July 15th Anthracite Jim Thorpe, PA popped over from Lake Mohawk in Sparta for a 90 minute drive to Carbon County Coal country. Small race but Mauch Chunk Lake is BEAUTIFUL!!
A small local race but well supported by the area and well staffed with volunteers. I know the course from last year and the bike course is up and down several monster hills.
About 150 folks line up in three waves for the one mile swim. For the first time ever I feel what it is like to draft and stay with some of the slower males under 40. I pop out in 33:58 minutes, a PR!! and am pleasantly surprised!! I am hitting form on the swim only losing a few minutes to my peers and lif only I could log a 34 minutes for a mile.in the 2.4 mile ultra coming up!! . the bike starts with a 1.5 mile climb straight up Summit Hill. I had practiced some climbs at home and am prepared passing some straggles, exit Summit Hill and then hit 49 mph shooting down to Lansdale, . . .OK not Tour de France like but very fast and scary as there is a traffic light and a sharp right turn at the bottom of the hill. I take a wide turn miss the oncoming cars and head back up the hills to the long run in to Jim Thorpe . . .On the downhills you can actually go as fast as you want and I top out around 46 mph and hold it which is a bit faster than the group I am with . .around a corner and up the wall which is a 10 degree hill for a half mile .. .
The Cervelo is an amazing machine and worth a couple of minutes per each ten miles. Finish strong on the bike in 1:24 better by 3 minutes last year’s race. About half of all bike splits very good for moi! Less than one minute transition to the 10 K run that takes you up the Switchback trail and I mean straight up!!. . .Stopped behind Mr. Tree to pee at mile 1 as I always do and then hit it. Run up the trail and have some kick picking off some folks and finish in the top 1/3 of everybody with a sub 50 minute 10K with the switchback trail hill. Time of 2:53 is 22 minutes better than last year!! Reunite with some friend racers from last year and head back to the lake by 2pm to catch a swim with the kids and the family.
Overall 35-39 Sw Place Time T1 Place Bike Place Split T2 Time Run
65/185 18/31 111 33:58 116 4:05 90 1:24:01 90 1:23 65 49:55 2:53:22
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