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 Swim
Comments: I felt good during this swim. Never got gassed or uncomfortable. I thought I was moving well too...but wasn't. I never found someone to draft off of, I always seemed to be catching slower swimmers and never noticed faster ones overtaking me. At the end, over the last 100 meters I was stuck behind a clump of people that were across most of the canal and going super slow. Never had a way to get around or through them without being a jack ass. So I had to keep stopping, standing up to look for a path, swimming a few more strokes before colliding with feet, rinse, repeat... Had to basically get in back of the line and exit the swim steps that way too.... What would you do differently?: Swim for 5 hours a day for 10 years so I can be average!  Transition 1
Comments: As I got out of the water I couldn't feel my hands. They go numb whenever I swim 800+ meters continuously. So I struggled to find the Velcro and cord on my back...while doing so I walked because it wouldn't have been possible if I'd been running. Once I found it and got it unzipped it was fast. As I approached the rack I saw Dirk's bike gone which is what I expected because I thought he'd started before me. There was a woman there near me who couldn't get her suit off of her feet. She asked how to get it off and I said to step on it and pull! She tried to no avail. So I took the time to grab her suit and her leg and pulled it off for her! put on my helmet, grabbed the bike and ran out with the bike. After the slow wetsuit maneuver (down to waist) my T1 was really good. What would you do differently?: Figure out a solution to the numb hands!  Bike
Comments: Wasn't sure how to pace. Not only was the ride 40k, but the run was 10k. I'm used to painfully hard efforts from sprints and wasn't sure how to pace this. I opted for something comfortable, because that's a relative term and what feels comfortable in a race is often harder than we think. I would say I paced it well off of perceived exertion. Some of the road sections were dreadfully poorly paved and actually hazardous. Another hazard was the large number of other racers on the course. There were sprint athletes and duathletes on the course at the same time and I had to contend with them. I didn't have any water on the bike...really didn't take fluids during the race and it worked out fine...perhaps only because it was so cool! I kept expecting to come upon Dirk on the bike. I wasn't sure what color his race outfit was but I knew I'd recognize that blue Boston Marathon tattoo on his calf....but alas, never saw him! But since I was thinking he had already started when I went, I thought that I could still beat him even if I never caught him....Oh, was I wrong! What would you do differently?: Nothing. Transition 2
Comments: Shoes didn't go on during first attempt...had trouble balancing on 1 foot...always the case. But it wasn't really too bad. I just took my time, calmed myself and waited a moment to find my balance. What would you do differently?: Nothing  Run
Comments: I had no concept of pace, but the run pace felt pretty brisk and I never needed to slow (as I perceived it). I remained comfortable aerobically and never found myself breathing too heavily. It was nice to be racing somewhere below threshold for a change!!! The pain in my heels didn't really factor in thankfully! I did do damage to a toe though! Ouch. I enjoyed passing tons and tons of people on the run! I got passed by about 5 people during the run. One of them was obviously at the front of the race and was on his 2nd lap while I was on my 1st lap. The others were just faster runners than me and passed me gradually...they could have been duathletes or sprint distance racers too, I couldn't tell. What would you do differently?: Nothing Post race
Warm down: Nada! Just walked around. The stiffness in my heels set in immediately....well, not stiffness, agony. My hip flexors were also very painful. What limited your ability to perform faster: ? bad swimming! Nothing else really...if I had pushed the bike harder the run would have suffered...Might have been able to run a little faster if I had been sufficiently motivated...such as if Dirk were right there and we were fighting over the last mile... But it would have really hurt..as it is I was able to finish the race and stand upright!!! That's a nice change! Maybe longer races are my thing! How about keeping these paces for a HIM? I think I will try!! Event comments: The weather was amazing and can't be planned for! The rest of the race was good. I liked the location, the canal, the flat course!!! Needs pavement fixed. Needs a couple of changes to the way they manage the bike course Profile Album Last updated: 2013-08-05 12:00 AM
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United States
Tuxedo Brothers
75F / 24C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 26/413
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 4/39
Slept in a tent! (fitful sleep). Got up at what my body said was 3:45am. (I crossed a timezone that I didn't realize I was going to be crossing).
Took my time hanging out around the campground eating and drinking and changing in to race clothes. The temp was 59 degrees so it was chilly.
Left and followed Dirk to the race site and arrived in the neighborhood of 6:20ish for a 7:30 start.
Had already picked up packets so set up in transition next to Dirk. Got everything set up there. Then got body marked. Then went to the car for my wetsuit. Realized I needed to visit the portajon so waited in a long line while Dirk and Lisa and Evan headed up to the start.
After finishing my business I got to head up to the swim start which doubled as my warmup.
I had my goggles, cap and wetsuit in my hands as I jogged along the canal to the start. 1500 meters.
Before arriving I noticed swimmers coming down! But I wasn't worried too much because in this race they are not Nazis about numeric order. I knew I could start when I wanted to. But I figured that I was going to miss Dirk's start!
Once I got there I checked in my training shoes, socks and shirt to be brought back to the finish for me.
Then I pulled on my sleeveless wetsuit which went on REALLY easy! I had never used this wetsuit before. Never even tried it on. It was $40 on ebay a couple of years ago.
I thought it was a great chance to use it because the water temp allowed for it, but it wasn't cold enough to need a full suit...and getting out would be easier. (not normally a consideration, but the bike was racked only about 50 feet from the water exit and I was sure to be spending time getting the suit off after arriving at the bike)
Once the suit was on I was able to step in to line near the start so there was no getting UN-warmed up this time!!!!