Athlete Race Recap: Fort Ritchie Triathlon

Neil Beck and Carolyn Classen raced at the sprint distance of the Fort Ritchie Triathlon in Cascade, Maryland on Sunday, July 30, 2023!

For Neil, this was a C-Race and a chance to enjoy himself at a race with friends.  For Carolyn, this was the second of four races in her calendar in an eight-week time frame as she recalibrates to be a “nuanced racer” with many races on her calendar and as she shifts away from having performance (time)-based goals for races.

Neil had an absolutely wonderful race, executing all three disciplines so well.  His swim was steady and right where he hoped it would be.  On the bike course, he rode within the power ranges that we had talked about being appropriate for this distance of race and for the course profile.  Being controlled on the swim and the bike set up Neil really well for the run, which he was able to execute 100% to plan.  

Throughout the race, Neil stuck to the effort levels that he knew were sustainable for him; he did not chase arbitrary time targets and/or get caught up trying to keep up with other people that were faster than he could sustain.  Because of this wisdom, Neil, who has raced this race many times, feels that this year’s edition was the best one he ever executed. 

Carolyn also had a steady and strong race that began with a controlled and enjoyable swim. She seeded herself well and was able to have her own space to swim in (versus being in the thick of it with lots of people).  The bike felt strong, and once she was on the run, she was able to progressively build her efforts so she could (as she said) “throw the hammer down” in the last half mile to the finish line.  Carolyn finished as the third overall female!

Congratulations, Neil and Carolyn!