Culpeper Sprint - TriathlonSprint


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Culpeper, Virginia
United States
Set-up, Inc.
Precipitation
Total Time = 1h 34m 19s
Overall Rank = 110/362
Age Group = 34-39
Age Group Rank = 22/44
Pre-race routine:

Got four hours of sleep after working the Lynyrd Skynyrd/Kid Rock concert the night before. Ate my regular breakfast of oatmeal w/ an additional english muffin w/ peanut butter. Couple cups of coffee and off to the race site. Glad this one was 15 minutes from the house.
Event warmup:

Went and jumped in the lake for a little swim of maybe 100m.
Swim
  • 16m 5s
  • 820 yards
  • 01m 58s / 100 yards
Comments:

This was my first OWS event. Swimming still remains a weakness, but finishing this leg with most of my wave was pretty cool for me. I'm getting better. Start was a little tough... with the initial bunching of the wave, by the first buoy things had shaken out. Breathing wasn't great and I didn't really get comfortable until half way in. Tried drafting once and the guy went into a breast stroke.
What would you do differently?:

I thought I'd be smart and wear my goggle straps UNDER my swim cap... which would have been fine except for not prepping them to not be foggy. At race time pulling them off, spitting in them, redoing my cap and so on, I may have missed the start. Also I had my cool polarized goggles and this was an overcast rainy swim... sort of like wearing sun glasses to drive at night, not smart. Should have had my clear goggles.
Transition 1
  • 01m 48s
Comments:

Not a great transition. Shoes and helmet went on great, but wrestling my top on takes the majority of my transition time. Had a little issue clipping my helmet.
What would you do differently?:

This will probably be my last event wrestling with that top. I will either get a tri suit, a top I can swim in or something. Either that or I will just not wear a top.
Bike
  • 49m 57s
  • 17 miles
  • 20.42 mile/hr
Comments:

The bike course was a lot busier than my first event. Contending with passing, not drafting, some traffic and etc. were experiences to build on. Had to pass a truck that was creeping up a hill. Overall I felt pretty good on this leg of the race.
What would you do differently?:

Would have liked to have gone harder, but I gave it what I had on this particular day. Didn't have the oomph on hills like I normally do. Continue working on improving myself and the bike for the next go around.
Transition 2
  • 01m 51s
Comments:

Bike dismount line is at the top of a hill and on pavement... which was wet. I ditched my flying dismount idea, unclipped and got off unceremoniously. Ran, walked and jogged to bike rack drinking some water on the way. Really fumbled around on this one, still putting on socks and tying shoes which seems to take forever. Not to mention everything was wet at this point. Forgot to strap on my watch so I could keep some track of my pace/time.
What would you do differently?:

I'm getting a hrm/watch that I can wear throughout my events, but most importantly to help pace my run. Running sockless... think my next pair of running shoes will be the new Zoots.
Run
  • 24m 40s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 07m 56s  min/mile
Comments:

My 5Ks get worse and worse in spite of my training times getting better and better. Not a great run, went out with my legs feeling OK, passed a few people and paced the run with a few guys. Too slow though. Stomach felt a little icky from my gel. Otherwise I was soaked on the run from the rain. Honestly I would have preferred to be a little warmer, break a good sweat, maybe I'm just a little weird.
What would you do differently?:

Run a faster pace, too reserved of a pace. I've decided my next race I might try some fig newtons on the bike segment or just drink water through the race, otherwise this feeling sick a little on the run stinks. So better pacing and figure out nutrition so I feel better on the run.
Post race
Warm down:

I was soaked from the rain drizzle, so I didn't have to cool anything down. There was a coffee tent and I enjoyed two cups of warm coffee. Put my soaked stuff away before the rain really started coming down and waited around until awards.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Lack of experience, need to put in more work in all three disciplines... primarily running and swimming.

Event comments:

I was very impressed with this event's management. Setup does a great event and given the conditions, they did a great job. By the time awards came around it was pouring rain and we were shoe horned under a pavilion. Hopefully next year we have better weather and I am better prepared for the event. The local master's swim program should be at the top of my list.


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Last updated: 2009-07-26 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:16:05 | 820 yards | 01m 58s / 100yards
Age Group: 19/44
Overall: 167/362
Performance: Below average
Suit: Tri shorts
Course: Lake swim - isosceles trapezoid to be most descriptive. Start out going to the right turn buoy at an angle, turn for a long straight swim and then turn to come in at an angle to the swim finish mat.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 83F / 28C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Below average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 01:48
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:49:57 | 17 miles | 20.42 mile/hr
Age Group: 14/44
Overall: 44/362
Performance: Average
Wind:
Course: Rolling hills, damp course with some trash here and there from the storm the night before. Not treacherous, but there were a few incidents. One I saw, a lady crashed at the entrance to the park on the way back in from the bike. Had to dodge the ambulance coming to her down the drive.
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:51
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
00:24:40 | 03.11 miles | 07m 56s  min/mile
Age Group: 25/44
Overall: 44/362
Performance: Below average
Course: Hilly run
Keeping cool Good Drinking
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5