Hey guys!
It's been a while since I've written you, so I thought I'd fill you in on my life. Things have been going extremely well, and I accomplished all my goals for the season. I obtained my pro card, and competed in two ITU events. I finished 19th at my first event, which was the Coteau du Lac Pan American Cup, and the second race was another Pan American Cup in Puerto Rico. I was the fourth swimmer out of the water, and we had a great lead group on the bike, and that's when I got my first flat ever in a race! I hit a massive pothole and that was the end of my day. Since then, I have traveled up to New England for a three week long training camp with Jarrod Shoemaker, who just finished 10th in the World Championship series rankings. It doesn't take long to realize that in order to be a successful ITU athlete you need to be able to lay down a fast run split. So that is exactly what I have been working on the past month.
I have recently completed the Stump Jump 50k trail run race here in Chattanooga, TN. I didn't want to get labeled as a one trick pony short course triathlete, so I decided to jump into a 31 mile run race. My longest run up to that point had been 1hr 45min, so I was a little tired after the race; but, I finished, and received a warm welcome by the running and cycling community alike.
Additionally, I stopped by East Ridge Bikes today, my local bike shop, and they apparently have moved through their Kestrels this season! I think they ended up selling 30 Talons! Not bad for a small town!
So, as this season is winding down, I'd like to give more back to my local community by hosting events and maybe a party or two to get people excited about cycling and tri training during the off months.
I hope this fall finds you all doing splendidly.
Zach Winchester
Stay updated on Zach at www.zachwinchester.blogspot.com!