Race Result: 2012 Iron Kids Rochester Triathlon

Event: 2012 Iron Kids Rochester Triathlon (USAT)
Date: Saturday, July 21 2012
Location: Rochester Athletic Club; Rochester, MN
Weather: 70F, overcast with drizzle
Official Results: 2012 Iron Kids Waterloo Overall Results; Male 12 year old Results

Podium Boy's Personal Results Actual: 51:58
Overall: 14th overall in Senior Division (12-15 yo; 49 total); 10th overall in Senior Males (12-15 yo; 27 total); 3rd in 12 yo AG (10 total)

Rock on Team Gear West!

Here is what I've been telling Podium Boy lately. "You are at the age where every morning you wake up faster, stronger, bigger. You don't even have to do anything to get faster. Just wake up to a new day!"

I, on the other hand, wake up to another body part falling apart. Thank God, I have this kid to keep me sane this year with all that I have going on from an overloaded work schedule due to a recent merger to a tibial stress fracture that is keeping me from competing this season. From winning races in 2011 to the bench.

Of course, Podium Boy is not just laying around waiting to improve. He has his swim team, and his tremendous swim coaches in Tom Franke and Justin Zook. Justin, BTW, will be competing in London to try and repeat his world record setting performance and gold medal won in the 100 meter backstroke while competing at the Paralympic Games in Beijing, China in 2008.

Podium Boy has also been training for the upcoming Wayzata boys Cross Country season, which will be his first. Can he follow in Dad's footsteps and win a couple of state team titles (Jamestown, NoDak in '77 and '78)? Time will tell. All I know, his running has been on fire this year. We're talking huge leaps in difference from 2011. And his form.....well, watch the video further on below.

He continues to evolve on the bike. This has been the first summer on a true road bike and its been coming along. He's learning. He is listening. And that's all I am asking for at this point. This was a technical course. Lots and lots of turning. And get this: At one turn-around the kids were made to DISMOUNT completely. So, if the bike times seem slow, imagine four laps in which you had to dismount each time, then get back on your bike and get up to speed again.

And while his transitions at IK Waterloo where ultra-smooth, his transitions here left something to be desired. More specifics below. Lessons learned. All good.

So, let's get into the short summary. Unofficial time is per my own stop-watch as follows:

• Swim Start to Swim Finish
• Swim Finish to Bike Out
• Bike Out to Bike In
• Bike In to Run Out
• Run Out to Finish

For whatever reason, Iron Kids does not time transitions. This is a puzzler. We're talking an extra mat at Swim Exit and an extra mat at Run Out. Not a big deal. So, that's why I am listing the unofficial times to give the reader a better sense for his actual times. And because his swim coaches would not be happy if I were to say he swam a 7:32 300!!

Swim - 300 yards (pool swim)

Unofficial Time - 4:35
Official Time - 7:32 (pool plus transition); 2nd in AG (10 total); 24th overall (49 total)

This was a pool swim. And a new twist for Podium Boy. I have experienced a time-trail start that evolves into a serpentine swim on a few occasions. Rather nice, to tell the truth. So during warm-ups I had him practice flips turns and going under the lane rope to get used to it. He did fine. Little congested at one point and he had to break stroke, but he did well.

Podium Boy gets in his warm-up

It was what I would term a satisfactory swim. We are working on him using his core and upper body strength and saving his legs. This was a new concept for him as in swim meets he is told to kick like his life depended on it. As result, the 'easier' kicking reflected in his time as he was a bit slower than expected. Still, very pleased.

T1

Unofficial Time - 2:12

It was a good 120-yards to transition, if not more. Exit the building and go up a switchback sidewalk. Of all five elements in this event, this was his worst. He struggled with various things, like buckling the helmet, that he had working like clockwork just two weeks ago.

We're going to go to elastic laces. Been trying to talk him into it but he doesn't like the way they feel. But he is losing too much time lacing up his shoes. So this WILL change.

Bike - 8 miles

Unofficial Time- 30:42 (15.78 MPH)
Official Time - 30:35; 3rd in AG (10 total); 15th overall (49 total)

This course was far too technical for these kids. Many tight turns. Apparently one turn was so tight that each ride was told to dismount completely from their bike and then run around a cone. For each of the four circuits. So, if the bike speeds seem slow...keep this in mind. In addition, a light rain started as they finished the first of four bike loops.

I had stressed all week that with this many turns he need to be constantly shifting. He said he did, but I know he was riding too big a gear. Way too big. So, I was pretty much telling him to 'gear up' each time he went by. Meaning to get into a higher cadence. This will eventually sink in. Given that his bike split was right there with the age group leaders, we can call this a decent bike effort.

T2

Unofficial Time - 0:35

This was pretty clean other than over shooting his rack spot. Hey, we've all done this. And then it was the run. For some reason, I had a feeling he was going to bust one. And he did.
Run - 2 miles

Unofficial Time - 13:07 (6:34 pace)
Official Time - 13:52 (transition 2 + run); 5th in AG (10 total); 9th overall (49 total)

Podium Boy's form, as mentioned before, has really improved. He actually looks like a runner now. Last year, his form was all over. Like a big long-armed ape slapping big feet on the ground. Something happened. Something clicked. Maybe a summer full of mileage was all that was needed. And I'm not talking a future Steve Prefontaine here, just a good solid runner that will be running well against his Old Man in future road races.

So, when he came through on his first mile split at 6:30, I had to take a double look at the watch. And when his pace was speeding up on the second lap, I knew he was having a great run.

And here is that video I promised. Just a few seconds of his form at the end, but compared to this point last year he has finally evolved into a runner.

 Awards

Well, they certainly excel at this for the Iron Kids events. Wonderful awards and presentation for the kids. First class all the way.

For those not familiar, there are three divisions:

• Junior: Ages 6-8 (50 yard swim/2 mile bike/500 yard run)
• Intermediate: Ages 9-11 (150 yard swim/4 mile bike/1 mile run)
• Senior: 12-15 (300 yard swim/8 mile bike/2 mile run)

The top three athletes within each age category (e.g., 6 year-old females, 9 year-old boys, etc.), receive a placement trophy. The top five athletes within each age category receive an official Hy-Vee IronKids US Championship presented by Dole Qualification packet. And they also received a very nice technical T-shirt to show they are national qualifiers. (And the goody bag was pretty good as well).

So, Podium Boy's age group was won by a young man from Thunder Bay, ON Canada. This was interesting since our swim team swam up there over Memorial Day weekend. Glad to see so many kids coming from all over for these great events.

This makes three third place finishes in three races in tri's this year for Podium Boy. I told him not to get use to being on the podium, that each race is tough. So he is to cherish each  time.
Up Next

Toying with these events, nothing concrete yet:

» July 28, 2012 - Hy-Vee IronKids Cedar Rapids
» August 4, 2012 - Hy-Vee IronKids Dubuque
» August 25, 2012 - Hy-vee IronKids Madison

For sure, the big one:

» September 1, 2012 - Hy-Vee IronKids National Championship - Des Moines