My second triathlon of the year.  Fun, little sprint in quaint Vincentown, NJ. I did the duathlon 3 years back, so this is my first time doing the tri here.  

Quick review

Lake swim is extremely dark.  Cannot even see my hand underneath the water.  It is also very grimy, as you can tell from ALL my race pics, my face is covered in dirt and looks like I did a mud run instead of a tri lol.  It was good that it was wetsuit legal so of course I donned full regalia.  Bike course was flat, and run was relatively flat. DQ Events are pretty unorganized.  No idea what time the awards ceremony is, or what the swim wave times are, so just need to set expectations appropriately.  It is nice that they accept race-day registrations.  You also get a finisher’s medal. The awards ceremony is at the firehouse, and I did not even hear my name called so I missed my podium pic.  I got second place in my age group and was bummed that I didn’t get first.  I remember there was a group of us dejected podium winners sitting in the back disappointed that we didn’t do better.  It was funny. I got a pint glass and magnet that said award winner. Beginner friendly course due to the short distances and easy courses (calm swim, flat bike, flat run).
 

Race report

I had a great swim! Except there was someone doing backstroke in front of me, so it was difficult to bypass these people.  Bike was going decently until my Rudy Helmet Lens decided to pop off my helmet in the middle of the race.  I wasted precious minutes trying to get it back into place, only to have the whole thing come off entirely.  Disgustedly, I threw it to the ground and pedaled on without any eye protection.  I did go back for it later but vowed never to use it again.  Run was difficult for me.  It was just hot and I was tired, and reminded me that I need to throw more brick runs into my workouts, which is hard to do because not many people like to run with me after the bike. Post race there were subs and egg flatbread sandwiches, plus the usual bananas and cookies.  Food goes fast, so get there quickly.  Social and fun atmosphere.  Had a great time racing with T and her husband.  Our first race together!  She is one of my new training buddies.

Post Race

Post race there were subs and egg flatbread sandwiches, plus the usual bananas and cookies.  Food goes fast, so get there quickly.  Social and fun atmosphere.  Had a great time racing with T and her husband.  Our first race together!  She is one of my new training buddies.

What I Wore

In My Tri Bag

On My Bike

Reflection

As fun as this race was, I am most proud of the progress I’ve made to date.  I did the duathlon 3 years ago, so I was able to compare both bike and run courses.  The improvement is staggering.  In 2014, my average bike speed was 15.8 mph, compared with today’s speed of 19.7 mph!!!!  That’s about a 4 mph improvement in just 3 years.  As a caveat, in 2014 I was on my Cannondale which is a heavier bike and did not have aero bars, aero helmet or a tri kit.  Plus I was coming off a 2 mile run.  Even accounting for those difference, let’s say 2 mph total advantage, there is still a massive improvement. I also see an improvement in my runs, though the difference is not so staggering.  11:25 min/mile pace versus 10:24 min/mile.  I’ll still take it!  Back then, I was afraid to even do the triathlon, and remember watching in awe as the swimmers were warming up.  I’ve come so far, yet still have so far to go.  Also, 3 years ago, I came to this race utterly ALONE.  Today, I was glad to socialize with new and old friends.  That was one of the best parts of the race.

2014

15.8 mph average bike speed

2017

19.7 mph average bike speed

Throwback pictures from 2014 Vincentown Duathlon