2011 OptumHealth Performance Minneman Race Report

The weather was fantastic, could not ask for a better day.  The course is short and flat, could not ask for a better course to have PR splits.  The race was very well run and things appeared to go off perfectly.

I had a performance I was not particularly happy with.  I did finish 5th, out of 28th, in my AG, which is pretty good.  Of my three attempts at Minneman, this was my slowest.  It was my slowest 5K/3mi off the bike since early 2009 and my bike was ok.
I just could not turn over my legs.  I felt tired before I even got out there.  Not sure what happened.
It was a good day and I am glad I could get out there.  I am not really that unhappy, just slightly disappointed that I could not get moving that day.
As usual, I had my coffee and donut on the way there and I got there early.  I got to chat up with some people and, as usual, it was great to do that.  It was great to see people before, during, and after that I know.
I have a new OptumHealth Performance tri kit for this race and it is a good kit.  It fits well and is comfortable.  I will probably be wearing it again.  It is a two-piece kit, I would prefer a one piece, but it fits and it is comfortable, so it will do.

Even if I had gone my fastest, I still would not have cracked the top 3.  My AG was just too fast.

2011 Minneman Race Results
Swim (587 yards) - 8:20 (1:35/100yds)
T1 - 2:51
Bike (13mi) - 36:15 (21.5MPH)
T2 - 1:10
Run (3mi) - 24:30 (8:10 min/mi)
Total - 1:13:03
Overall - 68/342
AG - 5/28
Pace - 4:29 min/mi

2010 Minneman Race Results
Swim (587 yards) - 6:54 (1:19/100yds)
T1 - 2:15
Bike (13mi) - 34:57 (22.3MPH)
T2 - 1:30
Run (3mi) - 23:54 (7:58 min/mi)
Total - 1:09:29
Overall - 60/414
AG - 6/19
Pace - 4:16 min/mi

Injured in 2009 and could not race

2008 Minneman Race Results
Swim (587yds) - 10:19 (1:58/100yds)
T1 - 2:27
Bike (13mi) - 35:01 (22.3MPH)
T2 - 1:16
Run (3mi) - 22:32 (7:31 min/mi)
Total - 1:11:46
Overall - 35/350
AG - 3/30 (First podium finish)
Pace - 4:24 min/mi

Brian Keith Maas has a great write up of the race at his blog at:
http://tundrat-zone.blogspot.com/2011/07/race-result-2011-minneman-triathlon.html

As an aside, at this week's Tuesday Night Time Trial I had my fastest TT of the year.  It was my fastest time of the year by 30 seconds, which is huge.  I got a flat before the race and was lent a wheel, Zipp 1080, by fellow racer Jey Carlson.  So, I did not run a disc.  Am I faster without a disc?  Am I faster after 3 days of picnics and beer?  Was it 3 nights in a row of 8+ hours of sleep?  Something I probably have not gotten since I was in Mexico for vacation earlier this year.  Was it a slight tailwind?  I am going to do my next couple races and my next couple T'N'Ts on 808s and see what happens.