Race Report: Hillsboro Biathlon
July 4, 2006, Hillsboro, Illinois
The fallacy about doing local races is that you get a good night's rest and don't have to travel. So as I was doing last minute laundry late on the eve of the race, I was shocked to realize that I'd have to get up at 4:30 AM to make it to the small Illinois town in time for the annual biathlon (5 mile run, 20 mile bike).
Conditions were cloudy and muggy with a slight crosswind blowing across the out-and-back course. The race starts at the city hall on the cobblestones, heads down the hill, and then levels off into a mostly flat and straight road.
The starting horn caused some participants to go into their 5-mile "pace" (ahem) which carried them to the bottom of the hill and straight into oxygen debt. I was also a little overeager, trying to find my rhythm. At the 2.5 mile turnaround I was making good time, but the big hill lay ahead. There were team runners mixed into the individual biathletes and I estimated I was in about 8th place. Bill S. and I were running side-by-side and working together, politely coordinating our water-stop hand-off order. We overtook Shawn O. and were probably asking ourselves the same question: "How much of a head start do I need on the bike to avoid getting caught by him later?" I knew the answer: "Way more than I could possibly gain in a 5-mile run." I came into the run finish a few meters after Bill, with a decent split time, 4th place so far in the individual competition.
Transition was smooth and I rattled across the cobblestones just behind Bill. As I suspected, he pulled away and I was holding steady about 50 yards back. Within a couple miles, eventual winner Shawn O. cruised by. Then eventual 2nd place finisher Scott S. did the same. With the uber-bikers fading into the distance, I began a steady but hard effort to maintain 6th position overall. I could see that Bill S. had caught Chris A. up ahead and I wondered if they had an advantage since I was alone in no man's land.
I wanted to reach into my "suitcase of courage" and pull out a 5-minute power sprint to bridge the gap, but all I had was a carry-on knapsack filled with excuses. I was approaching the final hill and feeling good about an even split and thankful that I wasn't going to have to sprint up the hill since I didn't see anyone behind me. I rolled back across the cobbles to a pleasant small town smattering of applause and "way to go's".
Sixth place overall garnered the biggest 2nd place age group trophy I've ever seen. I picked up a couple more for friends who had to leave for 4th of July plans. As I headed home to make the trophy delivery, the rain started coming down and I realized that the race had gone about as well as I could have expected. Solid.
The fallacy about doing local races is that you get a good night's rest and don't have to travel. So as I was doing last minute laundry late on the eve of the race, I was shocked to realize that I'd have to get up at 4:30 AM to make it to the small Illinois town in time for the annual biathlon (5 mile run, 20 mile bike).
Conditions were cloudy and muggy with a slight crosswind blowing across the out-and-back course. The race starts at the city hall on the cobblestones, heads down the hill, and then levels off into a mostly flat and straight road.
The starting horn caused some participants to go into their 5-mile "pace" (ahem) which carried them to the bottom of the hill and straight into oxygen debt. I was also a little overeager, trying to find my rhythm. At the 2.5 mile turnaround I was making good time, but the big hill lay ahead. There were team runners mixed into the individual biathletes and I estimated I was in about 8th place. Bill S. and I were running side-by-side and working together, politely coordinating our water-stop hand-off order. We overtook Shawn O. and were probably asking ourselves the same question: "How much of a head start do I need on the bike to avoid getting caught by him later?" I knew the answer: "Way more than I could possibly gain in a 5-mile run." I came into the run finish a few meters after Bill, with a decent split time, 4th place so far in the individual competition.
Transition was smooth and I rattled across the cobblestones just behind Bill. As I suspected, he pulled away and I was holding steady about 50 yards back. Within a couple miles, eventual winner Shawn O. cruised by. Then eventual 2nd place finisher Scott S. did the same. With the uber-bikers fading into the distance, I began a steady but hard effort to maintain 6th position overall. I could see that Bill S. had caught Chris A. up ahead and I wondered if they had an advantage since I was alone in no man's land.
I wanted to reach into my "suitcase of courage" and pull out a 5-minute power sprint to bridge the gap, but all I had was a carry-on knapsack filled with excuses. I was approaching the final hill and feeling good about an even split and thankful that I wasn't going to have to sprint up the hill since I didn't see anyone behind me. I rolled back across the cobbles to a pleasant small town smattering of applause and "way to go's".
Sixth place overall garnered the biggest 2nd place age group trophy I've ever seen. I picked up a couple more for friends who had to leave for 4th of July plans. As I headed home to make the trophy delivery, the rain started coming down and I realized that the race had gone about as well as I could have expected. Solid.
posted by JPD at Thursday, July 20, 2006
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