{"id":464,"date":"2014-07-08T13:26:00","date_gmt":"2014-07-08T17:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mikaelstaer.com\/clients\/cbeals\/dev\/?p=464"},"modified":"2015-06-09T07:14:45","modified_gmt":"2015-06-09T11:14:45","slug":"race-report-challenge-st-andrews-half","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mikaelstaer.com\/clients\/cbeals\/dev\/2014\/07\/race-report-challenge-st-andrews-half\/","title":{"rendered":"Race Report: Challenge St. Andrews Half, 2nd"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before describing my race at Challenge St. Andrews<\/a>, I would like to highlight a far more impressive performance that took place at this event. This performance occurred both on and off the race course; in the months, weeks and days prior to the race; and it involved a passionate team of people with an entire community rallying behind them. I’m referring of course to the masterful display of event management and the tireless work of the volunteers that pulled off this world class event mere hours after Hurricane Arthur rolled through. Twelve hours before the start, the power was still out, the course was in shambles, and athletes were preparing for disappointment. Yet somehow we awoke to a clear course, perfect weather and an electric race atmosphere.<\/p>\n

My own performance was also not without mishaps. Even so, I walked away with my best result and biggest payday of my young pro career, as well as a good lesson. Full result are here<\/a>\u00a0and read on for a race report punctuated as usual by some funny animal Vines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Out-sprinting some children. I’ve since been informed that forgetting to zip up your jersey is a faux pas in\u00a0pro racing. Oh well, at least I didn’t have saggy sponge boobs\u00a0\u00e0 la Macca<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Swim – 1.9 km<\/b><\/h2>\n

My confidence and consistency in the water is at an all-time high thanks to the direction of\u00a0Magnolia Masters<\/a>. One insight gained from Swim Coach Tim is that swimming does not require a significant taper leading into a triathlon, quite unlike running and cycling. In fact, the weeks prior to\u00a0Syracuse 70.3<\/a>\u00a0and Challenge St. Andrews have featured my highest quality swimming ever, followed by no coincidence by my two best half distance swims (24:40 and 24:50).<\/p>\n

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The swim in Katy’s Cove. That\u00a0stand up paddleboarder is none other than Canadian Olympian and double triathlon medalist Simon Whitfield. What an honour!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The swim took place in a small, sheltered, saltwater cove. Miraculously, the water temperature dropped from 27\u00b0C to 18\u00b0C over the 48 hours before the race which, to my great relief, allowed me to use my\u00a0Nineteen Rogue<\/a>. In the future, I will come prepared for a non-wetsuit swim.<\/p>\n

With a small pro field, the swim start wasn’t as chaotic as usual, although my sprinting remains a work in progress:<\/p>\n