The Canadian - Iron 113 SwimCycle - Aquabike


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Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Somersault Promotions
25C / 77F
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 43m 21s
Overall Rank = 15/27
Age Group = Overall Women
Age Group Rank = 4/11
Pre-race routine:

I left Toronto at 6 PM the night before and was already stressed out from work. Got to my hotel at around 10 PM and got my stuff ready. I didn't fall asleep until 11:45 but managed to get a surprisingly restful 5 hours sleep.

Race day... Got up at 4:45 AM, showered, had breakfast at 5:15 (yogurt, peach, breakfast pita, almond butter and plenty of water), relaxed a bit, packed my stuff, checked out of the hotel and left. At 6:30, while on my way to the race site, I stopped for a coffee and a 1/2 bagel. Since the race start was at 9:00, I had plenty of time to digest what I ate. I drank water while waiting for the race to begin and had a chocolate GU gel 15 minutes before the swim start.

I stopped at the registration tent to pick up my race kit, set up my transition spot before the race meeting, ran like a chicken without a head to get rubber bands for my aerodrink bottle (left those at home), got body marked, had my two mandatory washroom stops, put my wetsuit on and headed to the swim start.
Event warmup:

250m swim warm up and stretches.
Swim
  • 40m 26s
  • 2000 meters
  • 02m 01s / 100 meters
Comments:

The swim start was a mass one, although a small one. We were about 165, both HIM and HIM SwimCycle participants combined. The water temperature was perfect, not a lot of current, no chops, no wind. I had good feet to draft from on the first 750m but was pretty much on my own thereafter. Sighting and navigation were excellent and I was able to keep a straight line on 95% of the distance.

I slowed down considerably about 250m before the swim finish because I had to empty my bladder. I figured that I was better off sacrificing a couple of minutes on the swim instead of losing more time by stopping on the bike course to do so. Peeing on the bike was out of the question!

What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Transition 1
  • 02m 27s
Comments:

What else... I had a tough time with the wetsuit removal, it got stuck on my heels yet again. Everything else went well.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Bike
  • 2h 58m 56s
  • 90 kms
  • 30.18 km/hr
Comments:

No corners, practically no hills to climb or to coast from... I just kept on pedaling steadily for 90 km. I had plenty of nutrition on the bike (Water, Cool Blue Gatorade and chocolate GU gels) and hoped that the thin rubber bands holding my aerodrink bottle were going to make it until the end. Since I was not running a half-mary, I pushed hard but think I could have pushed myself harder at times.

I did encounter problems on the first two loops: intermittent pre-menstrual cramps were plaguing me. I was expecting this to happen but completely forgot to take a couple of Motrin caplets before the start of the race and also forgot to include them in my Bento box. The cramps eventually passed but I lost time because I had to slow down each time this was happening.

I found the run from the transition area to the mount line (and vice versa) to be a bit long. I don't recall having to run this much with my bike out and into transition.
What would you do differently?:

Will keep a small bottle of Motrin in my Bento box at all times.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around for a bit while having a banana, a bagel and chocolate milk. I got a massage shortly after the race since the wait time was very short.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The cramping issue on the bike.

Event comments:

Very nice venue, great organizers, volunteers and spectators. This event was fun and well organized. I was unable to stay for a bit after the race as I had be back in Toronto before 6 PM.

I would really like to do this event again (or the Iron 226 SwimCycle) next year but that will depend on how the oncall schedule will look like.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2008-06-25 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:40:26 | 2000 meters | 02m 01s / 100meters
Age Group: 5/11
Overall: 15/27
Performance: Good
Time includes a 300m run to T1.
Suit: Blue Seventy Reaction Full
Course: The swim is in Mooney's Bay. The start and finish are on Mooney's Bay Beach with a short run to the Transition Zone in the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. The swim is a 1 loop course.
Start type: Run Plus: Shot
Water temp: 72F / 22C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Good Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:27
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:58:56 | 90 kms | 30.18 km/hr
Age Group: 4/11
Overall: 17/27
Performance: Good
Wind: Some with gusts
Course: The cycle course consists of a 15Km out and back loop along Hogsback Rd. and North on Colonel By Drive. Cyclists turn at the 7.5km point near the Laurier Bridge and return to the Hogsback Rd 15Km turn point. They repeat this loop 6 times in total and then return to the Terry Fox Athletic Facility transition zone finish.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 90
Turns: Good Cornering:
Gear changes: Good Hills:
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
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:
Race evaluation [1-5] 5