Race Coverage

Gorilla Wrestling and Crying for My Mommy...

Monday, 15 June 2026 00:10

Photo - Vinny and Spencer

By Spencer Syvertson

I was confident coming into Buffalo that I would shave off time from my 2025 finish. The weather forecast didn’t look like it would play a big factor in my opinion. It turns out I was very wrong!

This was my first race starting in the 2nd wave as I aged up into the 30-39 group on race week. I was NOT a fan of swimming through the first wave from behind. After weaving around an athlete I then collided with another one within five strokes of the previous. Eventually I made it to clean water on the back half. As I headed towards shore I had one objective before T1: do not spike my effort while swimming through the weed line. Mission failed! It felt like I was wrestling a gorilla to make it onto the beach. 

Out of T1 I was eager to rip it on my new tri bike. My plan was simple: ride hard, don’t look at my watch, and enjoy riding my bike. I quickly overtook the two athletes from wave one and moved into the lead. On the first of two laps I was having a blast on the downhills and smashing the pedals to carry momentum up the next hill. I came by my family at the halfway point and lapped my watch. A quick glance at my watch said 290 watts which is easily the highest power I’ve seen in a race. My body was feeling good and the effort was in check. On lap two the course became congested with the sprint distance athletes. This lap around the lake was less of a drag race. I made sure not to cross the double yellow lines when it got congested even though I wanted to keep my momentum rolling. I finished the ride with a PR power output and a decent average speed. ...

As I started the run my plan was to stay in control of my effort until the top of the hill at the turn around, then reassess. This plan quickly went to shreds. The start of the run had a tailwind and in the open sun, it felt like being in a slow cooker with stale air. I accepted the pace was going to be slower but was still ready for the battle. I slammed my first gel at mile 1.5 and two minutes later I was hit with a painful side stitch which is something I’ve only experienced in hot races. This is where things went from plan B, to damage control, to survive mode. I walked and jogged for a mile until my side stitch finally eased off. I still had to battle the heat and make it through another 5k to the finish. Mentally I was down bad. All I wanted to do was quit and see my family at the finish. It’s an odd situation to be leading a triathlon but also crying for your mom at the same time. The final miles were some of the ugliest miles I’ve ever been through. I crossed the finish line in 1st to defend my title from last year but it was not pretty. 

I’ve been keeping score against this course and I’m clearly losing 1-3. Three of my Buffalo races have ended poorly: self-inflicted bike mechanical, dead last in elite wave, and this slog through the heat. I’ll be back for another swing at it next year! My first two races of the 2026 have both left me hungry to get back to training. I am nowhere near prepared for the heat that Chisago Lakes 70.3 will bring. Back to work!