Race Reflections: 2022 Logan Tri

A simple goal – have fun

An achievable goal made easy. When my kiddos started to say there is Daddy, there it was – 2022 Logan Tri was a success. I will post more detailed race reflections further below. But I added this section and list for the TLDR (Too Long Didn’t Read) types that stumble across this. A few notable highlights to start with here:

• Getting to catch up with Neal and Nathan pre-race
• Getting to do my thing pre swim.
• Not getting upset with the swim congestion and just tooled it back and rode another’s stream.
• Seeing a gal discard a plastic store bought water bottle into the canal shortly after the turn around. Her surprise when I asked her intention to go get it.
• Missing a podium spot because my kiddos are more importanter.

Morning – Post T1 Pre thoughts

First, I posted some immediate reflections below in the Team Zoot Mountain Facebook group – the team ambassador group I am in:

The circus of chaos aka my 'whys' - take the time and appreciate them. Grateful they support me in this maddening 3 sport plus more hobby.

I'd dare say outside of my relationship with my wife, and being a father to my circus of chaos, triathlon has provided a plethora of lessons learned.  Thanks for the captures and video too  - credit my wife.

Of note, I executed pretty on point. Got held up in pool, and just managed thru traffic. Watched a gal discard a bottle and asked her if she intended to go back and fetch it post race - 3/4 full plain plastic twist top store bought bottle, into the road side canal. Not in my town you don't...grrr..... I just asked her to please go back post race, as I'd like to see this race next year. I think I may have been the only team zooter there, but a few slc guys called me 'zoot'. lol. Best part of the day was this moment with kids and my wife....then finding out that I negative split my run...and the detour in the video, cost me an AG podium spot. And guess what, I negative splitt-ed my run. woohoo. Hope others are having a great weekend too.

Today was just fun!  and so it was.

Race Reflections – 2022 Logan Tri

For me everything started the day before. I know my routines. I have my go to preferences. I swung by and grabbed a pro bar protein bar (mint chocolate) — Smith’s doesn’t carry the meal replacement bar in my area. Then I grabbed a Lenny and Larry’s cookie for the morning as it generally does well for me pre swim. As I mentioned in the video above, I was in a good headspace, after going to bed at about 2:30 AM. As I was getting my head cockpit tightened up, I noticed that my turns to the right were binding. My front derailleur again. I hate that thing. Anyway, I came up with a solution and then in the morning ride tot he event I couldn’t get it to engage. Well, after fidgeting with it and getting all my things together I just electrical taped the problematic adjuster barrel and went to bed.

I got enough sleep so that I recognized my alarm clock, not just turn it off and go back to sleep. Got myself ready, grabbed my water bottles out of the fridge. Grabbed my apple and cookie. Got dressed after the ritualistic morning bathroom stop.

A word about the newest Team Zoot racing kit. They really did out do themselves on this kit. They have internal panels for ice and nutrition – apparently the designers saw the Patrick Lange stash of Coke at Kona, too. It seems they adjusted the front bib just a bit for us heavy-in-the-waist dad-bod types too. Less of a gap for me this year, as I slim back down a bit. Once I was dressed, I assembled my Noxgear Tracer 360 vest around my Huub back pack and turned on my seat light from Bontrager. I turned into flashing Christmas tree mode and off I rode. I live about 3 miles from the swim start, and that little easy morning ride always allows me to think through things a bit. What went through my mind:

• Don’t get run over.
• Will Liz and kiddos make it?
• Does that car see me? Yep, thanks for the space.
• There’s the principal hill, will my big ring come back? Nope. grr

So, my morning zen was gone as the mechanical issue seemed that it may be a top-of-mind issue. I will return back to that below. It was interesting as I arrived at T1. The people staring like they have never seen a Noxgear vest in full glory as the dawn was pushing away the morning twilight I was trying to not be run over in. It always makes me grin when I hear people point or I can over hear them say things about how they either love/hate or know about the product already or never seen it before.

Well, I found my spot. I began to lay my stuff out. Then I quickly took note. I was a bit heavy on space! Not cool, Shane, not cool! I stopped. I reset it. Then I hung my bag by carabiner on the chain link fence. I do this at this race so I can come hang my sweatshirt and hat on it. Once finished I went off for some time and I recorded the YouTube segment I posted above. All this while eating my cookie and apple that I brought.

One observation is that a lot of folks at this event are from all different walks of life and stagesd oif triathlon. You can look around and see the various types:

• This is my first event
  • The looks of I have no idea what I am doing folks
  • The I will fake it until I make it types
  • The beat my chest – I am here and I am a triathlete type – but am still one of the two types
  • And my fave – the gentle, kind soft spoken ones, that tap you on the shoulder and ask ‘It looks like you have done this before – May I ask you a few questions?”
• The folks I know or I have talked to before and give me the side eye
  • How do I know you
  • Should I say something
  • It’s been too long, thank you for being here and great to catch up

There are plenty more types, but as a people observer, its so fun to watch the different stages of participants. There is so much room in triathlon that we can accommodate those willing to tri. Overall there were no sounds of popping tires. Just the nervous commotion of dogs barking in the distance. I paid attention to that more than the clamoring humans doing their thing, as I was doing mine. A few quick comments with past friends, acquaintances and a few friendly “may I ask you’s” and I was out and about in my element.

