HyVee Triathlon, Sept 4th 2011

Prefontaine. Nothing to do with nothing...just trying to get my mind set for this weekends Market to Market relay.

The HyVee triathlon was kind of a long shot this year. While I wanted to get an Olympic Road tri in this year, I didn't really have one set on the schedule. But if there was one to do, it would have to be the HyVee tri. It is by far the biggest production value in the Midwest if not the United States. No doubt even more so this year because it co-incides with the 5150 series championship and the Pro race. So you have basically three races going on the same day.

The 5150 series is owned by World Triathlon Corporation who owns the full Ironman races (140mi), the 70.3 races = 1/2 Ironman and then the 5150 series that is Olympic distance of 1500m Swim + 40K Bike + 10K run = 5150. Pretty cool huh? In order for the racer to qualify for the National Championships, they had to place top 10 in their age group and another 5150 race. Then there was the Pro Race Elite Cup final where the top 30 male and females races for 151,500 for first place. There was prime laps for each event too, 5,150 for the winner of each lap. There was 3 laps for the Swim, 4 laps for the bike and 4 laps for the run I think. So who ever was in the lead for each of those laps won the prime. Pretty cool and made for an interesting race.

But that was the 5150 race and the Pro race, I got to do the Open race that followed the 5150 start and was before the Pros. I lucked out because HyVee stores in Lincoln got a bunch of free entries into the race and gave them away the Lincoln Running company in town here. So Free entry = Super cool. With the race there's all kinds of schwagg too, a back pack, Visor, and a jersey. Not bad, considering the venue is top notch itself. The race is set close to downtown at Grey's lake with teh bike heading to West DesMoines and the outskirts of the city, and the run from Grey's lake transition heading to downtown DesMoines and finishing up by the Iowa state Capitol.

I managed about the fastest 1500 meter swim I've ever done. 29:30ish and that's with a wet suit. Mother Nature helped out with the first shot of Cool Fall air and rain blowing through the day and night before the race. Early race morning was crisp and the water cold enough to make it wet Suit legal...oh happy dance...Glad I packed it along just in case. sad, but I'm much slower in the water without the wet suit. I'm still waiting for the Epiphany in the water that clicks and helps me swim faster.

The Bike was good, 23 and change MPH ave...not bad for this course, there was a little NW breeze in our face on the way out and there were some rolling hills. Pretty happy with my bike time.

The run was what I was most worried about. Haven't been running very well...still battling a sore twisted ankle and the abdominal sports hernia caper. Was just a good day, hit the ground at a good clip and pushed on at a 6:30 pace for the 10K. Ended the day in 26th place, 3rd age group out of some 1000 finishers. I'll take it. The only downside is I was hoping to break the 2:15 min total time barrier and ended up 2:17:47, close and yet so far. 2:15 gets you in the Elite wave next year, top 10 in my age group gets me in the 5150 race next year. I'll have to work hard on my swimming this winter and try to do another 5150 somewhere and see if I can get that elite time.

Pro Swim in the Des Moines river in downtown Des Moines. They did three laps of 500meters each lap. Pretty good flow to the river made swimming back upstream a challenge. They were trying to use the bridge piers to block the flow a bit.

Greg Bennett putting the smack down on the rest of the elite field. Big dollars. These guys and gals are so fricken fast. Crazy.

Market to Market relay here we come this Saturday. My Masters team has won that division a few years in a row now. The pressue is on. Later.