Swim
Comments: Overall, the swim went pretty well. A couple times I found myself significantly off course, but since I sight rather frequently (about 14 strokes - counting both arms), I don't think I added too much distance. I did start to get hot at about 300-400m or so. The water was warm, the sun was coming up, and the swim cap keeps the heat in. I tried drafting once or twice, but it was a failure. The visibility in that lake is about 0.00001mm, at best, so that made it harder. The water was warm, so I started getting hot after about 300m, with the swim cap on. What would you do differently?: Not much Transition 1
Comments: The ground was a bit muddy from rain the night before, so I had to take a few seconds to wipe off my feet. Overall, though I didn't make any major mistakes. This race had a longer run in transition to my bike, which increased my overall time. GPS data shows that I was at my spot for 1:18. Bike
Comments: I was happy with the bike. Per my coaches instruction, I was to not go too fast the first couple of miles. After that I was usually over 19 mph for most of the ride. What would you do differently?: It took a little to get on get going. Sometimes my mind would wander a bit and I would slow down slightly, so perhaps I need to focus more. Transition 2
Comments: Per my GPS, I only spent 39 seconds at my station, the rest of the time, I was running. Run
Comments: Chesty Puller said that "Pain is weakness leaving the body." Well, a lot of weakness left today. My run time was 2:24 slower than my PR, but it hurt the entire time. The weather was brutal. My wave was one of the last, so starting a half hour later in Houston in August is the difference of 3-4 degrees. According to the weather report it was about 84 for the run, but it "felt like" 95F, and yes it sure did. I found heart rate training to be helpful here. I know my LT was 184, and if I could stick to that, then I knew I was actually putting in a good effort and I didn't have to question whether I was "wussing out" over the heat. What would you do differently?: Carry my own freezer pack? I wonder if I could keep some freezer packs in a small cooler, and then grab them on the run. Twice on the run, there was someone with a hose which was helpful, and at the Mile 2 station, they handed out iced sponges. Both of these were welcome reliefs, but I could have used more. Post race
Warm down: Immediately sat on the ground for a couple minutes. They had ice baths at the finish line, which I sat in for a good while. What limited your ability to perform faster: The heat!!!! Event comments: While this race is a challenge due to the August heat, it is well organized and popular. It is a bit more expensive than most sprints, but it does come with free race photos, which usually costs $40 more. Last updated: 2013-04-03 12:00 AM
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United States
Onurleft Event Management, LLC
84F / 29C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 531/1225
Age Group = 35-39M
Age Group Rank = 78/129