"Best of Eight Triathlon" in
Chile (cont.)
In my mental preparation, I figure the best
way for me to win the race is to have a five second lead
out of the swim and use that gap to lap the field in the
Velodrome, which is equivalent to 25-30 seconds. I want
to get away before the inevitable pack forms and
breakaways are less successful. Ideally, I want to have
a two-lap lead so that I’ll have a comfortable run.
The race site is equivalent to the Olympic Training Center
in Colorado Springs. The Velodrome is 600 meters from the
pool and the track is just 400 meters from the Velodrome.
The spectators will get a workout running from site to site.
The water temperature is a chilly 64 degrees because fresh
water was pumped into the pool two days before the race.
I don't have the swim I want, and Rosas, as well as Bruno
Gagliardi, from Brazil, exit with me. Already my race plan
is blown to shreds because I ‘m not able to get the
five-second gap. But this is what visualization is for -
a change in plans.
I hammer the 500 meters to the Velodrome and Rosas and
Gagliardi are still on my wheel. I know the entrance to
the Velodrome has a couple of tricky turns to the right.
I figure since my right side is still raw from my bike crash
at world's, I have nothing to lose. The aggressive turns
work and I get a gap going into the 36 laps around the Velodrome.
After 13 laps, I lap everyone at least once as a pack of
nine forms. My race strategy is working.
The pack didn't last long as Jasper Blake from Canada
makes a break. Victor Clivio from Argentina goes with him.
I decide to join them, but Rosas also joins the group. I
want to dump him from the group so I go high on one of the
turns and he doesn't follow. Going high takes a little more
effort, but you can use the downhill momentum to blow by
competitors. It works and by the end of the bike, I am one
and a half laps up on second place Rosas.
As I run to the track, I feel like I’m in the middle
of a stampede as spectators run to the track alongside me.
The advantage -or disadvantage- of being on a 400-meter
track is that you can always see the competition. As I enter
the track, I tell myself that I only have 13 minutes left
in the season, so don't blow it. I have a 300-meter lead
over Rosas, and over the course of the 10 laps, he only
takes five seconds out of my run time. I cross the line
victorious with a $2,500 prize. Rosas takes second and $1,000
and Grez blisters the run to receive the $500 third place
award.
I leave Santiago that night on a12:45 AM flight to Dallas,
with a final destination to Denver. I don't sleep well on
planes.
Results:
1st Wes Hobson (USA) 39:16
2nd Javier Rosas (MEX) 39:59
3rd Juan Pablo Grez (CHI) 40:40
4th Victor Clivio (ARG) 40:55
5th Bruno Gagliardi (BRA) 41:12
6th Jasper Blake (CAN) 41:30
7th Carlos Cremaschi (CHI) 42:11
8th Edwin Vargas (COL) 42:17
9th Matias Opitz (CHI) 43:10
End
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