On Sunday June 26th I raced the Buffalo springs 70.3 Triathlon. Coming off a solid race two weeks ago in Kansas it was time to get after it again. Temperatures all week were expected to be over 100degrees and I was excited to race. Hotter the better I kept telling myself.
Since it was a pretty low key prize/points purse I figured it was time to start taking some risks and try and get in the mix from start to finish no matter how I finished. The point was I wanted to be on the podium I didn’t want to play anything safe for an average finish no matter what the outcome.
Swim
Believe it or not with high temperatures somehow the race director filled Buffalo Springs lake with dump truck loads full of ice to get the water temperature to 74degrees making it a wetsuit swim. Don’t get me wrong I like Mike and Marti but it was a little too hot outside for a wetsuit swim. They even moved the start time up for all of the waves because they knew dehydration was going to be a factor. I tried to follow Cotters lead and wear no cap to help stay a bit cool but I was caught when lining up and forced to put my cap back on. As the gun went off there was a quick run in and a few dolphin dives and the next thing I knew I was sitting in second to 3rd place around the first few buoys. Three quarters through I felt over heated and fatigued and fell off Cotter and Anderson’s feet and ended up pulling a train along the rest of the way. Regardless it was a good swim and I ran into T1 in 4th position.
Bike
The first 50 minutes of the ride I was at the back of the lead group and pushing good wattage and boom. An athlete went by me and I stood up and took a few pedal strokes to at least match his pace as we were coming into a big hill where it was bunching up and I was hit with a penalty. Worse thing was another athlete had to pass me on the right side as I was talking to the motor cycle and he was hit with a penalty as well. Totally my fault but after we spent time arguing back and forth the lead group was further up the road and gaining. I spent the next 20 minutes into the head wind chatting with myself. I just smashed a hard swim and first 20miles of the ride and I am hit with a penalty. Are you a moron Brent? What were you thinking? The rest of the ride I spent riding with Brandon Marsh and entered T2 just behind Cotter and Marsh. The temperatures were on the up and up and I assumed it was getting near 100degrees to start the run.
Run
The start of the run I quickly passed Marsh and Cotter and started trying to pick up some of the athlete’s who had an advantage on me. After the first turn around I had moved into 8th and I had 7th and 6th just in front of me. I was running like a man on a mission and boom the heat and everything started to catch up to me. To make matters worse somehow I tripped over something and stubbed my toe running around a corner and I could feel my toe start to hurt. Still I pushed on and eventually it turned into a death march for me hobbling the last few miles and coming 8th. I didn’t go to Lubbock to come 8th but some times that’s how things roll. Congrats to Raynard Tissink and Kelly Williamson for taking the overall titles.
A couple of IV’s later, some recovery nutrition and massage I felt good. I learned that you can’t take out anger during long races because you get into a cycle of smash yourself- slow down, get angry- smash your self, slow down. Positive notes are I know things are on the up and up and I look forward to toeing the line in a couple weeks at Muncie 70.3.
I would like to congratulate all the athletes who raced in the heat and survived as well as I would like to thank my Coach Cliff English, SVSS, K-SWISS, RTS Bikes, Powerbar, Colonels bikes, and Xterra Wetsuits for there continued support. 1 more race and I should have enough WTC 70.3 points to secure a spot for Vegas as I sit around 35th right now.
Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake
Buffalo Springs Lake, Texas
June 26, 2011
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.
Results
Elite Men
1. Raynard Tissink (RSA) 4:03:27
2. Michael Lovato (USA) 4:04:22
3. Josiah Middaugh (USA) 4:05:51
4. Joe McDaniel (USA) 4:06:52
5. James Bowstead (NZL) 4:11:26
6. Andres Castillo (COL) 4:13:15
7. Gavin Anderson (USA) 4:14:55
8. Brent Poulsen (USA) 4:15:16
9. Matthew Russsell (USA) 4:15:55
10. Peter Clode (NZL) 4:17:14
