Donner Lake Tri

Donner Lake Triathlon
^DATE: July 18, 1999	^WHERE: Donner Lake
^DISTANCE: 1.5kS-40kB-6.5mR	^TIME: 2:14:25 (0:20:20 - 0:2:06 - 1:10:20 - 0:1:11 - 0:40:28)
^PLACE:3rd / 49, 4th / 294 overall	^TEAMMATES:Dale, Tana
Camping: Sitting on a rock, finishing off a delicious pot of spaghetti, I can't help but feel relaxed up here. Granite walls rise up in the distance, ready to block out the sun. But it's the wind, high up in the pines; that sound really makes me feel away from it all. However, my tent and bike and I, partially hidden by some boulders, are only 100yds from the race course I'll compete on in the morning. A hop on my bike and I could be down by the lake, or off to a Truckee restaurant where other triathletes would be gathered around pasta, sharing stories, and wishing each other the best of luck. But I'm in calm mode. Choosing to de-stress in solitude. Eating when hungry, napping when tired, reading the Bible when I wonder what's in it. Unfortunately, this serene lifestyle is not one I live continually. It's actually hard to imagine being alone out here for very long. Although my real motive is to thoroughly rest up for a very exhausting, high altitude, test of endurance; this day reveals a glimpse of another possible life.... To live months, years, deep in the woods, just you, God, and the animals. No human contact, no one to impress, no one to be better than. Just a pride in yourself to be pleasing in God's eyes, strong in mind and body. Ready for when He does bring another person across your path. And I think, maybe, I don't have to live deep in the woods to still have this approach to life. I want to do the best I can tomorrow. I will have no excuses. I carry no sand bags. To my friends I've admitted this will be my best effort, fast or slow, this is where I'm at. And I know I have some great (and friendly) competition: I have a bet with Cristin, her sprint distance division placing against my overall placing. I have a challenge with Dougery for some serious head-to-head competition (after he beat me by 15 secs at San Jose). I have some real threats as Mark and my roommate, Dale, are racing hot right now and will surely be hunting the Togo's logo on my back. And I will be gunning for the talented Pete Kain and Jim Grant, although seemingly out of reach, you never know what hardship the thin air and big hills will dish out. And Eric Bean? Forget it, he's just too good. I go to bed early, visualizing the race: rack position, warm ups, exaggerated breathing, relaxed transition, no socks, fast turn-over, climb like Lance, don't let up. Race Morning: It's cold. I'm up front in the transition. Warm-ups go well. Cristin, Dale, & Tana all look ready. My mom and best friend, John, and his family are here. Cristin's Sprint race starts first and they're already traversing the "hill" as I stand on the beach poised for the start. Dale & I say a quick prayer and peer into the blinding morning sun as the countdown commences Swim of the Gladiators: We knew this was going to be ugly. 75m off shore was a hard-left buoy followed by 100m and a hard-right buoy. 100 fueled up swimmers sprinted any way they could into those turns. Above the water was bright sun, white water, and thrashing arms. Get air and get down. But under was a barrage of kicking feet so I keep my stroke close to my face like a protective boxer. 300m and I see Dale right behind me as he peers up trying to sight into the rising sun. It's amazing we're still together after that chaos. He's a really strong swimmer so I feel good about my position. 700m, out of the sun, clear water ahead, and no one to draft. But my stroke feels great, I'm getting lots of air, and I'm making up time. Slam! "Sorry!" I crash into some of the slower swimmers in the first wave. I need to pay more attention. Before I was 30, I had the luxury of the first wave, like the carpool lane without traffic. I catch some others, reach the shore, have a great transition, staying relaxed, I hear my mom and friends cheering for me, and I take off up the "hill". 