QC Triathlon Recap

West Lake Park - Davenport, IA
600 yard swim, 15 mile bike, 3.1 mile run

Prerace:
I had to pick up a rookie first thing, and to his credit, he was ready to Roll at precisely 5:30, just as planned. It's always nice to start things off on the right foot. The great thing about this race is that it's in Davenport. No more 6 hour drives, staying in hotels or being disturbed by cops at 4:00am when you're sleeping in the back of a van. No sir, there is something to be said for sleeping in your own bed. The rookie and I went out west of town to park at the third member of our tri-club, Fortune & Glory. All three of us rode our bikes a grueling one-half mile to the park and got our bodies marked and our transition areas set up. There's always a few SNAFU's. One of us forgot our bike shoes, I didn't bring a phone, and I forgot to bring a Gatorade. After a stranger allowed us some phone usage, all things were righted. It has taken me 11 triathlons to learn this: it is a good idea to use the bathroom BEFORE you get to the race. Finding 25 minutes to stand in line can be a logistical nightmare. Made it with time to spare. Crisis's spared thus far: 2.

The Swim:
The QC Triathlon employed a new starting concept this year, one that I had never had the pleasure of experiencing: a time trial start. This works by people lining up by there estimated swim time, with the fastest going first. People would leave one person at a time, every 3 seconds, from the first person to the last. They had various times posted on chairs and we all organized ourselves accordingly. I figured (generously) that I would do the swim in about 10 minutes flat, so logically I stood right at the sign marked "10 minutes and under". Duh, right? After watching the Elites seemingly swim on top of the water, I was suddenly dangerously close to beginning. I turned and asked the guy next to me what he anticipated for his time. He said "around nine". Panic time. I stood there waving people by until finally I figured it was now or never. I leapt in like it was my job and started after it. The lake was actually quite warm, I want to say in the low 80's, which is unheard of this time of year. If I had my druthers, I'd have it in the mid-70's, but I guess 82 is better than 62. I tried to keep an even pace throughout, and it was nice not to be kicked or grabbed at the start of the race for once. The only part I dislike is the long, uphill run that starts after you leave the lake, and it counts as your time. My official swim time: 10:50.

The Bike:
Going into the race, my buddy and I who did the race last year knew this would be a better bike portion today. Gone was the stiff wind from the south that created havoc at the bike turnaround. 4 miles of gentle incline into a stiff breeze is no picnic, let me tell you. Race day conditions were such that wind was no factor. When I got on my bike to leave, a racer in front of me committed a cardinal sin. He left his bike geared on the small rings, which means it's VERY hard to pedal at a slow speed. He learned the hard way when he snapped his pedals in and then fell to the pavement right in front of me. I narrowly avoided running over his arm. And you thought triathlons were tame? Shame on you. After leaving the park and getting on the main roads, I was resigned to my fate as a slightly above-average swimmer: all of the powerful cyclists "reel in the fish" and blow by me with a seemingly effortless pedal stroke. I just keep telling myself, "Ride YOUR race. Ride YOUR race." The legs were getting a good workout and I managed to better my bike time from last year, all with a grimace on my face. (I have no idea that I do this, but everyone that I know comments on this. It must be like sticking out your tongue when you hammer a nail or play basketball?) My official bike time: 50:56 with a 17.7mph average. Darn you, 18.0! Why can I never achieve you?!?!

The Run:
I'll say it again: if running were my job, I'd gladly take the unemployment. Total and utter exhaustion + heat and humidity = Nick struggling. The first 3/4 of a mile are "cross country", meaning all on grass or through the woods. In the open air it wasn't so bad, but entering the forest was like running in a sauna. It would have been so easy to walk in the woods. It was hot, the air was stale and humid, there was no one that could see you. One of my main goals beyond finishing is to not walk. Somehow I fought through the panting and oxygen debt to get out of the woods in one piece and on my feet running. It was a bit better out in the open air, and I actually got a little protection from the oppressive sun when a few clouds came by. The QC Triathlon has a great feature on the run: water stations with ice cold sponges. These are truly lifesavers, the gift that keeps on giving. They got me to the finish line, albeit two minutes slower than last year. My official run time: 31:19

My overall time was 1:36:17, you can view all of the results here. Even though it was a bit slower than last year, I still had a blast and can't wait to do it again next year. Thanks to everyone who came out to cheer us all on and thanks to all of you for the calls, emails, and text messages. They all help, we all can attest to that! Stay tuned, I'll get some pictures posted soon, and I'll have the amount of money raised so far. Thank you all VERY much for all your help!

Nick Swanson

P.S. A big "hurrah" to my swim coach, Jen Foley, for taking first place by a nail-biting TWO seconds. Way to go, Jen!! I heard she attributed the success to our Triathlon Club, Fortune and Glory, but I cannot confirm that as of yet. I guess you could say we're just a champion mill. We crank them out one after another...as long as it's Jen every time!

Here's a nice write-up courtesy of The Quad City Times. They even have some video posted. Somehow I managed to elude to the throng of reporters and photographers.

Next up: Big Creek Triathlon in August. Keep checking back at the progress.