Timberman - Half Iron - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Gilford, New Hampshire
United States
EndorFun
69F / 21C
Precipitation
Total Time = 6h 19m 12s
Overall Rank = 235 F/416 F
Age Group = Athenas, baby!
Age Group Rank = 5/21 A
Pre-race routine:

Wait in car in rain, eat/drink/try to sleep, then enter race-prep mode while it continued to rain. Note to self: don wetsuit earlier next time to stay warm! Also, use porta potties early and late in the prep, three times even if need be.
Event warmup:

Race delay didn't make me nervous, instead I took comfort in being in the 2nd to last wave (10 of 11) and made a few forrays into the water for warmup swims. Felt great!
Swim
  • 45m 16s
  • 2112 yards
  • 02m 08s / 100 yards
Comments:

Started in the middle and stayed pretty much MOP the whole time. I followed feet and didn't get hit. Breathing was futile on some strokes so I just repeated the attempt on the next stroke, and no problem. Overall I felt that this was my best racing swim performance ever. Seriously, given the conditions, I rocked.
What would you do differently?:

Don't curse at the waves when you've been swamped.
Gargling through a mouthful of water to say "f*ck!" does nothing for the morale of your fellow swimmers (if they could hear me) nor does it give you back your missed breath. In fact, it only re-fills your mouth with water. Washing it out, sans soap, in essence. Don't do that next time, Sunny. You've learned your lesson.
Transition 1
  • 03m 11s
Comments:

I was slow and methodical about this one. Going out for such a long ride, I wanted to make sure I got everything I needed. And I did.
What would you do differently?:

Try that rubberbanded shoes/pedals trick.
Bike
  • 3h 14m 27s
  • 56 miles
  • 17.28 mile/hr
Comments:

I moved up about 50 overall slots on the bike, which was faster than normal because I was riding a borrowed, lightweight TT/tri bike. It rocked to feel so fast, have aerobars, and no get dropped on every friggin hill!
What would you do differently?:

Never follow other cyclists when you pretty much know that they're going off-coure! I wandered off into a wrong right turn at a 'red' light due to a mis-read cue from the officer to one of the guys ahead of me. I knew he was very likely not supposed to turn, but I made the turn anyway and then had to weave back between 3 cars after realizing the mistake and getting yelled at by the officer in the first 30 yards or so. Dumb mistake.
Transition 2
  • 04m 42s
Comments:

I changed water-logged socks, I misplaced my running hat (it fell in the trash bin next to my T area -- surprise!), and I just took way too freaking long here in T2. The run exit wasn't well marked, but I should've checked it in the race delay time. Silly mistakes add up to a lost 2mins.
What would you do differently?:

Be more careful with equipment placement (don't trash it!) and check the entree/sortie info pre-race. Silly me. Time got me.
Run
  • 2h 11m 37s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 10m 03s  min/mile
Comments:

I moved up about 40 overall slots on the run by chasing Matthew, my rabbit/boyfriend/best friend, who was running his first half marathon as part of a relay for his aquabiking friend, Hal. It was both encouraging and frustrating to run with him, but in the end, I couldn't thank him enough for sticking by me. He jogged backward to kill time as I slogged up some of the hills; he stirred up the cheering crowds by playing air-guitar and being generally way-too-darn-happy while the rest of us suffered and slogged along. Sure, he motivated me more than he frustrated me, but at the time, it was tough to stay positive. I just really wanted to walk. Especially on the hills...obviously something I need to train more! That and foot speed/cadence. I want to get faster, dammit.
What would you do differently?:

Run solo? Naah, not when M's in the same race and willing to keep my pace.

Train the run more for speed and hills; yes, for sure!
Post race
Warm down:

Sat down to have my chip removed from my ankle -- barely got up. Lurched over to the foot tent and then sat on steps to eat -- could barely get up again. Notice pattern? Repeat.

Then I drank my Endurox4 and everything was magically feeling good again.
(Um, I wish!!)

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Not enough transition practice or run training. More time on the loaned TT/Tri bike would've helped, too, especially with some shifting issues I had. But otherwise, I was and always is all MENTAL. I could've pushed harder, I could've trusted my training more. I just didn't. Blame the rain, blame the first-timer conservativism (some would call cautious wisdom), but I know I could've dug deeper, especially on the run.

Event comments:

What a day, what a day. Would I do it again? Heck yes!


Profile Album


Last updated: 2006-05-01 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:45:16 | 2112 yards | 02m 08s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/21 A
Overall: 0/416 F
Performance: Good
Suit: Orca full speedsuit
Course: Very large 3/4 rectangle that seemed to never end -- seriously, it was BIG. The chop and fog/precip made sighting tricky, and I really wanted to make the turn to swim back to shore from every distant buoy. I was, however, suprisingly calm.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 73F / 23C Current: High
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Good Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:11
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
03:14:27 | 56 miles | 17.28 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/21 A
Overall: 0/416 F
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: Hilly in first 10 miles, rollers in middle 30, and a few more hills in the last 10 miles. No suprises as I'd ridden the course back in late July.
Road: Rough Wet Cadence: 85?
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 04:42
Overall: Bad
Riding w/ feet on shoes Below average
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Bad
Running
02:11:37 | 13.1 miles | 10m 03s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/21 A
Overall: 0/416 F
Performance: Average
Second loop definitely about 1-2 mins slower than first loop!
Course: Hilly and odd as it was winding on/off main roads/into back alleyways, well-staffed/volunteers everywhere, and just plain tiresome. Seemed like everyone was on lap 2 while I was not even to mid point on lap 1. Ugh!
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %?
Overall: Bad
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4