Andrew »

Starting the 2012 season with two WTS races has been quite the experience.  Jumping in the deep end so to speak has provided a good kick in the pants and some very valuable feedback.

The first go around in Sydney I didn’t survive the bike.  Mentally, I was not in the game on the startline and as a result got spat out the back within 750m of swimming.

A few weeks back in Victoria I regrouped and found some local events, a crit and a 10k run, to spark some race specifics.  The arrival of my Trimes Team Teschner SL9  gave a further lift to my spirits and had me ready to roll for round #3 of the 2012 WTS Series in San Diego.

Arriving into San Diego is quite a scenic landing.  The airport is situated in the downtown core amongst skyscrapers, stadiums and ocean.

Staying in La Jolla, about 20k north of the city I made trips into the race site each day leading up to race-day to check out the first-time race site.  USA Triathlon and ITU did a great job creating this race and developing a course that flowed well and provided a fan-friendly experience.

Perhaps the best part about the weekend was the affect that this race had on the general ‘triathlon public’.  The USofA has long been an ironman market.  The consensus behind draft-legal racing was jaded and not respected.  After the Womens and then Mens races that sure changed.  Like in most sports, when you watch it on TV or see photos you do not get the full feel of how fast things are moving.  It was very rewarding to see this opinion shift over the weekend once the public witnessed first hand the speed, tenacity and emotion exluded over the ITU distance.

Personally, this race was an improvement but also an indicator of the amount of work still needed to compete at this level on a regular basis.

Throughout the swim I remained agressive and fought to hold position.  This lead to a much better placing coming out of the water at the end of the main group.  T1 however was blitzed a 2-3s gap was all that was needed to find myself chasing with 6 others in no-mans land between groups.  ‘No Worries’ I told myself, the Macca Train is coming….

About 3/4 through the first lap the train arrived with not only Macca, but also a few more strong horses.  Noticing that the two Portugese atheltes, competing with Canada for 3 spots, were in my group I made no effort to help.  Even sitting in though required substantial effort with the technical and narrow sections of the course.  At 20k we had caught the main group.  The second half of the bike eased up a bit but still offered plenty ‘out of the saddle’ exposure:)  Towards the last two laps of the bike I found myself fatiguing a bit.  Not a good sign for the upcoming 10k.

Onto the run the legs were flat.  Flat or not though I had 10k to run to the best of my ability.  As it progressed, the run became a bit better.  Crossing in 54th was disappointing but it is where my fitness is at for the moment.

These WTS events have became so professional the last few years.  It is a testament to our sport that this level of racing is so high.  A good sign that Triathlon is growing in depth, skill, and popularity.

Now back in Victoria, I have a 3 week block to build upon the fitness gained from San Diego.  Next up will be the Dallas ITU Pan-Am Cup on June 2nd and then the infamous Escape from Alcatraz, June 10th.

The team has had a great start to the year with Amelie’s perfomance in Mexico.
I look to add to these achievements in the coming weeks.