Niantic recap: What the Hell do I have to do to win my age group?

Well Today was the Niantic Bay Tri. Once again I finished second in my age group, yet in the top 50 overall. Here's the split by split analysis:

The Swim: Note to self stick with previous race strategy. Note to Race directors: make sure everyone stays on course.
Well this year against all my prior advice, I decided to start in the middle of the pack instead of my work wide and cut in. This proved to be fatal to my attempt to win the swim leg. As soon as the air horn went off I was getting pulverized. One guy knocked the swim cap straight off my head and I had to stop and get it back on. Then continued my charge to the front. What made this swim particualy challenging was the Fact the race directors put three bouys in a row on the way out but none to sight toward the finishing beach. As a result half of the first swim wave cut toward the beach at the second bouy as three faster gentlemen and myself swam around the third bouy. The approach to the beachsucked when I looked out to find I was approaching too wide, but since I could not make out anyone ahead of me I still thought I was leading....that is until I got toward the docks at the finish beach and I saw 6, 7...10 swimmers getting out infront of me. I was more pissed than Normann Stadler with 2 flats on the Queen K. My swim split a pathetic for me 15:07. good enough for 66th fastes overall a full 2:15 slower than last year. On the bright side no jelly fish stings.
The Bike: This week's sign of the apocolyspe Rob fairs better on the bike than on the swim. Tomorrow watch for fire and Brimstone.
As I approached T-1 3/4 out of my wetsuit. I was livid. I striped out of my neoprene beast and got on the bike a man pocessed. After having to run the bike a little futher out of transition than I would have liked ( I had it in too high of a gear.) I kicked into the big ring and got aero. I descend with reckless abandon and passed 4 competitors, on the opening downhill and the first couple of short climbs. I entered a battle with some 40 yearold dude. I would pass him on the short down hills or power climbs, he'd pass me back on a longer decent, He got around me for good when I slowed for a sharp right hander back onto Route 161 after a steep decent. All in all it was a pretty nasty bike split. I was only passed by about 4 guys all riding cervelo p3 carbon/composite bs. I did manage to repass two of them on a climb ( Long live Road Geometry!). I glided back into transition after smashing into a pot hole that ripped open my rear tire tube. The split was a pretty quick 33:33 good enough for 62nd fastest overall. So like I said I fared better on the bike than in the swim, be prepared for fire, brimstone, the dead walking, cats and dogs living together......
The Run: Damn XC studs!
As I left t-2 for the run I was pciking off anyone who finished remotely close to me on the bike ( little did I know I was leading my age group, I though this 17 year old High School XC kid was because he flew by me in transition and I was tracking him the entire race.) The first mile to mile and a half were good. I was passing people here and there, and setting a blistering pace. Then at the turn around with a mile to go....enter collegiate XC stud. The dude flew by like I was standing still. I kept him in sight until my side caught and awful stitch, (punishment for not hydrating enough on the bike.) Then two 30 somethings got around me...I felt like I was bonking big time....in my head part of me wanted to slow to a jog...then my senes came back to me...This is a FUCKING 5K YOU CAN'T LET YOURSELF BONK ON A 5K! Picked up the pace as much as I could without puking...at points it felt like I was going to go over this threshold. As I ran along the bluff back to the beach I could hear someone behind me I was determined to hold them off. We got onto a mini trail...I repassed one of the 40 somethings but I culd still hear the other guy behind me...We hit the side walk then the beach sand I could hear him beside me ..I looked left as he went around me on the side walk then cut infront of me. I tried to shadow him as we made for the heavier packed sand toward the water. He kicked and was too far ahead for me to catch...as I kicked to avoid being repassed. I crossed the line with my signature "Hands in the Air like you just don't Care pose." I clocked myself at 21.04 but according to offcial results I did the run in 20:55 not bad ( one day I shall break this 20 min. barrier and it will be glorious). In the aftermath I found out that the collegiate XC super stud was in my age group and he had won. ( alright I figured he was my age and had gotten around the other XC guy and I was looking at third.) When I found out I had finished second I was a little shocked but happy I had finished higher than I thought. Hey I may not be winning my age group but I'm a model of consistency, two years, two second places, now I just have to do the swim split I did last year (12:45) and I'll be in business.
Well after all the crap on the swim and the hour and a half it took to put together the awards ceremony, I have to give a shoutout to endureitmultisports ( running the Lake Waramaug Series), The Guys at Terramuggus, Sun Multisports ( Patriot Half) and Tom Wilkas and staff at the Griskus Triathlons, you guys have run well oiled machines for races making the HMF look like a bunch of amatuers. The one thing the HMF has going for its multisports events are the guys from whole foods and dunkin donuts, the food was good, the bike and run were good, the logistics for the swim and a more timely tabulation of results need improvement. So all in all I'm set for the Nutmeg State Sprint. After proving I could be Smoke on the bike, knowing I can own a swim course, and gut out a sub-21 min. 5k I think I can own it. Until next time.
R.D.