Millstadt Biathlon Race Recap
Millstadt, Illinois, Biathlon Race Recap
September 11, 2005: 5 mile run, 22 mile bike
On a humid morning in the small rural town east of St. Louis, 169 racers and several teams lined up for the annual Millstadt, Illinois biathlon. This was the site of my first biathlon five years ago and I felt nostalgic driving past the corn and into the park. That was two bikes ago, wearing soccer shorts. Now I was geeked out in a one piece tri-suit provided by my pseudo-sponsor Javelin bikes.
I had been training hard and was eager to measure my fitness against some strong competition. As the gun went off, a handful of guys wasted no time setting a sub-six minute run pace that I had no business matching. I settled into a hard tempo that I could maintain. At the 2.5-mile turnaround, the usual suspects were at the front and I was holding 6th place. On the way back I exchanged encouragement with a few runners coming the other way, including a former soccer teammate. I got a few, "Go Jan Paul's" from some guys' wives who I've met this year. Nice!
We had been warned about gravel on the roads for the bike leg, but it was more than expected. I kept saying to myself, "No risks" when I saw a turn with gravel, and there were plenty.
I was passed by two stronger cyclists and I passed one of the rabbits from the run. So I was in 7th place when "the Puma" passed. I stuck with a speed I could maintain while keeping him in sight. Suddenly I saw Lind on the side of the road, in difficulty. I imagined Johan Bruyneel from the team car yelling into my earpiece, "Lind is in trouble, Lind is in trouble, go faster, faster, good, good, now stay with the Puma!" With about five miles to go I was on his wheel and wondered if I should rest for a minute before passing or just go for it. I did the latter. Bruyneel was in the imaginary earpiece again, telling me to "Pull away, create separation, make him think he can't stay with you!"
As I pulled ahead and felt strong enough to hold onto 6th place, a quote from Ironman Canada winner Chris Lieto resonated in my head. "Always do your best because it always pays off in the end." Hallelujah, Chris, and thank you. Just keep going, keep pushing, and maybe you move up a few places. Good things might happen if you keep going. If you quit, you'll never know.
In the end it was my first top 10 finish of the year (6th overall) and my first age group victory. Good, fun, small, tough, dangerous, rewarding, fulfilling race.
Next up: Lewis and Clark ½ Marathon, St. Charles, Missouri, September 18th.
September 11, 2005: 5 mile run, 22 mile bike
On a humid morning in the small rural town east of St. Louis, 169 racers and several teams lined up for the annual Millstadt, Illinois biathlon. This was the site of my first biathlon five years ago and I felt nostalgic driving past the corn and into the park. That was two bikes ago, wearing soccer shorts. Now I was geeked out in a one piece tri-suit provided by my pseudo-sponsor Javelin bikes.
I had been training hard and was eager to measure my fitness against some strong competition. As the gun went off, a handful of guys wasted no time setting a sub-six minute run pace that I had no business matching. I settled into a hard tempo that I could maintain. At the 2.5-mile turnaround, the usual suspects were at the front and I was holding 6th place. On the way back I exchanged encouragement with a few runners coming the other way, including a former soccer teammate. I got a few, "Go Jan Paul's" from some guys' wives who I've met this year. Nice!
We had been warned about gravel on the roads for the bike leg, but it was more than expected. I kept saying to myself, "No risks" when I saw a turn with gravel, and there were plenty.
I was passed by two stronger cyclists and I passed one of the rabbits from the run. So I was in 7th place when "the Puma" passed. I stuck with a speed I could maintain while keeping him in sight. Suddenly I saw Lind on the side of the road, in difficulty. I imagined Johan Bruyneel from the team car yelling into my earpiece, "Lind is in trouble, Lind is in trouble, go faster, faster, good, good, now stay with the Puma!" With about five miles to go I was on his wheel and wondered if I should rest for a minute before passing or just go for it. I did the latter. Bruyneel was in the imaginary earpiece again, telling me to "Pull away, create separation, make him think he can't stay with you!"
As I pulled ahead and felt strong enough to hold onto 6th place, a quote from Ironman Canada winner Chris Lieto resonated in my head. "Always do your best because it always pays off in the end." Hallelujah, Chris, and thank you. Just keep going, keep pushing, and maybe you move up a few places. Good things might happen if you keep going. If you quit, you'll never know.
In the end it was my first top 10 finish of the year (6th overall) and my first age group victory. Good, fun, small, tough, dangerous, rewarding, fulfilling race.
Next up: Lewis and Clark ½ Marathon, St. Charles, Missouri, September 18th.
posted by JPD at Monday, September 19, 2005
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