Ludington Lighthouse Triathlon - Triathlon


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Ludington, Michigan
United States
3 disciplines
62F / 17C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 07m 47s
Overall Rank = 10/87
Age Group = M 25-29
Age Group Rank = 3/11
Pre-race routine:

I had a pretty good week of training leading up to the race keeping most of my training aerobic. I have not really done much tempo work since my HIM in July and was not sure if that would affect my target paces. This was intended to just be a fun (B) race with a friend although the friend bailed. The big race is the HIM in September. I got a good nights sleep - 6 hours maybe - and left the house around 5:30 for the 1 hour trip north to Ludington. My parents decided to go up with me so we met them at 5:45 and headed out. Got to the venue about 6:45 with plenty of time to set up and get ready. The transition is great right off the beach and at the end of the main road.
Event warmup:

Not much - took the bike for a spin to make sure everything was working good - set up my TA - wetsuit on about 20 minutes prior to wave start and took a GU. 200 yard warm up swim prior to start.
Swim
  • 18m 28s
  • 1094 yards
  • 01m 41s / 100 yards
Comments:

I started out in the front left while the fasties stayed to the right - gun went off - dolphin dived a couple times and started strokin to the first buoy. There was 60 people in this wave and have to say there was very little contact. I was expecting much more. I think somebody touched my feet twice and that was about it. I got into a decent groove early and really did not push this swim too hard. Just concentrating on keeping a long smooth stroke and not burning up too much gas. The first buoy was 450 meters out and took a left turn - this was straight down current and felt really fast at this point - 100 meters over and we turn to head back towards shore. The last 450 meters there was absolutely no one around and I was wondering if I was just really slow or what the hell was going on. I did not feel like I was going slow but where did everybody go. Anyway got to the beach and saw a purple cap next to me (the female wave started 3 minutes behind) - I had been hawked - ha! I felt good coming out of the water - 100 yard beach run to the TA where we crossed the mats.
What would you do differently?:

This swim felt alot faster than that time indicates - not sure if the course was a touch long or the beach run added that much time. The top male (who oh by the way has his pro card) came in at 15:xx and usually splits much faster so I am happy with the time (felt like a 1:32-1:35 min/100yd time).
Transition 1
  • 00m 56s
Comments:

OA 4/87 AG 1/11
Good!
What would you do differently?:

Nada
Bike
  • 1h 05m 33s
  • 24.85 miles
  • 22.75 mile/hr
Comments:

I hopped on the bike out of TA and immediately passed 4 people in the first mile which was good - there was a nice downhill early in the ride and then a right turn where I started to pick up the pace. I saw 2 riders up ahead and picked them off in the next mile. I also got passed by two riders who were absolutely flying (they finished 3rd and 4th I think). After those 2 passed me I remember wondering if I was going to be passing anybody the rest of the ride. I was basically alone for the next 8 miles with nobody in front and nobody on my heels. I was pushing really hard for the first 12 miles or so and then laid off the gas trying to preserve some energy for a good run split. In retrospect - I probably should have just kept the hammer down. I ended up missing 8th by :37 and probably could have made that up but who knows. There was a short 3 mile out and back section where I would finally be able to tell where I was at placment wise. I was in 8th at the Turnaround so I made up some ground out of the swim. As I turned back onto Lakeshore Drive is when a group of 3 riders came up on me (one was in the du and one I passed out of transition) and we leapfrogged for the next 6 miles. I was flying on the Lakeshore drive sections - going 26 or 27 mph without much effort - great pavement and dead flat. The Olympic met up with the sprint athletes here so there was alot more traffic and lots of people riding in the middle of the lane but not as boring. The 2 guys eventually went into transition ahead of me. I felt good on the bike but probably could have pushed a little harder.
Bike Nutrition: 1 serving Infinit (250 calories)
What would you do differently?:

Push harder the entire ride
Transition 2
  • 00m 32s
Comments:

OA 2/87 AG 1/11
Good!
I passed one person in transition.
What would you do differently?:

Nada
Run
  • 42m 20s
  • 6.2 miles
  • 06m 50s  min/mile
Comments:

I ran out of TA and felt pretty good. I saw the guy who passed me on the bike and immediately set out to catch him. I passed him about a mile up the road but he must have held on to my shoulder because he never left that spot for the rest of the run. The course had a couple random mile markers that were not in the right spots and were pretty much useless to gauge my pace except to give me a general idea of where I was on the course. The course iteslf I liked alot. It was on a paved trail and through neighborhoods and then along Lake Michigan for the finish. The rest of the run was pretty much uneventful - I never saw anyone up ahead until a short out and back section at mile 3.5 or so. There was one guy about 1:00 ahead of us but I would not see him after that point. There was also nobody within 1:30 behind us so now I just needed to beat this guy on my shoulder. We stayed together through the campground - I took water at every aid station - and then jumped back onto Lakeshore Drive where there was a long gradual incline and I tried to distance myself from him as there was only 1.5 miles left. I probably got 20 feet ahead of him but then could hear his footsteps with 0.75 miles left. He passed me then and I just could not hang with him and let him go - dammit. I finished strong and felt good about the run split.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing - PR'd the run!
Post race
Warm down:

Grabbed some water and walked around talking with a couple of the athletes and my family. I saw that i finished 10th but beat my goal time of 2:10:00 that i set before the race so I was happy about that. I grabbed some food 30 minutes later, packed up my gear, and we took off. I did not feel like waiting an hour for awards and my family wanted to get home so we left.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

my swimming - slacker!!

Event comments:

love the venue - great race - will probably do it every year.




Last updated: 2009-07-26 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:18:28 | 1094 yards | 01m 41s / 100yards
Age Group: 3/11
Overall: 24/87
Performance: Good
Suit: Blue Seventy Helix Sleeveless
Course: Lake Michigan Swim - rectangle inside the breakwalls keeping buoys on your left - 450m out - 100m over - 450m in
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 71F / 22C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 00:56
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
01:05:33 | 24.85 miles | 22.75 mile/hr
Age Group: 3/11
Overall: 14/87
Performance: Average
Wind: Little
Course: Lakeshore drive to a right for a rectangle loop before getting back on Lakeshore Drive - short out and back on local road - back on Lakeshore Drive to State Park for turnaround then straight back to TA - FAST.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:32
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:42:20 | 06.2 miles | 06m 50s  min/mile
Age Group: 3/11
Overall: 10/87
Performance: Good
Course: 1.6 miles down Lakeshore Drive - turn into the campground for 3.1 miles around the park and neighborhoods before looping back around to Lakeshore Drive to the finish. The course is mainly flat.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4