Sunday, September 2, 2012

Skaneateles, NY: Skinnyman Triathlon - September 1, 2012


My wife and I are on a ten day trip to the Finger Lakes area where I grew up. Yesterday I competed in the Skinnyman Sprint Triathlon in Skaneateles, NY. The last time I competed in that event was in 2009 and I am pleased that I cut over 12 minutes off my time, although shortening the bike segment from 15 miles to 11 miles probably had something to do with that improvement.


It was a perfect day for a race – cool temperatures, little wind and a very smooth lake. My goal had been to swim the 800 yards in 16 minutes – a 2 minute per hundred pace and I was done swimming in under 16 minutes but it took me awhile to crawl out of the lake and my official time was 16:19 for a 2:02 pace. The bike course had been cut back because of construction, but it was a great up and down 11 mile sprint and I finished in 34:39 a 19.4 mph pace – 99 seconds short of my 20 mph goal. And then on the 3 mile run I had hoped for an 8 minute pace but finished in 24:44 – forty-four seconds short of my goal.

Overall it was a good race for me and I was hoping those times would be good enough to finish in the top three in the 60-64 age group, but there are a lot of very fit old guys out here and I finished 5th out of 15.

Next week we are on to Canandaigua – where I went to high school – and the Finger Lakes Triathlon. Last year there were only two people in my age group so I have a good shot at third place.

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