canceled

The rack was set up with lowest numbers up front and all those women got to start in front of me. As I ran down my row, I passed probably 50 Athena and 60+ women all bent over putting on their bike shoes or backing their bike out of their spot. It made it hard to get around them and many places plus it was wicked funny..would have made a priceless picture.

Out on the street did my cross mount and was off..shaved a few seconds off old manner of stopping swinging leg over, clipping in and pushing off.

Did the best I could given the situation.

Race plan was to after 8 miles increase power a bit, then again after 16 miles and then with 3-4 minutes left ease up a bit to get ready for transitioning to run.

The start on the cobblestones is always fun as many are quite timid so I start passing folks right away, make the corner to the park see my family and Sue's parents wave then settle in to execute my race.

It was interesting as I was with all the folks in my wave so I could see my competitors more than in a regular tri. I was passing many with some passing me I concentrated on doing my own race and not be tempted to pick up the pace after being passed. It was quite windy on the course, so I found what some have called legal drafting helpful....riding behind someone until you get to the point you pass them within the time limit.

I loved this...flat course, easy to stay aero whole ride just keep picking off folks again and again. There was a never ending source of more to pass. I did do much more thinking, analyzing while racing than normal. If I was passed be sure it didn't effect my pacing. I found quite a few women I passed tried to pass me again quickly. I let them go remembering to follow my race plan but I did hope I'd see them again and most I did and each time it confirmed to me I was pacing well.

After maybe 5 miles I started passing the older men as the 60+ wave was before ours. I enjoyed passing so many men.

I was able to do pass while going around 90 degree turns as many are very timid and honestly don't know how to corner well at all...but I had to be cautious as I didn't know what line they'd take and if they'd hold their line.

Back half of the course it was challenging at times with headwind. I was with someone riding almost exactly my pace who had yellow shoes and was 31, I'd pass her, then a short time later she'd pass me back. Behind her 3 bike lengths power felt to easy, but pulling out and passing her took a lot more power due to lack of draft and full effect of the wind. We must have passed each other more than 10 times..it was like a rotating paceline. Later in the ride I was thinking I was graduating from HS the year she was born.

Looking at my power file I didn't increase power but was pretty even whole race. 2 years ago I did this and my power second half was 15 watts lower than first half NP of 170 vs. 2nd half of 155. I was pleased that my power was up compared to last time I did the race even though my time was just under 2 minutes slower. The wind played into my being slower.

On the bike I did much more passing of older men and women than passed me and wish that was the case on the run but no.

Entire workout (161 watts):
Duration: 1:18:24 (1:18:35)
Work: 754 kJ
TSS: 127.3 (intensity factor 0.99)
Norm Power: 168
VI: 1.04
Pw:HR: 3.36%
Pa:HR: 2.8%
Distance: 24.993 mi

I'm thinking my FTP is not right as I shouldn't be able to do an Oly tri at my FTP or 99% of it.

I was pleased with my power numbers as I have been doing mostly zone 2 IM pace work and have felt my high end power was gone...this showed me that isn't the case. I was able to lower my cadence and keep my HR down. I felt mentally right on during the ride, enjoying myself, but checking my power meter to make sure I was in the cadence range and power ranges I was supposed to be. Checked my average power after 8 and 16 mile to see that yes it was going up.

I was pleased with my ride..could work on getting VI closer to 1.0...headwinds and having to pass effected this.

Opted not to take feet out of shoes and do cross dismount due to two things, having cobblestones right before dismount and secondly my legs felt like they might cramp and I didn't want to find out the hard way.

Ran into transition and my rack was mostly empty and I couldn't find my spot..I was pissed. The name/number stickers had fallen off and the other side of the rack numbers were not at all connected with mine. I must have wasted 30" looking for my spot...I hate having this happen. I hadn't gone far enough and one bike was blocking my spot.

Switching to running shoes went okay.

Be more alert at to spot and handle the initial I can't find my T2 place better.

I was about 40" slower than 2 years ago but then had a much better transition spot.

Run it was hot and humid by the time I got out there. I had a hamstring cramp 2-3' out from T2 but it went away. I tried to execute the plan my coach gave me which to run moderate hard until 4 miles left then go zone 4/5. I felt like I was working harder after first 2 miles, but my pace didn't pick up at all. The good was after about 1.5 miles I no longer felt hot and uncomfortable but in a good place effort wise. After the cramp I decided to take in Gatorade at next few aid stations to see if my sodium would help. I was carrying water bottle with nuuns which has a good bit of sodium in it as well but didn't have any Lava Salts. In my 5th mile I got another bad cramp due to changing my run stride to try to deal with silly issue. It was much worse than first so I slowed way down to stretch it then walk until I could run again and it again went away. About .2 mile from finish I saw someone I was competing against I was able to dig a little deeper and pass her. Turns out I placed 5th out of 30 and beat 3-4 women by less than a minute.

All those folks I passed on the bike, ran passed me like I was standing still. I think with a regular tri I'm farther back after the swim and bike than I was today so I had many strong runners behind me. I was being passed by women in their 60s and it felt like all the men I passed on the bike. If only I was a stronger, faster runner or more balanced triathlete...it would be more fun to finish.

I worked hard at doing my own thing and in time being passed didn't bother me as much. I may have passed 10 people and was passed by hundreds.


1 10m 29s 1.00 miles 10m 29s /mile
2 10m 55s 1.00 miles 10m 55s /mile
3 10m 52s 1.00 miles 10m 52s /mile
4 10m 50s 1.00 miles 10m 50s /mile
5 10m 59s 1.00 miles 10m 59s /mile
6 10m 41s 1.00 miles 10m 41s /mile
7 01m 38s 0.17 miles 09m 26s /mile

I did the best I could with what I had today...I wish I could morph into a better runner. I have felt I'm making progress running this year. I do think I felt better towards the end than I have in the past and I did tie my PB time for Oly tri with it being early season, hot & humid all is good. This was 45 seconds/mile slower than my last 10K..I'd like to close that gap. I don't think I went to hard on the bike, but I'll see what my coach thinks. No I had a solid bike and strength will come with longer runs before IM.

It may be I'm not able to push myself to that uncomfortable place as well running as cycling.

Collected towel, medal, water, and just kept walking to cool down and hopefully avoid the bad leg cramps I had after this race in '07. Found Kevin easily shared about the race, stretched and tried to eat what I could.

It was a great weekend with my long time sherpa changing from Sherpa to Triathlete..go Kevin! Plus Emily raced and seems to have the tri bug back. My girls enjoyed the race and the area.

Any race I take home hardware and place in top sixth I'm a happy women.


If I could only run as well as I can ride, I'd be much more well rounded triathlete. I did the best I can and I am happy with that. The bike was terrific and fun course.

5 2626 2913 Kathy Graves 48 North Attleboro MA 2:27:07 1:52 5 1:16:24 19.5 2:32 10 1:06:20 10:41


Being a big race makes some aspects of the race more challenging, but they do the best they can to make things run well. I do not like that women always start at the end as it makes our run about 15 degrees hotter than if we started 1.5 hours earlier.

This year the RD had a very difficult decision to make with the swim. I respect his decision to protect the athlete from potential harm. It is hard to predict the weather and waves. In '06 pros started with water like glass and they had to rescue 80 age groupers as the wind picked up a lot over 3 hours of folks starting.

I'd do the race again as the location is great, works some years with family vacation plans, but it is hard as a Northern athlete to get much ows or outdoor warm training in to do our best the end of April.