Munroe Falls Triathlon - Race Report

Munroe Falls Triathlon - Munroe Falls Metro Park
Munroe Falls, Ohio

The need for speed. Last years time at inaugural sprint race: 01:18:21. This years time even faster: 01:13:11. I knocked off 5 minutes. That's about 7 percent reduction in time. Happy about that fun fact. Focused the past 18 months on sports nutrition for endurance athletes. I attribute nutrition and New Vision indoor cycle training on fluid trainer throughout winter with the improvements. This years race conditions identical to last years: air temperature was 60 degrees, water temperature was 75 degrees and sky was sunny with light fog on surface of lake. Wetsuit was left at home for short 500 yard swim course. Wetsuit would have saved energy for the bike and run, but transition eats up any time savings. I felt decent on the swim - glad this years swim goggles have the gray lenses. Sun always blasts the eyes for early morning swims at this beautiful lake. Lake is infused with underwater springs, so there's warm and cold spots throughout. Transition went smoothly from swim to bike. 11 mile bike course is diverse - flats, hills, straight a ways and hairpin turns inside and outside the park. Recent hill training helped plenty during miles 3-6 of the bike course. Transition quick from bike to run. I felt tired from cycling for first half mile of 3 mile run. After that slight uphill for first half of lap 1 - the run course tapers downhill. My running groove was in gear. I really like the 250 downhill yards to finish line. Just like last year I flew by guys in my age group during this final stretch to finish line.