2013 Lake Waconia Triathlon Race Report

Finally some good weather.  No rain, did not even look like it was going to rain.  Some wind

This is my 5th time at this race.  In the past, this day is usually pretty hot, and can be windy.  This day it  was kind of cool at the start, not humid, and probably wasn't 80 by the time I finished.  The weather has definitely been worse for this race.  There was some wind, so there was some chop out on the lake, and it made the ride a little more difficult than it could be.  The course is challenging, from the swim that is usually choppy, to a bike course with hills, to a run with hills, I would say it is one of the more difficult courses in the area.  

My morning was normal, had the usual breakfast, then usual donut and coffee.  Felt pretty good.

One nice thing about this race is that you see a lot of people you know, which I did, so you get a chance to do a little socializing. 

The Elites go in a group start.  The rest of us in a TT start.  Lined up in number order, which is grouped by age and sex.  Like I said before, the swim had some chop.  Not too bad, I went a little off course on the way out.  I think I let myself get pushed to the left on the way out, so the first right turn took a little longer and more work than it should have.  Otherwise, my time was about normal.

I got through transition ok.  I put my socks on, again, before the bike.  I am not going to do this anymore.  If I wear socks, I am going to wear them after the bike.  Too much of a pain to put them on before.

The ride out of town has a decent climb, so I took it kind of easy.  In the past, I tried to hammer out.  This year, I just spun up the hill, and waited to get out of town before I really started going.  Even with the wind, and taking it a little light up front, I was still pretty close to my "usual"times for this race.  2010 and 2011 were my fastest times and since then I have not gotten close to those times.
There are a couple of flat spots on this course where you could really feel the wind.  It seemed like there was not much tailwind.  It felt like the wind kept shifting.  Maybe that was a mental thing.
The run.  Oh, the run.  When I saw my time, I was surprised, I thought it was much slower and I was faster than last year.  I got off the bike and basically ran with a friend, Helen, and I think that helped.  This run has very little shade and is hilly.  Just tough.  Only once did I go under 8 min/mi, maybe one day I will do it again.
Interesting, and strange note, this year and last year I placed 111th overall.  My time this year was 39 seconds slower than last year.
When I was done I had a couple of the Gear West supplied, via Kevin O'Connor, hot dogs and talked to a few people.
Overall, it was great day to race, and I was pretty happy with my results.  As always, I would have liked to have gone faster.  Even though I did not go faster, I am still happy with my results on this particularly difficult course.

2013 Lake Waconia Results
Swim (880 yards) - 16:04 (1:49/100 yards)
T1 = 2:16
Bike (20 miles) - 58:02 (20.7MPH)
T2 = 1:12
Run (4 miles) - 33:13 (8:18/mile)
Total = 1:50:45
Overall = 111/263, same place as 2012.  Strange.....
AG = 12/26
Pace = 4:31/mile

2012 Lake Waconia Results
Swim (880 yards) - 15:07 (1:43/100 yards)
T1 = 1:49
Bike (20 miles) - 57:40 (20.8MPH)
T2 = 1:25
Run (4 miles) - 34:07 (8:32/mile)
Total = 1:50:06
Overall = 111/317
AG = 11/29, 6 minutes slower than 2011, same place in AG
Pace = 4:30/mile

2011 Lake Waconia Results
Swim (880 yards) - 15:11 (1:44/100 yards)
T1 = 2:15
Bike (20 miles) - 54:02 (22.2MPH, fastest bike split at Waconia)
T2 = 1:07
Run (4 miles) - 31:35 (7:54/mile, fastest run split at Waconia)
Total = 1:44:09
Overall = 90/315
AG = 11/26
Pace = 4:15/mile

2010 Lake Waconia Results
Swim (880 yards) - 15:04 (1:43/100 yards)
T1 = 1:43
Bike (20 miles) - 54:20 (22.1MPH)
T2 = 1:46
Run (4 miles) - 34:21 (8:36/mi)
Total = 1:47:10
Overall = 129/361
AG = 12/30
Pace = 4:22/mile

In 2009, Jackie and I volunteered on the bike course with my leg in a cast due to my stress fracture.

2008 Lake Waconia Results
Swim (880 yards, windy and choppy, miserable swim, ick) - 24:33 (2:48/100 yards)
T1 = 2:34
Bike (24 miles, bike lengthened due to construction) - 1:07:57 (21.2MPH)
T2 = 1:35
Run (4 miles) - 32:09 (8:03/mile)
Total = 2:08:45
Overall = 188/431
AG = 22/38
Pace = 4:31/mile