Tom continues his good form in North America with 2nd place in Muskoka, Canada
This morning I turned out a good result. I did not wake up feeling top of the world, nor was the race fluid. It was graft but it paid off.
This week between the Life Time Fitness Tri in Minneapolis and Muskoka 5150, I was in Buffalo recovering in the earlier stages of the week then training well in the latter stages. My friends Kristie and Brandon have been awesome having me stay in Buffalo, and I tell you what its not a bad training ground. The race in Canada was only a 5 hour drive up, very handy.
The swim was non-wetsuit, 1500m starting in a small lake, then finding our way up a river to the exit. I managed to hang on to the lead bunch for longer than usual, and then exited the water in 6th place in a time of 21.58, 1min 30 down the lead few.
The bike was a hilly (440 vertical metres of climbing) out and back 40km course. I had decided to give the Vision TriMax Disc wheel a rest for the weekend, instead I sharpened my small front chain ring and the 25-11 cluster on my rear Vision TriMax 88mm tubby, this would surely help jumping up these hills. I did feel a tad uncomfortable despite posting the fastest bike split of 59.07. I think the thing that made it the worst aspect on the day was guys who I passed, usually I wound drop instantly and maybe even put a minute plus on. However, today they managed to hold my wheel and one passed me back a few times, which rattled me a bit. Maybe the three weeks racing in a row are taking their toll. But I am pleased I spat out the fastest bike split. I rolled in on my EMC Fluid TT bike in 2nd place with two boys hot on my heels, 1.30 down on one solo leader, the local favorite Sean Bechtel.
Sadly the end of the bike meant the end of my time in my awesome new Rudy Project Wingspan Aero Helmet supplied by my new North American based sponsor Rudy Project, which is also fully equipped with a mint visor supplied by none other than NZ first time Olympian and track cycling sensation, the 'Hunter of Hoy' and all round good guy Simon 'Rhino' Van Velthooven. Fortunately I was able to chuck on some bright Rudy Project Sunnies to look fly for the up coming 10km.
The pace was hot as I had a man up the road to drag in. The other two had the same idea. One cooked himself too soon, the other was none other than the infamous Csaba 'Old Old Wooden Ship' Kuttor, three times Hungarian Olympic Triathlon representative and long time competitor on the ITU World Cup scene. The run 2x 5km was hilly. I'll tell you this much is true; there is no ground flat enough in Canada to stand a bottle of suds unsupported with out it falling over, this run course was typical of that conclusive finding. Csaba Kuttor ran down the local at 4.5km, myself a kilometre later. Csaba had 30seconds on me at this stage, a distance he would hold onto until the line, we continued to move away fromt he rest of the field until we had both finished. I posted 3rd fastest run of 35.01. Old Old Wooden Ship ran 34.19.
The 37 year-old Hungarian beat me by 30 seconds posting 1.56.41. I rolled in striding out my swanky blue ASICS DS Racers in a time of 1.57.11. Not a bad little result for a mongrel course like that.
Thanks to all my sponsors and supporters, a good result for us all. My next race is next weekend in Columbus, Ohio. Another 5150 race. A shout out should also go to my coach Shane Reed, we have got a good thing going, and with out him I would be in Wanganui freezing my buttocks off, probably stirring large vats of dog food. More to come.
Keep well Ya'all,
Tom Francis
www.tomfrancis.co.nz |
