I tackled the Chattanooga triathlon again this year, finishing with a solid 2:06 on a 247-watt average and 259 normalized power. I’m happy to report that my sub-2:10 Half Ironman goal split has now been consistently met during race efforts. This season, I raced without calf sleeves, opting instead for updated tires — I switched to Continental Grand Prix 5000 TT 25mm on the front and Vittoria Corsa Speed Pro tires on the rear, which felt notably smoother and faster on the rolling course.
I also made a slight bike position adjustment, raising the front end by about one centimeter. I had briefly experimented with shorter 152mm crank arms but found no performance gains, so I reverted back to my trusted 160mm cranks. Other than that, the rest of my kit remained unchanged from previous years.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get any good race photos this time around, but the ride and race experience itself were satisfying. The race conditions were decent, and my pacing strategy felt on point throughout the course.
For context, in my last race, the 2024 Chattanooga event, I completed the 91-kilometer (56.5-mile) course with an average speed of 40.9 kph (25.4 mph) while holding 233 average watts and 243 normalized watts at a race weight of about 76 kg (166 lbs). These metrics give a good benchmark for how my training and equipment changes are translating to performance.
Overall, this season’s results and equipment tweaks provide valuable insights for refining my approach. I’m motivated to keep pushing those watts and refining my position and gearing as I prepare for upcoming races in 2025.
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