The Local Scene

I've definitely come to a new level of endurance sports participation.  Part of it is due to the incredible place we live and another part of it is due to the weird way we (meaning me, my wife, and all of our friends) are driven.  It's not enough to just race a local sprint triathlon on a given weekend anymore.  Now we add on open 5k runs, paddle board races, ocean swimming, and century bike rides in order to earn our Sunday afternoon beers.  Crazy...but very FUN!

It was the battle of the toughest this weekend.   I settled on the century+sprint triathlon while my great friends Kate and Kim competed in the Machoman competition which consisted of a Saturday tear your legs apart 5k followed by a tear your arms apart 6 mile paddle board.  Sunday was the sprint triathlon followed by a one mile ocean swim.  I was sad not to compete in the ocean swim after the race, but I had mother-in-law duties while Paula did her long run.    It was a great weekend in North County, full of friends and great racing.  

It was probably my first and only century I will ever do.  I like racing.  I'll tour when I can't or don't want to race.  But I did get to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at every aid station so the day turned out good!  Also, I did the ride with Paula.  It was a fun way to spend the day together.  I feel so lucky we can share this life together...she's riding well and has a solid 2.5 months of training ahead of her till Canada.  I know this will be her best IM yet.

Right after the Wildflower weekend, my parents came to town and my brother flew in from Taiwan as well.  Paula's mom came in from Colombia shortly after and we had a great Mother's day celebration in Huntington Beach.  The training has been sporadic since then.  Work has been busy, with one all night tree installation that threw me for a loop.   Also, my Dubai job has come back to life so I think I will be busy this summer, which is cool because P and I have been scouting out the neighborhood for a new home to buy...more on that to come.

Back to my race today.  Race the wanna-be pro wave.  Came out in dead last place but next to Jesse Stensland so that gave me a good boost.  Fast folks out there.    Hammered the bike moved up to 7th in the guys race.  Was dismayed by the drafting of the usual folks.  You know who I'm talking about.  Lewis Elliot, a classy pro, crushed us all even with the idiots trying to hang on his wheel.  New pro and local guy Karl Bordine cleaned up as well with his powerful bike and was able to back it up with a 5k that almost caught all of the cheaters.   With another few miles on the bike and a few on the run, I would have been competitive.  But I ended up 7th across the line.  But I heard that I moved up to 4th so they may have DQ'd a few people.  We will see when the results are posted.  All and all a good race.  I'm getting faster, but so is everybody else!  Hmmm...it might be time to dig in and focus on Hawaii.  I'm fueled by emotion and the last two races have been only mediocre.  Need something to pick it up.  It will come. 

Thanks for reading, Patrick