NOLA 70.3 or 67.1
High winds were on the menu for this past weekend along with
possible thunderstorms, instead of a game day decision the Race Director made
the call the day before. It was a good call, when I warmed up I ran by the swim
course area and the waves were really strong!
My buddy Carlos Miranda and I were ready to roll and enjoy our time in
NOLA.
So at 7am the international field of Pro men lined up for a
2 mile run which honestly was just a prologue ( like the first day of the Tour
De France) There was not much to be
gained in 2miles, because as soon as everyone got on the bikes the group would
come back together. I thought about pulling it out really hard to see if people
would follow, but it would be pointless. A few of us keep it at a solid pace
(5:10) it was a mile out and back then a run to the transition area of about
.1mi . I got in 2nd grabbed my rothar (Gaelige for bike) and set on
my way into the wind.
The wind in fact was crazy for the first few miles as we
rode right on the lakeshore, being 144 pounds doesn’t help in gusts of up to
40mph. I should have put some stones in my pockets! Anyway I got in line and
rode as long as I could in the front group, I was passing people on the up
sections on overpasses and bridges. But as soon as the bigger guys got to the
front on the flats the race took off. I let a gap open and it was too late to
get back on the train, it’s really different ball game when you are in the mix
instead of coming out of the water way down and chasing solo or with one or two
guys. Either way my biking legs were not there on Sunday, even without the high
winds I won’t have been ok. I have another go at finding them this weekend at
Kemah. All my focus has been on Ironman
Texas and May 19th is when I will be ready to roll so I got some
time to put everything together.
On the run I felt a lot better than Galveston (I took in
fuel on the bike and didn’t drop anything!!) my legs took about a mile to get
moving and I locked into a good pace and chased hard I caught a lot of guys and
had the 7th faster run, just under 2mins off the faster. I ran
1:15:12 so heading in the right direction. I know there is still more in me as I lost
sometime in the last 2miles. But I can’t
complain as I normally take a few races
for everything to click and put things together.
When I look at the results I got to be happy as I’m sure that not too many of the guys again of me are working full time as well. Next up is Kemah Olympic this Sunday just
south of Houston. My recovery this week
has been good so I’m excited for this race alongside my Snapple teammate Wes
Anderson.
