Troika Half Iron Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Spokane, Washington
United States
Troika
87F / 31C
Sunny
Total Time = 6h 56m 11s
Overall Rank = 233/350?
Age Group = 50-54
Age Group Rank = 12/12
Pre-race routine:

Did the 2 week taper and this was a big help, tried to pay attention to my nutrition and rest leading up to race day.
Got up at usual 3:00 and had usual race day breakfast of oatmeal and coffee. Mixed a bottle of Heed to sip on through the morning. Had some good quiet time with dog #1 and thought about the upcoming day. Felt confident and good. Left house and drove to C-cic's house and loaded up my stuff, my partner was doing the driving for us so we didn't have to drive clear back to the start to get the car. Thanks HM!!! Thanks too to C-cic, she's my sister and favorite training partner.
Drove out and set up, got marked and walked around talking to other club members doing the race.
Event warmup:

Swam for just a few mins, forgot bodyglide again, this was to haunt me later.
Swim
  • 48m 51s
  • 2112 yards
  • 02m 19s / 100 yards
Comments:

I really practiced my swim this year and if anything, I was hoping just to stay relaxed and enjoy the swim. Was in traffic most of the way, the men started 5 mins before the women and I could hear the fast women coming before they reached me. They blasted by me like I was treading water or swimming the other way. Most impressive!! I just kepy my pace and aside from some bumping from one other swimmer for a long time it went real well. Caught a few drafts but I have a hard time staying right behind someone. Oh well something else to work on. Exited water and jogged to T1, felt great.
What would you do differently?:

Not much aside from train all winter to get a little faster. I haven't done this distance before so I didn't have any time goels, exit the water was my big goal.
Transition 1
  • 04m 45s
Comments:

I heard quite a lot of laughter during my T1, most of it at me. I had elected to swim without my tri top since I'd gotten chafed pretty bad with it on. Unfortunately, hadn't practiced putting dry tri top onto a wet body. Hmmmm, the 1st time, I had my arm in the neck hole and had to stop 1/2 way, pull it off and start over, try #2 got my arms in the right holes but the top stuck to me like glue and I just couldn't get it pulled down, was doing some serious re-thinking right about then. FINALLY got the thing on and then socks stuck too, hadn't rolled them up. C-cic followed me into T1 and was out wayyy before me.
What would you do differently?:

Bodyglide! Figure out and practice putting on that tri top!
Bike
  • 3h 08m 43s
  • 56 miles
  • 17.80 mile/hr
Comments:

The bike is usually my strong point and today started out well. I was feeling good, taking in nutrition 3 Hr bottle of Perpetuem.Passed C-cic (LS) after about 8 miles, she was riding good pace and looking string and under control. The ride was going pretty well until about the last 10 miles, not sure if I ran out of fuel or what but last last part seemed really hard. I can usually finish well on the bike but not today. Trying to keep effort level down so I'd have something for the run but not succeeding very well.
What would you do differently?:

Not much, I was pretty happy with most of the ride.
Transition 2
  • 00m 58s
Comments:

This T2 is great! There was a great big guy standing there with arms wide open to cath me and bike. Another with a bag open for my helmet and bike shoes, another to tell me to run over the timing mat, another volunteer to hand me run bag and go. Fastest T2 I've ever had.
What would you do differently?:

Not much, it was great.
Run
  • 2h 52m 54s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 13m 12s  min/mile
Comments:

This has been my worst portion all year and today was no real exception. Hit the POP about 200yds from T2 and then hit the trail. At the 1st aid station, they were handing out Vaseline and I had gotten chafed pretty bad already so this was huge help. The guy holding the tray said lots of people were using his services. I was carrying a small flask of Perp to sip at, I've been training with this all year but it made me sick right away so dumped it out and got behind on my nutrition, they behind on Electrolytes and was playing catch up the whole run. There were 10 aid stations though so ample opportunity to catch up. Started drinking Heed and dumping water on my head and ice in hat but warming up the whole time. Part of the way out the outbound leg, I saw a spectator standing in the shade who looked pretty familiar, drawing closer I saw it was my Dad. What fun to talk to him for a min!! We have a pretty supportive family this way and it's just great. Not too far after the turnaround, here comes LS c-cic! Oh man, she's going to catch me today! And about mile 9, here she comes, looking strong and calm and not tired at all. I wasn't quite doing the death march yet but wasn't far from it. We talked a minute and she ran and I walked some more. After a LONG time, here comes the last corner and up a hill to the finish. 2 of my neices came out to help me run up the hill and it was just so much fun.
What would you do differently?:

I really fell off my run volume after this spring and paid for it in this race. So, next year, aim for a lot more consistancy in training.

Post race
Warm down:

I was pretty wobbly and the EMT who handed me ice water and electrolytes was little concerned that I was going to faint. I felt ok, just wobbly but he stayed right there to make sure. Walked around, went for what seemed like a 3 mile walk to get my bike, came back just in time for a post race massage from a team member who is a LMP, it was GREAT! Thanks AJ!! Ate a sandwich and cookie and some fruit and watched our last team member finish. She was having issues on the run but finished anyway, she's tougher than me!!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Consistancy in training, our coach has been preaching it but apparently I've not been listening enough.

Event comments:

I'll be back to do this race again, The volunteers were wonderful and I tried to thank as many as I could. The only thing I didn't like was the sweatshirt color. Beige......bleah......


Profile Album


Last updated: 2007-08-06 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:48:51 | 2112 yards | 02m 19s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/12
Overall: 259/350?
Performance: Good
Suit: Promotion Power Glide Sleeveless
Course: Clockwise, Lake shaped.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 72F / 22C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 04:45
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
03:08:43 | 56 miles | 17.80 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/12
Overall: 213/350?
Performance: Average
Wind: Little
Course: Net alititde loss to Spokane.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence: 90
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Below average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:58
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
02:52:54 | 13.1 miles | 13m 12s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/12
Overall: 0/350?
Performance: Below average
Course: Out and back on Centennial Trail. Slight uphill out and downhill back.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 5