2024 Elk Lake Triathlon: Race Report
Victoria, BC, August 4th, 2024
Woke up at 5:00 AM to the sound of fog horns from a ship nearby in the harbour. It was still slightly dark, and despite clear weather, the horns kept sounding, setting a mellow tone as I went downstairs, had my breakfast of F2C 5:1 and peanut butter toast, and left for Elk Lake at 5:30 AM.
Arriving at Elk Lake, I found a close parking spot and set up my transition area. The announcement that the race would not be wetsuit legal was expected, but the fact that we could not wear speed suits unless we wore them for the entire race was unexpected. My new Wynn Tri suit has a history of unzipping during swims, but Kylie kindly found a safety pin to secure it.
There was no time for a warm-up swim as they were already calling people out of the water as I headed down to the start line. I took my coffee Gu gel before the start, as usual, and after a few announcements, it began!
Swim: A Gulp of Elk Lake
The 1.5km swim was hectic, especially around the turn buoys. I found my rhythm midway through the first loop, and the pack started to thin out by the second loop.
Exiting the water was mucky due to the algae, and I accidentally swallowed some while sighting the last buoy. Breakfast of champions, yum!
Bike: What Taper?!
Transitioning to the bike went smoothly. I didn’t wear a bike cap as the sun wasn’t going to get too strong and burn my head through the helmet since we would be done early.
My legs felt like jelly at the start due to the lack of taper and a heavy training load the previous days. My hamstrings and quads burned initially, but they loosened up around 8km, and I found my groove yet still heavy. I had a nutrition plan but for whatever reason I didn’t stick to it well, which probably affected me on the return leg. Energy felt good regardless, I just didn’t have that extra push in the legs.
I counted about 14 people ahead of me at the turnaround, which was a good gauge of my performance compared to last year.
I overtook a few cyclists on the way back, but Emily passed me with 10km to go, and I couldn’t catch her. She was the only person who passed me the entire race, aside from the swim.
Run: Finishing Strong
The transition to the run was good, though I forgot my gel. Not surprisingly, my legs felt the transition from the bike and burned a bit, but I kept a good pace.
I traded places a few times with another runner early on, and we passed a few others but did not see many competitors after that. I grabbed electrolytes at each aid station since I didn’t have my gel and needed a boost.
In the last few kilometers, I picked up the pace. I encouraged the runner I had been pacing with, but I dropped her and didn’t see her again until the finish.
With 1km left, I adjusted my hat and found the gel I thought I had forgotten, which made me laugh.
Reflections
I finished in 2:24:04 — over ten minutes faster — than last year’s 2:34:39.
Despite the faster time, I placed 2nd in my age group and 12th overall, the same as last year!
I’m happy with my performance, especially without a taper. The Elk Lake Triathlon is a fun race at a great time of year that I enjoy having in my schedule, and being local makes it very convenient.
Next, I’m looking forward to the 70.3 Penticton at the end of the August, taking with me the lessons and experiences from this season with an eye on qualifying for the 70.3 2025 World Championships in Spain.
Link: SportStats Results
About Daniel: I’m an entrepreneur with experience in various industries, including fintech, real estate, and performance marketing. Most recently, Co-Founder and COO at Billi Labs (exit), and VP Operations at Pretio Interactive (exit).
I am passionate about endurance sport and exploring the intersection between technology, health, and performance.
