When looking for the next Triathlon challenge, I came across the Malibu Triathlon in Malibu California, which is usually studded with movie and tv stars like Matthew McConnaughey and the like. I thought that it would be awesome to be able to race with some of these people and really have a good tIke in a race. Unfortunately, that race gets sold out almost immediately because of the star factor. I can't remember if it was me or Renee that found another Tri in California on July 17th not too far from Malibu called the Strawberry Fields Triathlon in Oxnard, California. It was a beach Tri in the ocean, something that was another new challenge for us. Coincidently, there was a kids triathlon the day before on July 16th just 30 miles north in Santa Barbara. We thought that would be the perfect weekend. a Tri on Saturday for the kids and one on Sunday for us, so we signed up.
I had been all up and down the California coastline from San Diego up to San Francisco, but I couldn't recall being in Oxnard before. Renee and I had stayed in Santa Barbara for a night 5 years ago and it was gorgeous. A little upscale beach community with art stores and chic shops. We liked it. I couldn't have told you a thing about Oxnard though and it was near there. As a matter of fact you have to drive through Oxnard to get to Santa Barbara.
When the weekend got here we were ready for the races. The kids had been practicing on their bikes and their swimming. They had been taking swimming lessons all summer at the aquatic center and had improved dramatically. They had motocross type bikes though, so the bike portion could have been a problem if there were any hills, but on such a short race it shouldn't have mattered. They had to start in the pool at a high school and they swam 150 meters (the same distance and Renee and I swam in our first adult race in Pasadena). Then they ran about 50 yards to their transition area and rode for about 2 miles around the area and then ran from the transition to the finish line, which was on the track at the school.
The boys did very well. Ryan ended up with the better time in this race, but only by about 10 seconds, after Justin beat him at a club race earlier in the summer.
We found a nice little mom and pop Italian restaurant for the pasta dinner and went to the race expo, which was outside at the transition area for the race. The scene was beautiful. The water looked good, a little wavey, but not bad for the ocean. There might have been 3-4 foot surf at that time. Looking at the course, after the swim we would have to run in the sand uphill from the beach and then about 200 yards to the transition area. Running in Soft sand is not easy, especially after a draining ocean swim. The bike course wound around a marina and some farms that grew strawberries, which made the race name make a lot of sense! The run course went along the water front and down a side street and then back to the transition area for the finish. All in all it looked like a good course.
When we got up the next morning we got to the parking area so early that we were the first ones there. I hate being late to anything. Once I get to the site I can relax, but making sure I get there in time to find a parking space is the most tense part of the day. We walked our gear to the transition and got all set up and before you knew it the sun was up and the place was packed. We made our way down to the water in our wetsuits and got the safety briefing from the event staff. The waves were small, but about 2-3 feet. We got in for a little bit and got a real quick dose of reality! The ocean was just a wee bit harder than the lake! Fighting the constant incoming waves heading to the first buoy was going to suck! The whole swim was only going to be 400 yards, but the waves and the current were going to cause a problem.
My wave hit the water after the elites. It was hard at first wading into the surf, then finding the right time to start swimming through the waves, which quickly seemed more than 2-3 feet. It was like a seal colony hit the water with all the black wetsuits and the splashing. The water wasn't as cold as I expected and the only problem I had was gagging on the salt water. I got to the first buoy quicker than I thought I would, but after that I had to roll over and backstroke a while between buoys. It was hard to keep sighted in the waves and stay on course to the second buoy. After I passed it I thought the swim back to shore would be easier, but I kept getting pulled backward in the lull between the waves heading to shore. I ended up on shore at the 17 minute mark. Tiredly I walked out of the water and started running up the soft sand to the top of the beach and through the dunes to the transition area. I started to strip the wetsuit as I got closer to the transition and had it nearly off when I got to the bike.
The bike leg was a good ride. Flat for the most part, with two insignificant hills. I finished that in 35 minutes, my best time on the bike thus far for that distance.
I transitioned to the run easily, but I had put a lot of energy into the bike. I was winded, but not too badly. The heat was starting to zap my energy too, so I drank some electrolytes and chomped a quick energy bar as I started out of the area. I was a little sluggish on the first part of the run and by the halfway point I had settled into a steady pace. I was happy to get to within a couple hundred yards and I started my kick. I finished strong in a sprint across the finish at 1:31. I was happy with that time. I stuck around and waited for Renee to finish. I knew she'd be hurting because of her knee and she came in strong at around 1:50.
The race itself was a good race. I liked the atmosphere and the beach setting. I learned that the difference between a lake and the ocean is as vast as the difference between the pool and the lake. I would be way more comfortable swimming in the lake from now on, that's for sure! I gained confidence in my bike as well, turning in a PR time on that. The weather was perfect and the course was a good one too. I will be doing this one again next year if I can't get into the Malibu Tri.
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