Turkey Tri @ Bonelli Park

I wrapped up my third triathlon season today with another great event at Bonelli Park. The day dawned very clear and comfortably warm - perfect conditions for the 700+ like-minded athletes who came to work off some of those holiday calories. This was a sprint event (1/2-mile swim, 14-mile ride, 4-mile run) managed by Renegade Racing from the south shore of the reservoir. This location is very familiar to me now, since the Bonelli series earlier in the year runs from the same locale. Renegade has a good thing going here. This is only the third Turkey Tri and each year attendance has more than doubled.

The water was a brisk 60 degrees or so and the swim was definitely longer than 1/2 mile - I'd guess closer to 1000 meters. I had a pleasantly strong swim and a fast ride (two loops around the park). I didn't know it at the time, but I must have started the run as the leader in the 50-54 division. I know this now, because three age-groupers passed me on the run and I finished fourth overall. This proved, once again, the run is my weak spot - perhaps accentuated by my lack of run training over the past two months, due to minor but nagging knee aches and pains. Today, though, the knees felt great in the new ASICS shoes I bought two weeks ago and I finished briskly in 01:41:38. Unlike past events, only 3 minutes separated the first four finishers. With a little more focus on the run training, I'm guessing I can be reliably in the medals next year.

But beyond the statistics and calculations, this was a really fun race! The views of snow-capped mountains to the north, mild temperatures and some great competitors all contributed to a great day on one of my favorite So. Cal. triathlon courses. All in all, another great race that had me full of energy on the drive home. In 4 days, I turn 50. Once again, I count my blessings of health and nearly year-round opportunities to compete in the great outdoors!