This past weekend marked my fourth time racing in the US Elite National Championship and also my third year in a row racing in Tuscaloosa, AL. I have lots of good memories from Tuscaloosa including winning the Collegiate National Championship in 2007. This year was a bit different in that I got to race on the draft legal course similar to the one used for last year’s Olympic Trials race.
I raced decently but wouldn’t call it an amazing performance by any means. I certainly redeemed myself for coming out of the swim in fourth to last place in the London WCS the weekend prior. In fact, I came out in the second group, 25 seconds down on former University of Florida swimmer (also fellow graduate of UF c/o 2008) Dustin McLarty. I was in great position.
Out onto the bike a small problem arose when my shoe strap came undone and I couldn’t strap my shoe on my left foot. It was very bad timing and I was summarily dropped by Matt Chrabot and Tim O’Donnell on our first time up the major hill on the course. After fixing my shoe I hopped onto the Matt Reed/Mark Fretta train and quickly found myself back in the front group. Chrabot and Brian Fleischmann attacked on the last lap and got a 25 second lead going into the run. I figured that 25 seconds was not going to be too much to make up on Chrabot on the run…but I was wrong.
Out onto the run I realized after 2.5K that I my running legs weren’t all there. I held onto 5th place, my highest finish ever at an Elite Nationals. Also, I got third in USAT’s 2012 Race Series. Anyways, here are some pics:
Heading down to the swim start.
A lot of fast swimmers choosing the wrong side of the pontoon! We were on the other side – closer to the shore with less current.
We got out to a fast start from the right side. Dustin McLarty is at the top of the picture and Kyle Leto, Nick Vandam, Chrabot and me are at the bottom. Dustin tried to lead people out into the current but nobody followed him. So he cut over closer to the shore – pretty much swimming circles around us.
Exiting the water: O’Donnell, Brown, Leto, Me and Chrabot.
The lead group of 8 on the bike.
Onto the run…
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