Mountain Man Triathlon
Sprint Triathlon: S-700m, B-18K, R-5K
Flagstaff, AZ
July 22 07

Normally in race reports I don't bother doing much before the morning of the race but there is a little background info that plays in here so bear with me. Wednesday night before the race I get really really really sick and miss all of my planned training on Thursday not exactly confidence inspiring but figure I can do some on Friday and at least get my legs a bit ready. Friday comes and I start on a little bike ride, stomach lets my know right away that ain't happening, crud! So I hit the pool for about 1500 meters nice and easy just something to get the blood flowing. That night my friends invite me to come play frisbee with them in the park. Why not get some good sprints in have fun, now its a grass park and we always play barefoot, for what ever reason that night I open up my left big toe pretty good 1” gash, oh thats just swell! After doing my carbo dinner I go to bed having some serious doubts about the race. Saturday was comes and we drive up to the race, I was expecting a very small crowd and seeing this huge line at the packet pickup really made me have doubts about doing very well at this event. The other thing was apparently one of my wisdom teeth decided it wanted to come in, so my jaw is on fire (still is today actually too). It is only a c level race for me but still everyone wants to do well I think. That night after having another pasta dinner, I hit the sack at about 9pm. When I wake up at midnight I was less then happy with myself. After lying in bed for another two hours wide awake I finally say the heck with it and start kind of getting ready. I try some oatmeal I made and it was just nasty so breakfast for a soyjoy bar and snickers marathon bar. I realize i'm all nerves at this point and I need to just relax. So I check out of my hotel get all my gear in the truck and just take off up this forest service road the race is on. It is just poring rain by the time I get there. That drive really helped relax and unwind. While I was out there saw elk, herds of deer, a couple of wolves, a shooting star, and just some amazing scenery. At 3 hours tell the race I drink a water bottle at two hours I knock back a gatorade endurance, and then another water bottle the next hour. At this point I'm just hoping to finish the race lots of bad omens.

Setting Up: Being up since midnight did have some advantages when transition opened I got my spot of choice a nice end rack spot halfway through transition. I decided to try and do a little bit more of the minimalist transition this time. So I had my bike, my tri shoes, my running shoes, and my race number. I see some of my team mates and my family and generally pass the time just talking with them. Though at about an hour tell the race my stomach is getting really upset with me again and doesn't really settle even at race start, ugh!

Swim: Lesson learned Chris don't try and swim with the fast swimmers, I hadn't even gotten to the first bouy and I had almost been drowned twice kicked in the head and jaw (+ wisdom tooth pain = scream which then = lots of water swallowed). I had no stroke rhythm I wasn't getting air, this is the point in the race where I really was just thinking about calling a kayak over and just going back to shore. I felt so entirely miserable all of the people in my wave seemed to be in front of me, I just felt awful. For some stupid reason I didn't. I just stopped unzipped my skin suit a little to try and breath better and then put my face in the water and kept going. After I got out of that group I found some proxy of my stroke but I never felt like I was getting enough air and drank about 9 water bottles worth of water. When I came out of the water I noticed I was the only one running, odd oh well just finish the race and use the lessons you learn for later races.

T1: I was able to get my wetsuit off better then I ever have before which was inspiring but i fumbled a bit with my tri shoes. Got the bike off and just kept running.

Bike: Another great omen to start the bike no sooner was I on the bike then I was off the girl in front of my who was trying to clip in swerved right in front of my trying to clip in, luckily I just hit the brakes and dismounted really quick so no collision but almost. After that I got on my bike and just started hammering. First race on my new bike, first race having arrow bars this is going to be fun. The course was just a lot of rolling hills that made it seem uphill both ways. For the first mile it was the way it always was I didn't pass anyone lots of people passing me. I was trying to drink my accelerade (my only nutrition for the race) but my stomach wanted none of that after drinking all that lake water (which I later fond out has dangerously high levels of mercury in it) but I kept sipping on it all the same. Around mile 1 the best thing started to happen I started to pass people and not just the people on the beach cruisers and mountain bikes but the people on nice tri bikes and road bikes. The rest of the course was the same way for the first time ever I was actually doing the fast majority of the passing. I never saw anyone in my age group they had to be so far ahead after that disaster that was my swim oh well as long as I get in the top 50ish overall I would still feel alright. Before I knew it really I was back at transition in all my rush I forgot to get out my shoes and run off the bike, grrr oh well.

T2: Slowed by having my bike shoes still on it went pretty smoothly could have been better could have been worse.

Run: I didn't get more then a half mile down course and my lungs made my walk, having traditionally been a stronger runner it annoys me to no end. However I chalked it up to the altitude and gave it a minute no longer. After that I found my stride the course was a mild up hill, and after finding my stride I start passing people again, still no one from my age group where in the heck are they not a single soul. I see people already coming back from the turnaround but none are in my AG grr this is annoying I'm not that slow, or maybe I am oh well just push out the run and get the experience. After the turnaround I start playing seek and destroy, you know where you just pick runners out and come ok I have to pass them, and then just keep picking new runners out. I did that for a mile until I found someone that I just paced with. Between the bike and altitude I really wanted to walk but I just kept moving my feet going somehow. Finally it seemed I could see the end of the run course, still not a soul from my AG man I must have really screwed this up oh well. I push hard that last quarter mile and was absolutely astonished by the finisher's clock 1:16:21.

There's no way, I felt horrible on the swim, I walked on the run, no must have read that wrong. When the results are finally posted I finished 37th overall, and won my AG!!! I had 5 minutes on the guy behind me. My first ever tri win, in a race that I had pretty much condemned from the start. I still am in shock and am a bit proud for not giving up. The training my Coach has given me, and the help my friends have really made the difference. The only funny thing is that is not my PR for sprint, I did one 1 minute better but finished 11/20 but still I'm just so happy.

37 CHRISTOPHER SEAY M2024 S: 15:36 T1: 1:27 B: 32:49 T2: 1:09 R: 25:22 T: 1:16:21