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San
Jose International Triathlon |
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| DATE: June 27, 1999 | WHERE: Lake Almaden, San Jose |
| DISTANCE: 1.5kS - 40kB - 10kR | |
| TIME: 2:02:20 | |
| PLACE: Div: 4th/182 Overall: 22nd/978 | |
| TEAMMATES: Kevin K, Dale J., Ray G., Laura S, Roy S., Albert L., ... | |
 Waking up Sunday before the race, I feel sick. I set up my transition site early and find an area to lie down and try to let my stomach settle. This is unfortunate because it's a huge hometown race where, as a triathlete, most of your friends are sure to be. 11 out of 15 of the STARS are here. Old friends from around California and previous locals, Kat & Dan from Boulder, are here.At last minute it's verified that the swim has been changed from 1K to 1.5K. This worries many of the beginners, but I look forward to the new length and the "mid-swim run" format. At the start I hear some friends around me yell that they're coming after me. A guy next to me snickers, "everyone's out to get Troy". Well, after last week's win at Vineman International, I feel up for the challenge but I know my friends, John Dougery, Kevin Kennedy, Dale Jackson, Dan Miller, Mark Cosgrove, and Jeff Fieldhack are determined to keep that from going to my head. I get a good draft at first after sprinting extra hard. My stomach feels better while racing. I get jammed up in the turns with the 25-29 wave ahead of us. The water is hot. The 3rd buoy is directly in the sun and my draft loses sight. I scope it out and continue on my own. At 1k we get out, run 200m along the beach and dive back in. Ugh, the legs suddenly feel like cement. I sprint to the finish just before I overheat. 19:15. I have a great 2min transition and start jamming on the bike, amazed that I feel good after yesterday's 56mi race. Jeff F. & I battle for position. I pull away on the one climb and descent but he's with me again soon. John D. goes by at 20mi, "Having a good bike, Troy?" He knows I am since it took him this long to catch me. I do everything to keep him in sight. Unfortunately, Jeff gets a flat. I finish right behind John with a 59:56 and, with my 1:07 transition, take off on the run ahead of him. It's hard running lead knowing he's close behind. I'm almost glad when he goes by at 1.5mi. But then I'm feeling fatigued and can't keep up. Dale, from the following wave, encourages me to catch John. I plan my move at the 3mi mark, in front of the crowd. I'm right on his heels.... I grab a GU from my back pocket... somehow my finger hits my race belt... my race number and belt shoots off in front of me! At 6min/mi pace I realize, as it falls to the ground, that stopping and getting it is going to really lose time. I kick it. It goes into the blur of churning feet in front of me. It's bouncing between John's calves, threatening to "hog-tie" him at any second. But he speed's forward unrelenting. Then one of his kicks sends the belt back to me. I catch it and strap it on, but the few seconds lost was enough to give him a gap and lose my chance to pass. At the final turn he sees my position and picks it up. I'm really struggling but also manage to step it up a notch. In the surge to the finish, he passes the 2nd place guy in front of him just 15 seconds behind in 4th place (just missing the podium!) I beat Mark C by 5 seconds, Kevin by 20 seconds, and Dale by only a minute. Man, we were all close! (except for Dan who schooled us with a sub 2hr finish!) It was a great, challenging race and My 2:02:03 was a terrific time for me. I say a quick prayer in the finish chute thankful that I raced so well despite coming into the race sick. I sense God's warning that my great finish comes with a cost... a lesson to be learned. Nausea quickly returns and my legs and arms suddenly feel totally hollow. I spend most of the remaining day lying down. I realize now that not drinking before the race because of my stomach, coupled with hot weather, not enough sleep, and recent heat training has really dehydrated me. It took me 4 days of chugging water to get back to normal. I now am more focused on hydrating and recovering which is vitally important for the super hot Ironman coming up in Santa Rosa. Make sure you drink enough water. God Bless. -Troy Soares |
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