Emmetsburg Tri Race Report

Little late on this one, but kind of swamped at the moment. Last Friday, Nacho Libre, Dogman and I yours truly headed to Emmetsburg for the Bob McCarten Sprint Triathlon. Since Nacho Libre has his own timezone, we got a bit of a late start. I kid because I care.

We arrived in Emmetsburg about 8 or so and went to the restaurant at the Casino. Ordered some food and tried to order my pre-race Bud Select, but they didn't have that. So, Irish town, Irish bar, obviously I have to have a Guinness. After we ate, which was about 9:15 or so, we brought our bikes up and I went to the blackjack table with Dogman. Nacho hadn't slept since Easter, so I think he went to sleep. As soon as I got near the tables, I found my high school buddy Bruce Nelson, who in his first year of the NFL, played in the Super Bowl. At least I think it was his first year...maybe second. We had a great time playing, even though I lost every conceivable double down possible. Something like this...double down and my cards equal 12-14. Not solid, especially when the dealer doesn't do his part.

Off to sleep and up at about 5:30. We stayed at the Casino and my room was a smoking room, so I woke up and felt like I went out to the bar (pre-cig law) days. On an aside, I love post-cig law days. Headed to transition, got registered and my stomach felt like the inside of a wood chipper. Not great, but whatever. Also, my front tire was flat and the back one sort of flat. I've got these 2002 Hed tri-spoke wheels, which mean nothing to a lot of people, but regular pumps don't work on them. Also, my little contraption that was previously jimmy-rigged (sp????) was busted. No one had a pump that would work and the race was like 20 minutes away. Luckily, Nacho Libre turned into McGuyver and concocted something awesome that enabled me to have my tires pumped up.

Bad news, basically no warm-up at all, as by the time we finally put our wetsuits on, it was go time. Although I did get a 48 yard warm-up. Nacho Libre didn't mostly because of me, and a small part because he initially had his shorts on when he put his wetsuit on.

There were about 120 people in the race, including relays, so about 100 individuals. I lined up about in the middle/front, thinking I would be one of the faster swimmers here. Gun went off and some kid took off and cut me off. Yep, sweet idea on his part...if the race was 22 yards. He quickly died and I moved towards the front, in third place. Some guy to my left also cut right into me, so I swam over his legs and kept going. About 200 yards in, I started to hyperventilate a bit. I could not take a deep breathe at all and I tried to stay relaxed. I was having a good swim, in third place, but had to slow down just a bit and stay relaxed. I could have drafted off the guy in second (first place guy was a good chunk ahead), but with the breathing episode, didn't . I exited the water in third and hopped on El Guapo. The swim was 500 yards and I'm not sure what my time was, but I'm thinking in the 6:45-50 range?

The bike was an out and back 12 miles. Out was with the wind at our back and I felt like I was going pretty well. About 2 miles in I passed the guy that was in second place pretty easily, but the guy in first was slowly pulling further away. Ok, he was flying. At the turn-around, I was still in second with a pretty decent gap from third. I saw Nacho Libre and Dogman and Nacho was gaining on the people ahead of him pretty quickly. I think this was the third time this year Dogman had been on his bike, though he did have a solid swim.

I pulled into T2, took the feet out of the shoes on the bike prior to getting off and quickly transitioned. I was still in second. There was the hometown crowd there, so I took off in a sprint and as soon as I was out of sight, toned it down, or I would have passed out. Just a little leg cramping here, but not awful. I need to figure this out and Nacho said it might be due to my pedal stroke, which it could be. The run was a 5k out and back and at the turn, I was still in second. Nacho Libre had entered T2 in third (great bike), but had been passed by one guy by the time I saw him. This guy was flying. I tried to dig in, could have gone faster, but I'm a pansy on the run. No other way around it. With about 400 yards, the guy went by me. I tried to stay with him for a bit, but didn't have it. I looked back and didn't see anyone, so I put it on cruise control for third place. I was about a minute and a half faster than last year. Nacho Libre came in in 5th place, about 2 minutes back of me and Dogman, who absolutely destroyed the 5k came in about 7 minutes back from me. Nice work.

After the race, we stuffed ourselves with McNally's bakery donuts. CHEAP and AWESOME. No joke, there were five of us, we weren't shy on the donuts at all (I think Dogman had like 5), plus drinks and the total was like 10 bucks. Easily 20 bucks or more in Des Moines and like six hundred bucks in Vegas. We then headed back to Des Moines and watched a bit of the HyVee Pro race and Dogman had to run the 10k for a relay the next day. He ended up averaging 6:20 per mile for that. Really solid given his first full tri in a while was the day before.

Next up, I believe, is the Okoboji Triathlon. I'm obviously pretty pumped up about it. I believe that myself, Nacho, Hammerhead, dsm911, beRock and possibly the American Bad Ass (see Triathlete Magazine cover) are in for the tri. The American Bad Ass is iffy, since he'll be heading to Indianapolis and beRock just wins bike races. There's a few others that may be doing the tri or some run event. The only other one for sure in a specific event is Dogman, who will be rocking the marathon.

The thing I love about the Okoboji Triathlon is it's pretty old school. Don't believe they give swim caps, I racked my bike next to a tree one year, etc. The marathon is also the same way. Mostly self sufficient...and it's going to be HOT. Dogman will have his work cut out for him. He just did Boston in April, so we'll see if he's prepared for it.