The Actual Event – Let’s go

The Swim

The swim at the Logan Aquatic Center (LAC) is always a bit frustrating. First, I am swimming at this venue most nights as the most economical choice for me as I build up to my October 23rd event. So, I am used to cloudy waters and mostly murky – all that lotion and sunscreen. Well, the LAC tends to cover the pool, I didn’t see it this time but the water was 10 degrees warmer at least than night swims. Walking into bath water warm water. Yuck. Second seeding yourself among others. I jumped in around the 11 minute swimmer mark. I had one swimmer pass me and I passed 3 and rode the toes of one I let pass because – well, it wasn’t worth the energy of dealing with. My first length was funny, I’m like lost finding my rhythm and bam, wall. Oops. Then there was the guy trying to pass someone and we went shoulder to shoulder abruptly. Well racing is rubbing and I don’t give up much, but why he was as far over center as he was. I’m sure he was a bunch more bewildered than me. But, I was right of the stripe and shoulder on the lane line. Then there was the breast-stroker. I rode her about 2 feet back off her feet, and then when I cleared the water on sighting, had more than 3/4 of a pool length clear to pass, the blocking began. Look, I’m swimming a freestyle crawl, I don’t much kick except for balance, so if you grab my ankle out of ‘who-knows-why’ you get one tug. That second tug, I go into full kick-from-the-hip mode per stroke for a 3-beat/4-beat stroke to kick pattern. My hope was that she just needed some support, but when the guy that I was tailing asked, did she just pull you, I figured hard wall push and create separation. Well, I was pretty solo coming out, so I imagine there were a few others that had the pleasure of the breast stroke blocker. Well, instead of getting bent out of shape, I just negotiated around her, had the comment from the other racer and just got to finishing things. I walked from the pool to transition, I wasn’t pushing anything, and had a solid transition out. This is when I realized bikes weren’t staggered, and it all made sense why there were bikes along the fence lines. Oopsie, off to mounting the bike.

The Bike

Well I didn’t want to go out to Mendon without my big ring. So, I took about 3 minutes mounting in the parking lot. I finally thought, if I do this with the not comprehending front derailleur, and voila! I held the big ring until about Bug alley on the way back. The ride out was great, I only got passed by one rider on the return after losing my big ring. We had a cross headwind that was manageable. I think I rode about 22 mph out, and then small ring back. My overall avg was better (20.5 -ish and rounding down) even with the delay in the parking lot. Checking thru Training Peaks to makes sure I’m not exaggerating on my claim here, and I was pretty spot on.

The water bottle toss. After I turned the turn around and wondering when Iw as going to lose my big gearing, a lady hucks a non descript store bought plastic water bottle into the canal along side Old Mendon Road. Whaaaat? So, as I call “I’m on your left”, and she chuckles and waffles a bit. I asked “you intend to go back and get that bottle you threw, right?”.

What?

I continued in her left ear, “Please go back after the race and fetch that water bottle, please!”

What?

It wasn’t worth my time, I was passing and I didn’t want to get upset over it. The choice was hers. She did something, I called her on it, it’s hers to control. I said it nice and calm, and then my gear fell out., The head cross was a bit more headwindy than crossy on the way in, and without a big gear, I sat into aero as much as I could and reminisced on bike rides. The problem. Courderoy. The initial phases of county chip and seal had begun. Oh well, my beloved pump gave me the double middle finger with my front derailleur and I just soldiered on a little under inflated. So I concentrated and managed the ‘float’.
The ride was solid, I felt better handling my bike after being trainer bound for some time, and not destroyed from the elements, but it was warming up and I only took in about half a bottle of water in 12.5 miles.

The Run

The transition into the run is a blur. I don’t recall other than wondering if the bike next to me was going to crush me, they had a Fulkl sized yoga matt as their transition pad. I use a transition matt from TMATPRO.com (looks like they went out of business – I like this thing). This mat more orl fits under my bike and goes just beyond the wheel. My neighbor’s mat went about 8 inches beyond their wheels on both sides. Anyway, one of those observations I let go. I grabbed my socks and shoes, after racking my bike and trudged out. I walked out to the timing matt and started my run. My only objective was to not blow up. So out I tooled. My legs were a bit slow, but I looked down at my watch and the first two miles with a bit of run walk were at approx 11 min miles and my last mile was 10:30. AS negative split. I took on water on the way out splashing one on my neck, then doused my self with 2 cups over the neck

In Summary

Liz made it to the race just before i cam down the homestretch, just tooling along. Not pushing not slacking. Liz got a great video that can be found here on Facebook :

Looking at times, without having hard expectations this was just a plain fun day. I was bothered by a few things, but they were well beyond my control outside of telling the bottle thrower to please go get the bottle post race. I got to see my wife and children before the finish line. Yes, I stopped. Yes, I lost a 3rd plac e podium spot in my age group. Years ago I would have been mad. Now I am just like meh. My why”s are a million more times important than some time between point A and B. Why? because every day that I go out and swim or bike or run, eat better and experiment on being a better human being – It’s for them. It’s for being a better husband. A better father. A better human being and shedding the being a douchebag, regardless of what pithy and petty justification I had.

So, thanks to Joe at Onhill Events! Great day! Great triathlon. I got to play. See you next year!