LOL--sorry about the title...but it might be at least a bit defensible....read on
I'm on the ground in Thornburg, VA for the 2016 Kinetic Sprint--a 750 meter swim/15.5-mile bike/3.1 mile run affair--once again on Lake Anna. this is probably somewhere around the 8th-10th time I've been here--most recently for my Rumpass race of two weeks ago and most famously, when I saw Anders win, outright, the HITS Odyssey Half-Ironman....
I left just before 10 am this morning and drove the 207 miles to Lake Anna State Park--aka Race Central--getting there around 2:45. I snapped a picture of the hill that Anders ran down for his triumphant moment and I must say, my memory of that day is still very sharp--what a great day for us Christoffersons!
Anyways, I oriented myself to the swim/transition area and then drove the bike and most of the run course. I had hoped to ride the bike course as well but a torrential rain storm (what is up with all the rain this year?) convinced me to read my book ("Five Big Mountains") and wait for packet pick-up.
Had a normal pre-race dinner and am locked and loaded at the Holiday Inn Express here--which is a cut above my usual fare.
The Kinetic sprint is probably the biggest/local race I race (recognizing that these are contradictory adjectives). there are 712 people registered with 27 in my AG. Three of those guys are most definitely better than I (Dyer, Ortiz, and Palowitch)--three All-Americans. In my day and on my game, I could beat one of these guys, had a chance with another, and no chance with the third. Fourth place seems like a good outcome tomorrow! There is at least one guy I raced two weeks ago also racing in this race so hopefully I can get some useful comparative data on my race that is not wholly dependent on AG place.
I have to say, I really, really love being here. After the storm a beautiful night and back in the room and getting everything set, i have a quiet satisfaction and calmness about my place in the Tri world. I know I don't have many more races left in me, but I know I'll most likely have a fun day and do pretty darn good for a man with and who definitely knows many of his limitations....Also, this is no question that being able to turn the potential of my training into the "kinetic" of my race is critical to my motivation to train as hard as I do given my physical limitations...I train harder when I know I race and most importantly, I enjoy the training a ton more!
After the race I'm heading for Luray, VA and meeting up with Judy, Paula and Laurie and the four of us will tackle some pretty strenuous Shenandoah NP hikes/treks/climbs on M/Tu. Paula (and Danny and Caroline) are climbing with Alex and I at Kilimanjaro in September....It's supposed to be low to mid 50s and sunny up on the AT--should be amazing....
should be glorious....should be hard... I think my body is ready. If it is, I'm a truly blessed soul....If not, still pretty blessed!
I'm on the ground in Thornburg, VA for the 2016 Kinetic Sprint--a 750 meter swim/15.5-mile bike/3.1 mile run affair--once again on Lake Anna. this is probably somewhere around the 8th-10th time I've been here--most recently for my Rumpass race of two weeks ago and most famously, when I saw Anders win, outright, the HITS Odyssey Half-Ironman....
I left just before 10 am this morning and drove the 207 miles to Lake Anna State Park--aka Race Central--getting there around 2:45. I snapped a picture of the hill that Anders ran down for his triumphant moment and I must say, my memory of that day is still very sharp--what a great day for us Christoffersons!
Anyways, I oriented myself to the swim/transition area and then drove the bike and most of the run course. I had hoped to ride the bike course as well but a torrential rain storm (what is up with all the rain this year?) convinced me to read my book ("Five Big Mountains") and wait for packet pick-up.
Had a normal pre-race dinner and am locked and loaded at the Holiday Inn Express here--which is a cut above my usual fare.
The Kinetic sprint is probably the biggest/local race I race (recognizing that these are contradictory adjectives). there are 712 people registered with 27 in my AG. Three of those guys are most definitely better than I (Dyer, Ortiz, and Palowitch)--three All-Americans. In my day and on my game, I could beat one of these guys, had a chance with another, and no chance with the third. Fourth place seems like a good outcome tomorrow! There is at least one guy I raced two weeks ago also racing in this race so hopefully I can get some useful comparative data on my race that is not wholly dependent on AG place.
I have to say, I really, really love being here. After the storm a beautiful night and back in the room and getting everything set, i have a quiet satisfaction and calmness about my place in the Tri world. I know I don't have many more races left in me, but I know I'll most likely have a fun day and do pretty darn good for a man with and who definitely knows many of his limitations....Also, this is no question that being able to turn the potential of my training into the "kinetic" of my race is critical to my motivation to train as hard as I do given my physical limitations...I train harder when I know I race and most importantly, I enjoy the training a ton more!
After the race I'm heading for Luray, VA and meeting up with Judy, Paula and Laurie and the four of us will tackle some pretty strenuous Shenandoah NP hikes/treks/climbs on M/Tu. Paula (and Danny and Caroline) are climbing with Alex and I at Kilimanjaro in September....It's supposed to be low to mid 50s and sunny up on the AT--should be amazing....
should be glorious....should be hard... I think my body is ready. If it is, I'm a truly blessed soul....If not, still pretty blessed!
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