Ted's Post-race Recap

While there were no losers yesterday, there can be only one winner. Yes, you guessed it: I BeatDerek. For those of you following me on Twitter @BeatDerek, and enjoying the blog www.justbeatderek.blogspot.com, I appreciate your support. You were with me for part of the swim. I forgot about you during the bike, and hallucinated during most of the run, but you understand. Nevertheless, I couldn't have done this without your partial support.

First off, a few awards:

Sportsmanship Award

This goes to Derek. Despite three flats, he never got mad or broke anything. He wanted to. In fact, in a true display of graciousness, he accepted a spare tire tube from some old lady (Katie) who bonked at about the same place he got his flat.

Still Got Some In the Tank Award:

Derek. He sprinted the last 100 yards. I think he just wanted to appear strong and unfazed by the event at the end, when the crowd was looking. Who really sprints anything after all that? Apparently Derek. Me, I was running on fumes.

Cockiest Bastard Award:

Again, Derek. He challenged his three kids (one's only 5 weeks), to a pushup and situp contest AFTER the race. Like, look at me, I just did all that and now I'm gonna beat you little punks, too. Notice: he did not challenge me.

Generosity Award:

Mark Wolfson, for housing us at his pad in the Hamptons, wining and dining us the night before the race at World Pie in Bridgehampton, and allowing us full access to all food and beverages at his home.

A close second goes to Derek, as he shared (loaned) me a liquid sports gel.

It was a great day: weather was perfect, a little misty, wet, and foggy to start but not too hot. The water wasn't cold, but both Derek and I were of the less than 2% of people who didn't sport a tri-wetsuit. Apparently they make you buoyant and faster. We didn't need it. There were 1300 people competing, about 900 finished. We finished.

Highlights:

1. We stayed in a rather large house about 2 miles from the race. We biked in at 5:45am and Derek got a flat on the way in. The first of his three flats for the day

2. We fixed his flat, missed the pre-race meeting, but made it to the starting line w/ about 2 minutes to spare.

3. Despite 1000+ people in the water, I got kicked by no one. I may not have been so considerate.

4. I was 61st after the swim.

5. Given it was my first time on a true road bike, I wasn't expecting much but hoping for a sub 1:25 time for the 24 miles. Did it in 1:13, putting me at 227th.

6. One hour and two minutes put me 704th in the run. Just finishing it was an accomplishment given I didn't/don't run.

7. My overall time of 2 hours 47 minutes was under the goal of 3 hours, and more importantly enough to beat Derek. Derek did an approximate 2:55 when we subtract the 20 minutes he was delayed fixing the flat at mile 9 of the bike ride (a.k.a. taking a prolonged rest break with Katie).

8. We got to meet the race director, Victoria, who of course knew of Derek and I, as she had been receiving my emails for a couple of weeks. Despite her preoccupation with running the Tri, I could tell she was happy to meet and know the man that was emailing about all things related to Beating Derek.

Some of you know, I didn't go to be the night before the tri. Its true, although I don't recommend competing on no sleep, if you can't sleep because of say timezone, coffee, nerves, whatever, the best isn't to fight it and instead just email and text friends, raid the kitchen for chocolate chip cookies and gummy worms, and enjoy old episodes of The Wire. Worked for me.

Observations:

I inherently dislike triathletes. They're so healthy, so in shape, so conditioned. They talk of sports bars (not the fun kind), consume way too many supplements, and compare things like super-tight bike shorts and wicking socks.

The Hamptons is alright. Kinda boring, actually.

Derek is 30 pounds lighter than last time I saw him. Wow.

I will never run another race. Duathalon of swim/bike, sure. But no more running. Its just not good for you.

Conclusion:

Both of us are sore today, but like Michael Jordan once said, winning feels no pain. And in that light, despite an inability to crouch, lean over, or walk, I feel great.

You can see detailed results below, with times and standings broken down for the swim, bike, run, as well as for the two transitions (one between swim and bike, the second between bike and run):

http://results.active.com/pages/searchform.jsp?&rsID=83577&bib=389&queryType=arbitrary&page=1&numPerPage=25&posted_p=t&showCustom=true

Again, thanks to some of you for your partial support.

Ted

Might Hamptons Triathlete

"face your fears, live your dreams, and beat Derek