New Orleans 70.3

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 2^nd 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 19^th 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 7^th 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.