Festival of Flowers Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic


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Greenwood, South Carolina
United States
Palmetto State Triathlon Series
90F / 32C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 28m 53s
Overall Rank = 12/79
Age Group = F 35-39
Age Group Rank = 2/12
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 4:30am. Let the neighbor's dogs out and fed them(we're doggy-sitting). Drank two cups of coffee and ate 1 blueberry bagel with cream cheese. Drove to the race at 5:30 am. Ate a Clif Bar on the way.
Event warmup:

Swam for about 10 minutes before race start. I wanted to get a feel for all the rocking and rolling that was gonna take place in the lake. Decided not to gel after warm up because I was afraid I'd throw it up in the water.
Swim
  • 28m 28s
  • 1640 yards
  • 01m 44s / 100 yards
Comments:

I knew it was gonna be a bumpy ride when I started setting up my transition area. There was a nice breeze across the lake. It was chop-and-swell-fest out there! Also, this was the first non-wetsuit legal SCTS race. I felt sorry for all those folks who train without kicking cuz I know they'd be drinking lots of lake water withou the buoyancy of those wetsuits with that chop. I started off in the first row to the right of the buoys because I tend to drift left while swimming. I can't imagine how bad my situation would have been if I hadn't done this! So the main field is to my left. I'm a bi-lateral breather so everytime I breathed left I could see them so I knew I was on course. I passed the first site buoy on my right so I know I've drifted left, but still have the main field next to me. At the second buoy, I'm starting to swim into the usual freaked out backstroking men, but the ladies are still to my left. I sight forward, but can't see anything but sun. Now I'm starting to get worried. Where the heck is the turn buoy?! I sight forward again, nothing! But I hear someone yelling. I go into breastroke and realize it is a kayaker screaming at the entire field "You have to go right!" I turn my head almost 180 degrees and there is the turn buoy. So I cut a hard right and swim like crazy to the buoy. After that, it is still rocking and rolling, but much easier to site. I find the turn buoy dead ahead and set my course. I'm not bothering with the stupid orange ones! After I make this buoy, I site the steep boat ramp exit and make it out of the water, still pretty comfy and relaxed. As I'm running up the ramp, I hear people shouting "Go, Katie!" and realize one of the top elite ladies is right behind me. That made me feel pretty good, like I didn't have that bad of a swim afterall. The elites didn't have their own wave this time because this race is our qualifier for Age Group Nationals and to qualify, they had to start with their proper age group.
What would you do differently?:

Site the turn buoy from the get-go and not bother with the orange "guide" buoys. Although my time was a lot slower than last year, I feel really good about this swim cuz the conditions were pretty brutal!
Transition 1
  • 00m 56s
Comments:

My transition times have really improved since I participated in the tri-clinic. There was a guy racked next to me who was already at his bike when I ran up, and I was outta there before him!
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Bike
  • 1h 04m 29s
  • 24 miles
  • 22.33 mile/hr
Comments:

Played cat and mouse with one of the elites for the first 5 miles. Finally got over my awe and got some guts to pass her once and for all. She is very nice and was very encouraging. I told her I needed to pass her now cuz I'll never do it on the run. Tried to ride on the conservative side because of the 10K run. I knew I couldn't put it all on the bike course and run with my leftovers like I do in a sprint. This turned out to be more true than I realized.
What would you do differently?:

Be a bit more forward on my seat. I think my position was slightly off today because my right knee was talking to me toward the end of the ride.
Transition 2
  • 00m 55s
Comments:

When I bent over to pull on my running flats, my quads cramped big time. So I pulled my legs up to my shoes instead of bendin at the waist and didn't have any pain. I told myself that I didn't need my quads to run and that I would be fine.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Run
  • 54m 7s
  • 6.21 miles
  • 08m 43s  min/mile
Comments:

I started out ok. Passed the first aide station, no problemo. Elite women were passing me right and left. Got into the hot sun and the rollers and tried to think positive. I am as light as a butterfly, relax, breathe, fast feet, you're faster than most (ha!). An old guy in a speedo blasts pass me. That is so not right! But I can't hang with him. I'm nearing the turn into the second part of the park. Shade! I get passed by a woman with a 39 on her leg. Maybe, I'll be second? I start to get chills. Uh oh. Dehydration. So at the turn around, I walk and drink gatorade. Then I start to run again. Uh oh. I've got to pee. Get passed by a woman with a 38 on her leg. Maybe third? I try to talk myself out of peeing. I'm gonna sweat it out like NASCAR drivers. I pass the aide station at mile 4.5. It is hot. I am getting tired. I am slowing down. More people pass me. Finally, I see the last aide station at mile 5.2. I know what has to be done. I grab a water bottle, walk and strategically pour over myself and pee. Aughhh! Relief. I start to run again and look down at my watch. 2:20. I wanted to finish in 2:26. Don't have much hope in running a 6 minute mile at this point but still try to pick up the pace to limit my losses. Sprint the uphill finish and stagger into the shower tent. 2:28:53. I know my run is slow, but I still improved from last year!
What would you do differently?:

Get carbon-fiber legs and lose weight so I can be as fast as my bike. I can see I have lots of work to do before the HIM, but I'm not gonna worry about that until after next week!
Post race
Warm down:

After the shower tent, I stretched and stretched because now, in addition to my painful quads, my hammies were incredibly tight. After this, I jumped in the lake and relaxed (and made sure I didn't smell like pee). Talked to Suzanne before and after the race. Saw RSPDiver for a split second as he smoked passed me on the bike. Didn't have the pleasure of catching up with De Cracker this time because my kiddos were ready to leave after the awards ceremony.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Choppy water, heat, and my slow-a$$ run.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2007-04-20 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:28:28 | 1640 yards | 01m 44s / 100yards
Age Group: 3/12
Overall: 11/79
Performance: Good
Suit: Zoot tri shorts and BOA sport bra
Course: Rectangular loop around a peninsula.
Start type: Deep Water Plus:
Water temp: 84F / 29C Current: High
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Average Navigation: Bad
Rounding: Bad
T1
Time: 00:56
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:04:29 | 24 miles | 22.33 mile/hr
Age Group: 1/12
Overall: 4/79
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: 24 mile loop. Rolling hills.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:55
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:54:07 | 06.21 miles | 08m 43s  min/mile
Age Group: 4/12
Overall: 28/79
Performance: Average
Course: Out and back over rolling hills with most of the run in direct sunlight.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
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