#a2triclub

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Bonfyre Trail Fest. I didn't finish. I didn't even start. Volunteering for registration and the finish line gave me a whole new perspective on race events. It was great to see many friends, acquaintances, and #A2TriClub teammates participating and handing them their finisher mugs. Plus the beer didn't disappoint. 5 stars. I certainly had FOMO with not racing the 18 miler though. I'll be back soon, and stronger! (at DTE Energy Foundation Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckl5HeDpSky/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Aaaand again! Ironman 70.3 World Championship 2023 bound for Lahti, Finland! I got a rolldown slot at Ironman 70.3 Michigan today. #triathlon #triathlete #triathlontraining #A2TriClub #ironman703worldchampionship (at Frankfort, Michigan) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiYiINppJcW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Ironman 70.3 Michigan weekend, here we go! Starting off with the Ironman underpants run from the @stormcloudbrew tap room. I'm starting in a quaint house just off Crystal Lake. Our house group had a nice shakeout run and swim. My Ironman All World Athlete status got me a priority bike rack spot. We have 60+ athletes from the @annarbortriclub representing for this tri club championship race! #triathlon #triathlete #triathlontraining #A2TriClub (at Stormcloud Brewery & Parkview Taproom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiVyV3KJ6La/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Wednesday Night Worlds A term I heard from someone this summer about the monthly Wed eve T-Rex race series. There's truth to it. Take any of the top 20 at these races, and most have either qualified for, could qualify for, or have competed in a world championship in the past. Be it Ironman 70.3 or 140.6 or ITU sprint, olympic, or long course. It's that competitive and brings out the best talent around. Many the top 20 could podium or win smaller local races. It was great to have my wife, kids, and my parents spectating! The kids got beach time with the kids of racing family friends. It was a warm 82F, not too humid, and a 5mph W breeze. These are great for a bike leg but a little hot for the run. The lake had measured at 77F (wetsuit legal) the night prior but ended up 79F by race time (no wetsuit). I got my warmup in each discipline done and was ready to go. No nervousness. This is old hat. Swim 800m 15:25 I was able to get on someone's feet the first 500yd. A surge the final 350yd only gained me 11sec of separation on them. Bike 11.8mi 29:43 Starting a little hot on the power to pass the two from transition made my legs remind me of the past two weeks of tougher bike training load. I let off a little bit, but the heaviness held on. Of the four races in this series, three bike splits were a consistent 29:40-29:43. T2 37sec Once I reached my rack spot, I realized something was off. I looked down twice at my towel and running stuff then back at the rack. Someone else's bike was there! With what seemed like dozens of seconds, I decided to push their bike a small amount to the side and rack mine next to it. Surprisingly, the overall delay was less than 5sec. Run 3mi 22:34 My legs still felt off, but I was happy my calf wasn't crampy. My initial hard effort didn't last as my legs felt off. Gut not happy. The first mile was decent, but the rest was slower than normal. Overall 1:08:51, 3/20 (M45-49), 22/308 OA Not a PR day by far, but not horrible either. #triathlon #triathlete #triathlontraining #A2TriClub (at Island Lake Recreation Area) https://www.instagram.com/p/Chv6yZyMX4k/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Are you guys silly? I'm still gonna send it. USAT Age Group Nationals *Sprint 8/7 The forecast called for rain and storms all morning. Storms and Triathlon do not mix. USAT needed to make the decision to turn the race into a duathlon, shorten it, or outright cancel it. We would find out early in the morning. Morning came, and we were greeted by a message saying the race was turned into a half distance super sprint. With this and not knowing my place throughout it, I needed to send it! It was cooler than the day prior at 75F but really humid. The rain and storms were holding off with a predicted hit after 10am. Everyone should be finished by then. Swim 400m 7:00 No warm-up! They fed us through a grinder four at a time every five seconds. The water was warmer at 66F but still a shock. It didn't take long to forget about it. It was smooth sailing the whole way. Bike 6.7mi 16:02 Even though I emerged from the water nearly throwing up from the effort, I pushed hard through transition. I hit the first few miles hard and dropped one guy in my age group on the hill climb who passed me before it. We hit a small headwind turning back south, and the intensity was frying my legs. That was my fastest bike leg to date. 25+mph. Run 1.55mi 10:52 I forced myself into a faster run feel. When I was approaching the waterfront out-and-back turnaround, I was surprised to see the leaders from my age group not far ahead. They were faster runners, so they would put more separation between us. Once we got out of the park and onto the road, the bridge was just ahead. I knew from the previous race that the finish was within 0.4mi. I pushed harder all the way through the finish. It felt like a warm-up after exiting the chute. Overall 37:27, 14/17 (M45-49), 234/1850 OA Kevin and I attended the awards because we both thought we could get rolldown slots to Hamburg, Germany for the 2023 ITU World Championships. We both ended up 12th in our age groups after the age up rule, but we would