Philadelphia Triathlon Race Report

The Philadelphia Triathlon was last weekend, a while ago I know, but since I got back from Philly I've been busy moving from San Francisco to Phoenix - and we're there! Anisia and I spent most of the day yesterday looking for apartments. I now know all the talking points and bases for comparison for apartment complexes (washer/dryer in unit vs on-site, new appliances vs older ones, ceiling fans, quality of workout facilities (all of these places have a workout room on-site with treadmills, other cardio, strength-training equipment, etc, but the quality varies), parking, on-site pool(s), space within the unit (we need a separate "training studio" room in addition to a living room and bedroom), carpeting, etc) and of course LOCATION is hugely important.

We started out looking around the Biltmore/Arcadia area of north central Phoenix, close to Anisia's sisters and a very good swimming facility, but after we didn't find anything we were looking for there, we migrated a little southeast in the direction of Papago Park and Tempe. The places we've narrowed it down to are right next to this 1200-acre park (great for running ) and close to the eastern boundary of the Phoenix valley, so good for cycling too. We are also very close to Tempe and the ASU swimming pools, so we'll have some excellent options for swimming as well. I'm excited.

I've done my first run (45 minutes) and first bike ride (2:30) here since moving, and the temps have been around 100-110 degrees WITH humidity (it's monsoon season), and well, it's tough! I'm taking hydration to a whole new level. The heat forces me to slow down some because my HR skyrockets as my core body temperature goes up, and there's never enough cold water to drink or pour on my head (such a good feeling though!). It will be interesting to see how I adjust to this climate - even if I bike and run in the morning, the heat is still formidable and takes a toll on the body.

Anyway, back to the Philly Triathlon, even if it feels like months ago. I had a great homestay just an easy 20 minute bike ride away from transition, which made the whole weekend go much better and simply. It was my third race in consecutive weekends, but I was thinking it would be my best, and it turned out to be true. My swim wasn't great - it was a 1.5k point-to-point swim in the river, and I wasn't aggressive enough starting out, and then I had some visibility issues so I ended up doing nearly the entire swim just off the tail of the lead pack. Despite this mental mistake, my swimming fitness is pretty reasonable so I was only about :30 off the back by the end of the swim.

The bike probably went the best of the three for me that day. The 2-lap course was a mix of flats and shortish, sometimes steep climbs, and I loved it. I couldn't quite hang with fast-biking DKT on the first lap but I did catch and pass everyone in the lead swim group with the exception of Andrew Yoder and John Kenny, the later of whom I did catch and pass halfway through the second lap. I wasn't quite as focused, especially on the second lap, and I wasn't quite as strong as I'd like, but it was definitely one of my better bike efforts this year.

I started the run in 3rd by myself, with Yoder and DKT upfront. It was a typical humid summer morning in Pennsylvania, and I really felt it on the run. I definitely couldn't go as fast as I wanted to, but I was keeping it together OK trying not to overheat. John Kenny went by me at mile three, but then the rest of the way I kept him close and held my ground to any chasers, so I finished 4th. It was a fun, tough race, and I enjoyed it.

I've been taking the season one race at a time, seeing if I can improve in ladder-fashion, building on each race from the races beforehand. The goal is to keep improving as the season progresses, and so far, I think I'm on track. I have a lot of work to do to get where I want to be, but given my circumstances at this point in the season, I'm pleased with the results.

My next races is not until August 2nd, Steelhead 70.3 in Michigan, so I have some good time to get settled in here in Phoenix and put some good fitness into the bank. More soon.