During my run warm up I still didn't feel great. Travis and I ran 1 loop of the run as it was a 2 loop course. While doing some stretching and setting up my transition I had a sort placid almost lethargic feeling. I still had a slight head ache and was really starting to get concerned about how I would be able to perform. There were a lot of fit looking juniors riding some pretty nice bikes and those pre-race doubts began to creep in. However I knew that I was in good shape and I kept telling myself that the training and fitness was there regardless of how I felt at the moment.
With 20 minutes to race start I put on my wetsuit and jumped into the water. A little chilly at first but nice once you got going. Swim warm up went well and I kept telling myself that all I needed to do was race hard for 1 hr and clinch my worlds spot.
For the start that had about 100 of us backed up against this little small pontoon, treading water, feet in faces, rubbing shoulders. The first turn bouy was about 100m out and slighly to the right of the start so I positioned myself in the middle while all the big guns jostled for position on the right. I was in the middle at the front hoping that I wouldn't get mauled 50m into the swim. At the word "GO!" I took off at about 98% hoping to stay clear of the pack of animals coming after me. Just like I hoped the fast guys went by on the right and I then slid over to get behind them. I was swimming hard but I couldn't quite latch onto the back of the pack and spent the whole swimming by myself or drafting off of the odd swimmer before they wandered off course. Coming out of the water I hoped my swim was good as I had been able to swim a hard pace the whole time.
T1 was fast (As usual) and out on the bike I started passing some of the juniors. At the turnaround I knew I was in 6th spot but couldn't tell how many of the in front were from my age group or not. Me and another guy had been passing each other back and forth for the first stage of the bike but he eventually went and stayed in front then gradually pulled away on the last few miles. I just didn't quite have that extra "MMPPPH!" to step it up.
I had the fastest T2 of the day and headed out on the run feeling like crap. Thats normal though so I was confident my legs would come around. They didn't really, I just felt sort of "off" the whole race. About 300m from the finish another junior caught me and I tucked in behind him. Coming around the last turn we were both sprinting all out and I was able to beat him by 2 seconds. H--- YEAH!!
Travis won the junior race, I was second, and Alex got 3rd in the junior female race- we're all going to Vancouver!!!
Now I just have to figure out how to pay for this trip...
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