At the beginning of the year, I wasn't planning on doing a major race this summer, but when the group which did Victoria 70.3 last summer (Camp Aliesha!) announced they were doing the Santa Rosa 70.3 in July, I signed up. We again had a great group doing the race, sharing a house and cooking duties. It's a great TriScottsdale group, and I was delighted to join them again this year.
As for the race, I foolishly flew to a nonprofit board meeting in Weehawken, NJ the week before, sitting next on the flight to Newark to someone who sniffled the whole way. I started feeling a bit off the Monday before the race, and it just didn't get better. I made a game-day decision to do the race, and I'm glad I did, but while whatever I caught may have held off for Saturday, it gave me the full force treatment afterwards. So I dodged that bullet, at least for the race, even if the next week was pretty draggy.
As for the race itself, despite a sort-of sore throat and mild fever, I had a good swim (same time as last year; the temperature was warm but the swim stayed wetsuit-legal) and a very good bike (20 minutes faster than last year). I went out pretty fast (for me, anyway) on the run, but started running out of gas halfway through, and slowed considerably for the last half, which was uphill, too. Still, I finished 20 minutes better than Victoria, and almost made my third-level goal of finishing under 6:30 - had to settle for 6:32. A very satisfactory day.
Swim 37:18
T1 11:50 (long 400m uphill climb to transition, so this isn't bad)
Bike 3:11:10
T2 7:35
Run 2:24:57
Overall 6:32:48 (20/42 ag, 860/1316 men, 1171/1974 overall). I was 29/32 in my age group in Victoria, so 20/42 is a nice improvement. Results here, and photos here.
The Santa Rosa 70.3 has replaced the old Vineman 70.3, which I recall had a beautiful bike course. This course went over much of the same territory, but I can't really say anything about the scenery. In 2011, I used a road bike and was riding upright and could see the scenery, but this year I used my tri bike and mostly saw pavement about 30 feet in front of me instead of the vineyards and hills. I'm told it was very pretty. And while this time I didn't get to stay in the partners house at Calluna Vineyards, David and Marla had the entire group over for a tasting on Sunday.
As for the race, I foolishly flew to a nonprofit board meeting in Weehawken, NJ the week before, sitting next on the flight to Newark to someone who sniffled the whole way. I started feeling a bit off the Monday before the race, and it just didn't get better. I made a game-day decision to do the race, and I'm glad I did, but while whatever I caught may have held off for Saturday, it gave me the full force treatment afterwards. So I dodged that bullet, at least for the race, even if the next week was pretty draggy.
As for the race itself, despite a sort-of sore throat and mild fever, I had a good swim (same time as last year; the temperature was warm but the swim stayed wetsuit-legal) and a very good bike (20 minutes faster than last year). I went out pretty fast (for me, anyway) on the run, but started running out of gas halfway through, and slowed considerably for the last half, which was uphill, too. Still, I finished 20 minutes better than Victoria, and almost made my third-level goal of finishing under 6:30 - had to settle for 6:32. A very satisfactory day.
T1 11:50 (long 400m uphill climb to transition, so this isn't bad)
Bike 3:11:10
T2 7:35
Run 2:24:57
Overall 6:32:48 (20/42 ag, 860/1316 men, 1171/1974 overall). I was 29/32 in my age group in Victoria, so 20/42 is a nice improvement. Results here, and photos here.
The Santa Rosa 70.3 has replaced the old Vineman 70.3, which I recall had a beautiful bike course. This course went over much of the same territory, but I can't really say anything about the scenery. In 2011, I used a road bike and was riding upright and could see the scenery, but this year I used my tri bike and mostly saw pavement about 30 feet in front of me instead of the vineyards and hills. I'm told it was very pretty. And while this time I didn't get to stay in the partners house at Calluna Vineyards, David and Marla had the entire group over for a tasting on Sunday.
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