20:20 for the swim was 3min faster than expected! Biking up the Granite: 3 miles up and around cliffs of granite. I'm trying, between gasps for air, to catch the great views of Donner Lake "The Diamond of the Sierras" down below. I'm trying to catch a red-jersey guy who passed me at the bottom. No way he can keep this pace. But he was. At the same time, Dale is behind me trying to shorten our gap. Although the 3 of us pass others, our gaze is fixed on that which won't come back. One of the riders new me and told me Jim Grant was only 20 seconds ahead. Finally, over the top, and into a 9mi descent. The bumpy road causes my speedometer to go blank but I'm sure I'm flying anyway. I pass "red-jersey" and soon see Eric Bean returning and leading the race. And Kiet, too, who started 3min ahead. At the turn, we're faced with the long grind back up. I see Dale flying down in a tight aero position. And back with the women, Tana is battling it out with a fast group. 3 others in my age are around me and we alternate between encouraging one another and making big surges to crush each other's confidence. I push harder as we near the summit. Heart rate at 165bpm. I think I've dropped my closest competitor but then he surges by saying, "You're an inspiration". I think, "That's nice, I've inspired him to beat me" But that doesn't make sense. So I inspire myself to beat him. We go back and forth but I crest first and dive into the 1500ft granite drop called Hwy 40. Clear road ahead. I sail into the corners, knowing that this is my strong point and will surely widen the gap. Even this high, the sparkle of the lake is almost blinding. The wind is a factor but the road is smooth and we have 1-1/2 lanes to work with. it's such a thrill leaning into the tight corners. I yell with delight. Near the bottom I look back and he's still there! I have another quick transition, see friends, Eric and Annie, cheering for me right next to my bike, and I dash into the 6.5mi loop, while putting on my hat, race belt, and stores of Gu. My 1:10:20 bike split was 3min faster than expected! Run around the Lake: First mile is 6:08 but Kiet and Jamie go blazing by me like I'm on a cool-down. They're from the first wave, so I'm 3min up on them, and I know Kiet is an awesome runner (2:40 marathon) so I think, "just don't let him get 3min ahead". But I watch them closely and decide, no, I'm going to catch them. I'm exaggerating my breathing. It's difficult but it pays off in thin air like this. At 2mi I eat a Gu. I'm really feeling good. I pass Kiet, for the first time ever, and continue working on Jamie. I'm happy because running with these guys means there's not much chance anyone will catch me from behind. But I still can't see any 30-34 runners ahead. I take another Gu at 3.5mi and use every trick I know (running tangents, using arms,etc) to shorten the 100m gap. The hill at 4mi is a killer, I imagine footsteps of Mark making his move behind me (he's so much stronger on the hills). But it's just me & Jamie, neither one budging. I'm determined. My heart rate is 165 on the downhills and 180 on the uphills. A mile to go, time is running out, I drink Gatorade and push harder. 1/2mi and I finally start closing the gap. 1/4mi, I shadow him for a few steps and then push by quickly. 200m, I think I've got him because the cheers for him aren't soon after the cheers for me. Suddenly, as I smile to the crowd, he blasts by and I sprint after him for 100m but his surprise pass did the trick. Even though he's not in my age, it made for good spitting I'm sure. Exhilarating Finish: But then it all sank in, my 40:28 run (1:30 faster than expected) was fantastic! Even after the maxed-out effort of the bike. The 2:14:25 was 6min faster than my goal. This may be my best Olympic Distance race ever! I felt rested and strong in each event. And pushed hard while also feeling relaxed inside. Talking to God during the run seems to relieve stress and pressure, making my form better & feet faster. By finishing 3rd in my age, I finally won a Timex Ironman watch that I've seen them award to others ever since 1992 when I started doing DLT. And 4th overall meant finishing behind Scott Young (Pro and DLT Course Record Holder), Jim Grant (2nd at Wildflower '98), and Pete Kain ('97 World Triathlon Champion). Meanwhile: Tana was barely holding onto first place. With a mile to go, the 2nd place woman was 150m behind. But Tana's run is so strong, she kicked it in at the end and clenched it. She sports a new watch also as well as goggles, sports bars, and whatever else they piled into her arms. I barely lost the bet with Cristin, as she placed 3rd in the sprint. Eric Bean, leading the race, missed a run turn at 3mi and was last seen heading to Truckee. Tough break! Kiet Tran got a bad case of blisters and unfortunately had to pull out of the run. Dougery couldn't make it to the race, so that challenge still awaits. -Troy