0.5 mile/20 miles/5 km) as in the four previous years, I thought people would be dying on the second half of the run, which also incorporated a not-insignificant hill for the first time.  Either this year's crowd was hardier than usual, or it was just a little less hot than the norm, but I saw very few people reduced to a walk.  Well done!  I took it out easy and controlled, sure that my savvy race plan  would reap big dividends, but it was not to be.  I got just a little tired at the end, and while I'd be lying if I said I had a ton left over, I definitely had some left.

Post-Race:  I banged down some Endurox and headed back to civilization to read the Sunday paper.  I would be remiss if I did not note the excellent and varied post-race chow - barbeque from Eddie's & Dan Ahrens, jambalaya, pasta salad, fruit, and more.   A tremendous  thank you and 6 attaboys to Brad Colwell, Gary Perkins and all the rest for another great race, five years running now.  I'll be back for more next year.