Winter Series #2 - Race Report

Athletes getting ready to start!

GPS and HR data
Full race coverage (photos, video, results) from PikesPeakSports.us

Saturday, Jan 22 was the Winter Series Race #2. I'm running in the long series, so this race was 8 miles in distance. With a start time of 10:15am, it gave me enough time to wake up, eat a nice, metabolically efficient breakfast, and head down to the south end of town. Skies were blue, the sun was shining and the wind was a-blowin'! Love the north-west wind!
I wanted to get a 10-miler in today so the easiest way to do that was to do an easy 1 mile warm-up and a 1-mile cool down after the race. Hundreds of people of all abilities show up for the series, which is a great thing to see.
Right before the start, Shannon finds me and we agree we are taking it easy (gotta stay as close to my metabolically efficient zones as I can!) The first 4 miles are gradually uphill, but into that brutal head wind. We try to find someone tall to stay behind! We cruise along, thanking all the Search & Rescue volunteers along the way.

Shannon and I matching strides

Every two miles was a water stop, and every two miles we stopped to drink! It is a little odd not racing, but wow, so much more comfortable! At the turn-around it was smooth sailing since now we had the slight downhill and a tailwind!

no, i'm not running by a crime scene!

With a mile to go I decided to pick it up because, well, my legs were feeling good and a little speed work never hurts! (sort of)

hot chocolate and donuts after the race. i skipped these~

I skipped the hot chocolate and donuts after the race because I had a nice Generation UCAN pomegranate-blueberry smoothie made with some added protein and some frozen blueberries and strawberries. Yum! After the race I headed over to the nearby CS Rec Center to change out of my sweaty clothes. Then it's time to get the car washed:

Now I've got a happy clean car!

And then to Bicycle Village for an Off-Season Tri Clinic held by Steve Vaughan.

I couldn't stop looking at that new TREK!

After the clinic, I stopped by Starbucks for pre-swim snack. I had a fruit/nut bar, a banana, and a tall soy latte. That fueled me up for my 3000yd swim. Quite the day!