have to wait for an email notice for a rolldown slot. #usatagnc #A2TriClub #triathlon #triathlete #triathlontraining (at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChImfzzJ53I/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Here I Go Again Pterodactyl triathlon, the 3rd race in the T-Rex series, has always been tough. It's usually hot, humid, and the swim is in water too warm for a wetsuit. This time was no different. It was 81F air, 81F water, and the sun was cooking the moisture from rain earlier off the pavement. Plus, there was a 10mph WSW wind (half of the bike into it). It's great to see all the new, younger, and active lifestyle participants at these races. The future of triathlon is healthy (pun intended). The race got off to a surprising start. Our first wave was lined up, and we usually have a minute before the airhorn start. Nope. FIVE. SECONDS. At least I had a decent swim warmup to get a feel for the water and my heartrate up! Swim 800m 15:30 (no wetsuit) It was much less contact than most swims. I had one instance of a hand brush my foot, and another where I briefly bumped into someone's side. Open water swimming, well swimming in general, is such a challenging discipline to improve. Harder effort does not equate to faster pace without improved technique. Bike 11.8mi 29:40 With a 10mph headwind going out the first 5mi+, I knew I'd have to be as aero as possible. I ended up only 26sec slower than my PR time despite pushing 5% more power average. No mishaps either this time (ie. stayed out of the ditch and no train!). Run 3mi 22:09 This run was only 2sec slower than the last race. That's a confidence booster. My running volume has been really low compared to what my training plan calls for. I am doing strength work and reset my running distance per workout to minimal to heal my hamstring and pes anserine bursitis. Both were OK for this run but we'll see how it feels tomorrow. I usually feel it later in the day or the next morning, which makes it a tough healing recovery for determining the limit. Transitions 41sec and 42sec - Keep it simple and keep moving! Overall 1:08:49, 3/25 in M45-49, and 20/365 total #triathlon #triathlete #triathlontraining #A2TriClub (at Island Lake Recreation Area) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgisZ8Psbqv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Triceratops - race 2 of 4 in the T-Rex Triathlon series I'm not sure how to title this aside from "uncertainty". I was uncertain how this would go and even a little concerned. I got hit with COVID-19 the weekend after Stegosaurus like a freight train after a 9mi run on that Saturday. The headache and fever broke after 30hrs, and I was left with a slowly fading cough for three weeks. I had not done a workout at that intensity since because I eased back into it. My hamstring and knee bursitis came back as I started to ramp up running miles again. I visited my friend and chiropractor, @james.fillup at @phillipchiro_chelseami, today for an adjustment and sports tape application on my hammy/knee. Swim 800m - 14:14 This was the litmus test of uncertainty. I started with a slower but stronger pull and one kick per stroke so that I wouldn't go into anaerobic. It seemed to work well as I observed others around me, so I stuck with it. Bike 11.8mi - 29:14 Speaking of freight train, there was a train that stopped most of the front riders on the road almost half way out on the bike! I lost 5-10sec but still managed a bike PR on the course by 15sec. I thought I felt off after the tough bike training last week in Kentucky (156mi with 11,000ft elevation gain). Apparently I was ok! Run 3mi - 22:07 My right calf locked up putting my shoe on in transition. Ut oh! It thankfully worked out. The first two miles were rough. No, the first three miles were rough! With my injury and reduced run training, I felt a little behind. Plus it was 80F and humid. The sports taping did help. Overall - 1:07:13 2/26 M45-49 and 15/327 overall Time to do a running reset along with supportive strength work and flexibility/mobility. I have a month to get it straightened out. #triathlon #triathlete #triathlontraining #A2TriClub (at Island Lake Recreation Area) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfag_NDMKVz/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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@americantriplet (American Triple-T) race 4 Olympic distance. Finished. And, I'm done. Toast. Another photo op with #A2TriClub member Barb Figurski. Swim - 1000yd 17:35 My arms were dead, so I tried to streamline and use my core as much as possible. I spent the first 300yd clearing a little congestion in my upper chest. The pollen was awful the whole weekend. I think I slowly recited Lord's prayer 2x throughout it trying to keep my mind busy and thankful. Bike - 27.6mi 1:19:55 I definitely felt the past couple days of fatigue. I was able to catch the top two races at 6mi and 18mi. The leader held and worth a mile left. I still had the fastest bike leg of the race by about 40sec. Run - 6.7mi 57:34 It didn't take long to remember how tough the last run of this series is. I kept trying to stay steady and take in fluids at aid stations. My right lower calf was tight the last 3mi, and my hammy/knee started to ache a little (not bad). Focus on form under fatigue. Three guys passed me, and I was gone with that. I had nothing left on the tank to push harder. Overall I think 6th I don't know for the series result yet, but I should tomorrow. My hunch is 5th. #triathlon #triathlete #triathlontraining (at Salt Fork State Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd3icCkOXYs/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=