Update: Kansas City Corporate Challenge Traithlon

Note: I intended to post this on Thursday, June 16 but decided to wait for a photo to post with it.  Since I haven't gotten that photo yet, I'm not waiting any longer.  I will have my Topeka Tinman Triathlon Race Report up in the next day or so.

It can be satisfying when you put a lot of work into something and finally see some results, regardless of how arbitrary those results are.  Well, I got results on the KC Corporate Challenge Tri that just made my day.

I got 6th place in my Division/Age Group for the KC Corporate Challenge Triathlon!  

 
Now, a 6th place finish is definitely not podium worthy.  I didn't get some shiny medal or cash prize; however, the point of Corporate Challenge is to pit your company's employees against other like-sized companies' employees.  Each person who participates gets a point simply for finishing.  If you are one of the top 8 in the division and age group (AG), you get more points.  If you are in the top 3 of the division, you get even more.  Coming in 6th yielded an extra 3 points for my company.  So, yes.. I guess I did get a prize!

I don't consider myself that competitive in nature but of course I looked to see what it would have taken to even move up to fifth place.  I would need to shave off 98 seconds.  To have landed in 4th place?  117 seconds.  Yes... I do see why people spend many a dollar on equipment that will shave seconds off of their time.

So what can I do?

• Planning to more competitively line up for the swim.  I definitely was slowed trying to get around people or waiting for the traffic jam on the curves.
• Start looking at other options for tightening up shoe-laces and possibly going sans socks (for short distances).  Possibly a different style of running shoe.
• Better mounts on the bike.  Getting my feet in my shoes while on the bike seems daunting due to the style of shoe I have, I can at least be more efficient jumping on the bike for the mount.
• Hope that the Kansas City Corporate Challenge Triathlon is always on the same weekend as the Kansas Ironman 70.3.  I know multiple people who went to the IMKS that likely would have blown me out of the water/road/run.  My 6th place finish was out of 18 in my Division and Age Group.
• The whole improved training plan might help as well.  Especially if it includes speedwork.