Seoul Race Report

The race in Seoul was a bit disappointing. For the first time in my (admittedly short) draft-legal racing career, I failed to make the lead pack on the bike. And it wasn’t that I didn’t swim fast enough. Several people who came out of the water behind me managed to get on the train for the 6-lap bike through the financial district of Seoul (There is something pretty cool about riding on closed roads in the downtown of a city of 10 million people). I didn’t think I had a bad transition, but it wasn’t quick enough for me to get on. The race was in the lead pack. I didn’t have a great run for 14th place in what was admittedly a competitive CC, with three former world ITU champs competing and with a $50K prize purse.

The swim started fine—competitive with lots of fighting for position. I was in the back of the lead group on the swim as we exited from lap 1 and dived back in for lap 2. On the home stretch of lap 2, I got boxed in between Ben Collins (Amateur World Champ) and another athlete. The three of us battled each other pretty well. I couldn’t really go anywhere. My goggles got knocked off, I paused to reposition them, and continued on. I became risk averse though, only able to see out of one of my goggle sockets. I game up on trying to move up and thought I would be ok anyways. I was out of the water and up the steps quickly (I don’t think I lost time here), but I got on my bike just behind the fast-forming lead pack. I looked behind me for people to work with to catch, but all the people who came out of the water near me had transitioned poorly and were nowhere to be found. I worked the first lap of the bike alone, trying to catch onto the lead of about 10 riders. I almost got on at a hairpin turn, but didn’t quite make it. I ended up tt’ing by myself for the next 3 laps before eventually being caught by a small chase of 5 riders. I came off the bike with this group about 1.5 minutes down on the leaders.

The run didn’t feel very good and there is not much to say. It was hot and humid. I drank a lot. I did have the fastest run split among the American contingent, but it was not real impressive.

The race was very well run. People were saying it seemed more like a WC than a CC and there was speculation that Seoul is bidding for World Champs or some other major event. The race committee took real good care of us with full accommodations, food, etc. The travel went very well. While I didn’t find a whole lot redeeming about the city (with all of its cars and air pollution), the people were remarkably friendly and helpful (to someone who doesn’t speak a word of Korean). The day after the race, the American contingent of Dave Messenheimer, Chris Tremonte, Ben and myself headed out in search of a pool to swim in. We kept asking people on the street and finally ended up inside a gym, where an aspiring Korean actor agreed to drive us to the pool. He then bought us each a bottled drink at a quick shop before sending us off for our swim.

Thank God for globalization. Quiznos and MacDeux saved me again. Food in the hotel included all kinds of seafood—and it looked real gross. The other Americans were more adventurous and willing to try the local cuisine. And, sometimes, my risk aversion really pays off. Intent on having a local dining experience the night after the race, they walked into an alley, pointed to a dish some local were eating at a streetside café and ordered it for themselves. It didn’t take them more than one bite to realize they were eating intestines. They couldn’t take another bite—it was chewy but couldn’t be chewed and it tasted really bad. I had pizza that night. It tasted good and could be chewed and swallowed. The Quiznos that I ate at the day before the race had just opened 2 days before—good timing. Barrett has a good report on his race in China here. If he had just headed to the Golden Arches, he could have avoided eating eggs that are wrapped in feces and buried in the ground, as well as eels with their heads still attached (see pics below).

Next on the agenda: Alcatraz, then off to Europe for FISU Games and two World Cups. Here is hoping for faster transitions in those races.

Race Venue:


Chris Tremonte, Me, Ben Collins:


Salvation!:


Why I eat at McDonalds--Ben and Chris eating intestines:


The crap eggs Barrett got to eat in China:


The eels Barrett got to eat: