Wildman

Short recap:
Swim 9:23
T1 2:43
Bike 28:18
T2 2:21
Run 20:03 a PR for a 5K
1:02:50

On August 17th I participated again in one of my favorite races of the season, the Wildoood Triathlon.  It is at the South Jersey shore and close to my parents house.  I have been going to Wildwood for my whole life, so I feel like it is a home race for me.  To make it extra special, I Tri 4 Downs was the presenting sponsor for the Wildman/women program, a contest for Tri clubs to see who had the most participants.

We picked up my stuff the day before, as recommended, on our way to the boardwalk with the kids.  Race day was just perfect weather.  As always Stephen DelMonte of Delmo Sports was right on top of everything.  We were able to put up a tent in the tri club area since we were a sponsor of the club challenge.  We had the America Flag flying high, and the pirate flag flying low...because sometimes we race like a pirate and try and take no prisoners....a goal for today.  My secret goal was to finish high enough to qualify for the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championship.  I had qualified for this year, but just could not pull it off so close to Ironman Lake Placid.

DelMo Sports has adopted a new swim start procedure for their races, no waves, you start when you want based on your ability.  They send people into the ocean in groups of 10 at a time.  Most athletes I overheard talking before really like it.  Your clock does not start until you start, so at the end of the day it really does not matter.  The swim was great.  You ran south on the beach for  little bit then headed into the water.  The waves were great!  Once you made it past the breakers, the swells were fantastic.  I made it through in 9:23, not to bad for an ocean swim.

The run into T1 is on soft sand, so it is a great equalizer as far as I am concerned.  I got to my bike and out of the wetsuit in ok time.  Since it is a sprint, I have no drink or food to worry about on the bike.  The bike course was new this year.  No more "loops" around the Central Avenue.  This year we hugged the shore line and then headed out to Stone Harbor, NJ.  It was much better for just trying to hammer for a good portion of the race.  The turns are not real technical, just sweeping with plenty of room.  Plenty of Police, volunteers, and spectators for 5 of the 10 miles.

The run is my best event in a tri, so I love a beach run, especially in Wildwood because I run the beach just about every weekend of the summer.  I got off the bike feeling good and ready.  I knew I would be close to finish in under 1:05, my goal.  My bike rack in transition was close to the bike out sign so I had plenty of room to get my legs heading out to the run.  You ran back toward the ocean for the hard packed sand coming out of T2.  You head south along the beach, then head into the boardwalk to go north along the boardwalk to the finish.  Running along the beach, I was pacing off a young girl in front of me and another guy.  I remember saying to him something about how small girls can generate so much power when running.  Then I looked at his leg and he was 40, breathing hard already (we were only .25 miles in), and I thought to myself "see ya dude" what am I holding back for.  Before we hit the turn to the boardwalk I had reeled in the girl in front of me and was cruising on the boardwalk.  I made it passed a few people along the boardwalk, but at this point everyone was pretty fit, hard swimmer, and bikers I assumed.  Coming in and out of the piers with the rides is awesome.  Here I am heading out of Mariners Landing.

Coming off the boardwalk to the finish, I saw Cathy and our friend Karen Halm, both volunteering as part of I Tri 4 Downs.  I came down to the finish having run my fastest 5K ever, 20:03.  The best part was that Kristina put my finisher medal on, because she volunteered as well.

All the crew volunteering!

This is without a doubt one of my favorite races of the year.  It was the 2nd of the three DelMo Sports Races, next up Atlantic City International Triathlon!