It’s been 25 months since my last race due to major injuries and then COVID-19. My major injuries included being paralyzed after a driver hit me on my bike while training for a race in 2019. It felt good to be back on the race course. Leading up to the Daybreak triathlon, I was training but only for races much farther in the future.
When I approached my coach about doing a tri soon he mentioned the Daybreak triathlon. I registered that night. Then I got back to work training. I trained for about 12 hours a week which means I had to dedicate close to 25 hours a week due to challenges I face being a paraplegic. I pushed (ran) 2-3 times a week, swam twice a week and biked 3-4 times a week.
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This was my first race as a para triathlete. A para triathlete is someone who has some type of disability that requires adaptations to their equipment or way of racing. Not only was this my first race as a para, I was the only wheelchair athlete in the race. I should note there was one more para triathlete racing. He was blind and had his guide with him.
The Daybreak tri was well organized and was an overall great event. One thing I noticed immediately on both the run and bike courses was how well they had marked the course. It was impossible to miss a turn because there were people to direct as well as signs. I’ve done some races where that is not the case. In those races if you don’t know the course you can easily get off course.
As a wheelchair athlete I’m allowed certain accommodations like people to help me get out of the water and help in transitions. For this race I had my dad and brother helping me as well as my coach [Andrew Stasinos]. At the start they helped me onto the dock and getting my equipment on my legs to keep my legs from flopping all over. As I finished the swim they helped get the wetsuit off and lifted me into my wheelchair then helped me situate on my hand cycle.
Because I can’t walk, I was able to ride my bike in the transition area both in and out. The bike course was tough for the first 6 miles on a hand cycle. It was up hill and even the false flats were a grind. Imagine only being able to use your arms to ride your bike up a hill. For me that’s a reality. Hills cause me to go really slow. Slow enough that a child could probably pass me going uphill. There were some hill segments where I pushed more than 2x my FTP.
Maybe this means I just need to get stronger on the bike so I can ride faster. A small segment of road also had a few large potholes. Thankfully these were well marked with spray paint so racers could avoid them. The second half of the bike was amazing! Because a hand cycle is very aerodynamic I was able to cruise the last several miles of the race. Uphill always hurts more than downhill helps. I was able to get some of my time back but not all of it.
The run starts with a few stairs and then about 100 yards on grass. From there it winds along a beautiful bike path around the lake. It twists and turns what felt like every 20 feet. For someone who uses a racing wheelchair for this section it made it very technical as I cannot propel myself forward and steer at the same time.
So I had to work out how to best navigate the run. The few spots I could get pushing hard were short lived as they usually came to an end with a sharp turn.
Notwithstanding the challenges of trying to push forward and steer or steer while going up a hill on a curve, I enjoyed the course. For the normal athlete, a trail like this is ideal for racing. The scenery with the beautiful homes and the lake are a great distraction from the pain of pushing as hard as you can.
The run finished with a run off the bike path on to grass down a small hill. Grass is not friendly to wheelchairs so I slowed almost to a stop as I finished but I was able to push through the finish line.
The finish line was small and simple but provided space for the athletes and their supporters to gather all in the same area which is not common in big races. Usually big races have an athletes only finish area and supporters have to wait outside that area. By allowing supporters wherever they want beyond the finish line it made it easier to find your group and stay with them. For me it was the best part of my race seeing my family and friends at the finish line.
When I got to the finish line I just collapsed and cried. Many times throughout the race I thought of my dreams and goals and how this was the race to put me back on track to reach them. I cried several times during race just thinking about it. When I finished it was the exclamation point on the first step to reaching my goals. It was very emotional in a great way.
As a wheelchair athlete racing is a different experience. It is also the same experience. It’s different because of how you compete and your expectations have to change. It’s the same because of the adrenaline and race day feel. Those things that made me want to race as an able bodied athlete are the same that make me want to compete as a challenged athlete. The difference now is how I complete the race.
*****Below is the 2021 UTCS lineup! Check out this post if you need a refresher on how it all works. Thank you Trent Perry for being the title sponsor of the Series!*****
Below are links to all the races in the 2021 Championship Series:
POPULAR LINKS
UTAH TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES 2021 --> HERE
LATEST AGE GROUP RANKINGS --> HERE
CHAMPIONSHIP BELT HOLDERS --> HERE
MOST IMPROVED TRIATHLETES --> HERE
TOP LOCAL RACER AWARDS --> HERE
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2020 --> HERE
IMSG "COUNTY COMPETITION" (MAY BE REVIVED) --> HERE
UTAH TRIATHLON HISTORY 101 --> HERE
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Local triathlete Steve Monson has a stellar reputation
as one of Utah's finest financial advisors
We started a Patreon account (link below) with the hope of raising a few bucks towards awards & swag for athletes of all abilities in our tri community. We've given out a lot over the past 3 years, but would like to continue to expand our offerings & the volume we can do.
If you enjoy Utah Tri Buzz and would like to pitch in, any amount would be greatly appreciated... (there may be something in it for you as well!)
We're also always grateful for talented people who contribute in terms of time... let us know if you'd like to be part of the Utah Tri Buzz team.
HISTORICAL U.T.B.
"BELT HOLDERS"
Interviews
Clydesdale to Thoroughbred: Interview with Nate Cook
Kona Profiles 2019: Jake the Pepper Snake Barnes
Kona Profiles 2019: Liis "The Beast" Rametta
Kona Profiles 2019: Laura Yost [Still the] Host with the Most
Kona Profiles 2019: Brice "Heat & Hills" Williams
Kona Profiles 2019: Gentry Yost, Still Hustlin!
Kona Profiles 2019: Randall the Mandall Steinfeldt
Kona Profiles 2019: Nate the Great Zarlengo
Not Afraid of a Challenge: Interview with Ian Gerritsen
Kona Profiles 2019: Jake the Pepper Snake Barnes
Kona Profiles 2019: Liis "The Beast" Rametta
Kona Profiles 2019: Laura Yost [Still the] Host with the Most
Kona Profiles 2019: Brice "Heat & Hills" Williams
Kona Profiles 2019: Gentry Yost, Still Hustlin!
Kona Profiles 2019: Randall the Mandall Steinfeldt
Kona Profiles 2019: Nate the Great Zarlengo
Not Afraid of a Challenge: Interview with Ian Gerritsen
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