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Nathan Tempe Triathlon - Olympic Course - Triathlon


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Tempe, Arizona
United States
The Red Rock Company, Inc.
85F / 29C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 33m 30s
Overall Rank = 84/384
Age Group = M30-43
Age Group Rank = 15/57
Pre-race routine:

Up at 4am, race day breakfast of oatmeal, Ensure Complete, and some fruit. Got to Tempe Beach Park around 5:40am and got everything setup on transition. Headed over to the Racelab tent around 6am and hung out until about 7:15am. We then headed down to the water to watch the earlier waves start. In corral at 7:25am and started at 7:37am.
Event warmup:

Relaxed
Swim
  • 27m 14s
  • 1500 meters
  • 01m 49s / 100 meters
Comments:

Can't complain too much about this swim. I need to start the race towards the front of the pack as opposed to in the middle. Will make the first 200 yards way easier. Thought it was a good swim course and was a great opportunity to get some practice in before IMAZ.

Did see some athletes cheating. Several were ignoring the buoys and swimming to the inside of them. BS if you ask me.
What would you do differently?:

Start towards the front. Also, my HR was high coming out of the water and I'll need to pay attention to this before IMAZ. Have to make sure my HR isn't too high before the bike on 11/17.
Transition 1
  • 02m 33s
Comments:

Average T1. My times in transitions have improved but I can still be quicker in T1. I probably wasted 30-45 seconds.
What would you do differently?:

Need to practice T1. Not a big deal but it's free time to be saved.
Bike
  • 1h 13m 42s
  • 24.64 miles
  • 20.06 mile/hr
Comments:

Pretty good bike for me. I'm such a bad cyclist so getting through this at 20MPH+ w/ good legs for the run was a success. I'm actively trying to build fitness on the bike but it's a battle. Really hoping I can get through this portion at IMAZ in a decent manner.

The course was good in the sense that it was closed to cars and was technical. I'm so used to out-and-back course with no turns. That said, I saw numerous close calls at turning sections where racers took the turns wide and crossed over into the left when the turn was comlete. So dangerous and they almost wrecked the bikers behind them.
What would you do differently?:

Just keep training. This is about as good as I can do if I want to have a good run.
Transition 2
  • 01m 28s
Comments:

My bike was racked at the far end of T2 so I had to run with my bike for a solid 30-45 seconds. Once at my bike, I got everything off quick, threw my shoes on, grabbed my hat and gel flask and was off.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. This was my fastest T2 to date. Had bad luck with my assigned transition spot but made the most of it.
Run
  • 48m 32s
  • 6.2 miles
  • 07m 50s  min/mile
Comments:

My HR was high off the bike so I was cautious the first couple miles. Really tried to focus on my form and not go out too fast. This kept my HR in-check and I felt good as I approached the start of lap 2. I picked up the pace at this point and finished strong the last 3 miles.

Didn't realize it at the time but I was able to negative split the entire run. Good strategy and execution so I'm very happy with this performance.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Post race
Warm down:

Grabbed some food and water/gatorade in the finisher area. Set my sunglasses down at some point and they were never to be seen again. Bummer

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The bike. I've really enjoyed triathlon this year but man do I hate the bike.

Event comments:

The race itslef was very good. I ranked it as average for several reasons -

1) Race registration and bike check-in was only between 12-5pm the day before the race. Newsflash - it's hot in AZ in September. Why not begin registartion at 8am so we can get it taken care when the weather is tolerable? Also, making us do this between 12-5 screws up your entire day.
2)They made athletes go to a "mandatory meeting" at 1:30pm when it was 105+ out. Real smart...
3) Transition area security was a COPMPLETE JOKE. It was so bad that I might not do this race again unless things are changed. I heard of at least two bikes and a pair of bike shoes being stolen out of transition area DURING the race. How do they let that happen? I'm doing Soma in a month and will be locking my bike up when it's in transition.




Last updated: 2013-09-25 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:27:14 | 1500 meters | 01m 49s / 100meters
Age Group: 7/57
Overall: 61/384
Performance: Good
Suit: None
Course: Rectangular one loop course
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 83F / 28C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:33
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:13:42 | 24.64 miles | 20.06 mile/hr
Age Group: 23/57
Overall: 193/384
Performance: Average
Wind: Little
Course: Technical two loop course with lots of sharp turns
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 78
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:28
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:48:32 | 06.2 miles | 07m 50s  min/mile
Age Group: 13/57
Overall: 107/384
Performance: Good
Course: Two loop course around Tempe Town Lake
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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] 3

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2013-09-25 12:48 PM

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Member
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10010010025
Scottsdale, AZ
Subject: Nathan Tempe Triathlon - Olympic Course


2013-09-26 1:42 PM
in reply to: #4863620

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207
100100
Subject: RE: Nathan Tempe Triathlon - Olympic Course
staffing bike check out with 2 kids that really dont care isnt the way to go.... i walked in and right out while they chatted away and i had even changed clothes so wasnt in race gear and my number wasnt visible. Glad i dont have a $10k bike
2013-09-26 3:30 PM
in reply to: 0

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Member
347
10010010025
Scottsdale, AZ
Subject: RE: Nathan Tempe Triathlon - Olympic Course
Originally posted by Tryrn

staffing bike check out with 2 kids that really dont care isnt the way to go.... i walked in and right out while they chatted away and i had even changed clothes so wasnt in race gear and my number wasnt visible. Glad i dont have a $10k bike



I made a comment when I left about how easy it would be to steal a bike in transition. All they checked on me on the wy out was the hand written race number on my arm. I could have walked into transition (they were letting everyone in when I went to retrieve my bike), found a bike I liked, then wrote that bib number on my arm. I really hope they do a complete overhaul of their race "security."

Are you doing SOMA? I'm for sure locking my bike up in transition.

Edited by devilfan02 2013-09-26 3:31 PM
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