Equipment, Equipment, Equipment

I finally took the plunge and purchased a dedicated triathlon bike. After much research and debate (amongst me, myself and I) I decided on a Cervelo P1. I had the custom fit at the Bike Doctor in Arnold Maryland and it came down to a Cervelo P1 and Trek Equinox as the best fit for my size and position on the bike.

I decided on the Cervelo because it had a better groupset and was slightly less expensive. The very first ride I had on the new bike was the Lums Pond Sprint Triathlon. It took a few minutes to get used the new position, but in a matter minutes I new I made the right choice. The new bike is like going from driving a SUV to driving a sports car. People who do triathlons or ride road bikes will know what I am talking about. The difference in speed on the bike and road feel in the saddle is like night and day. On my first ride during the Lums Pond race my average speed increased 2.3 mph. Now this may not seem like much but it is a 20% increase in average speed. I just felt faster and felt much more refreshed coming off the bike to the run. I had my best bike and run splits of the year. The new bike is just much faster.

So for those who don't think the right equipment can make a difference (and I was one of them) you are wrong. The right tool for the right job is important and a 2.3 mph increase over 112 miles is going to save me a bunch of time in November.