There Are No 'B Priority' Races.

Just a few more thoughts about Saturday's race (and then I'll stop gloating about it).  According to the Triathlete's Training Bible, there should be only 1 or 2 "A Priority" races per year.  While it is useful to regularly test your progress, and although a race is the perfect for periodic testing (and practice with transitions), anything other than an "A Priority" race should not be run at full speed.

I respectfully disagree.  There is no such thing as a "B Priority" or a "C Priority" race.  There are no limited efforts when I have a timing chip on my ankle.  Race day is race day for me.  It doesn't matter if I'm running in a 5K charity "fun run" in a silly costume or a Half-Ironman.  So although the Rumpus was supposed to be a "B Priority" on my Ironman schedule, I ran it like my life depended on it.  Even the last mile, when I knew I was beating my PR by over 20 minutes, I still sprinted like a maniac.  (It helped that I could see several people in my age group in front of me.)

As for the official times and distances, on further research, it appears that the bike course was less than 1/2 mile off the previous bike course, and the run course was much more difficult.  I hate not being able to compare races on the same course, but as far as Personal Records go, I'll claim the 2:26.  If the course was not long enough to the inch, that's not my problem. 

I'm always torn about whether proofs of photographs taken on the course (and emailed to me) are fair game for reproduction online.  I know that the people taking the photos, sorting them according to number, and sending advertisements for them must make a living, and I think it is unfair to use the images they create without paying for them.  In the past, I have tried to post only those photos that I have purchased, but they are so expensive that it is a rarity. 

So I'm exploring a new policy.  Since low-resolution proofs are sent to racers, and are available online for anyone to view, for the purpose of selling an actual print, I will post a few awesome photos below that you should buy on their website.  Yes, I'm re-posting these photos below only as an advertisement for the fine services of Tricycle Studios (please forgive them for such a lame name).  Copies can be purchased here.  I haven't decided which photos I will buy yet, but I'll give you one guess which photo is my favorite.