Great Illini Half-Iron Distance Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Neoga, Illinois
United States
Mattoon Beach MultiSport
72F / 22C
Overcast
Total Time = 5h 18m 37s
Overall Rank = 33/195
Age Group = M 30-34
Age Group Rank = 6/10
Pre-race routine:

Drove down on Friday to pick up packet and make it to the practice swim. During the practice swim I noticed my wetsuit felt really loose. Got back to land and the right sleeve was ripped and a flap of neoprene was flapping around. Probably ripped about 18 inches. There was a small separation, about 2 inches, between the neoprene and the blue stretchy material under the arm before that now had ripped down the arm and up to the neck collar. My 3rd swim in the suit and it looked like garbage. I did some research online and headed to walmart. There were not any dive shops in the area so I called my brother and had him pick up some neoprene cement on his way down. Spent 2.5 hours in the hotel sewing up the rip with dental floss and then took it outside to put the cement over the stitches. Figured if it held when I put it on in the morning then I'd go with it. If not, I'd do without. (I'll see if I can add pics of my needlework).
Got up early and Pat, James, and I were the first ones at transition. Transition was supposed to open at 5am, but nobody was there so we racked at about 4:45. Got everything set up. Pat's flashlight was popular.
Event warmup:

With the 6:45 start there was really no sunlight for a warmup swim. Put wetsuit on carefully without a problem.
Swim
  • 44m
  • 2112 yards
  • 02m 05s / 100 yards
Comments:

I have not been swimming much (real almost not at all). The first 200-300 yards I stayed in the mix and "enjoyed" the contact and flurry. I then settled in and really tried to push a little. Sometimes, when swimming, I'll get bored and my brain goes elsewhere and I just cruise without thinking about my stroke. I'm not a polished enough swimmer to do this and my time suffers. I don't know for sure, but I think I probably even split this swim. My navigation needs work still. I would round bouy close but then alway end up way to the outside.
Came out of the water at 43:30 and ran up the beach and to T1, crossed the mat at 44:00. I was relieved that the stitching held.
What would you do differently?:

Swim more? I really don't enjoy swimming much and it shows. I'm not convinced I'm faster with the wetsuit. It may be one size too big and I might be more comfortable in a sleeveless suit.
Transition 1
  • 02m 11s
Comments:

Estimated T1 & T2 times due to chip mishap. My first chip timed race in a wetsuit. I had planned to take off my chip, take off wetsuit, and then put chip back on, instead of tucking chip up in the wetsuit leg. Not a bad T1 except I forgot to put the chip back on. I was careful taking off the wetsuit.
What would you do differently?:

Put chip on or tuck it up into the leg of the wetsuit.
Bike
  • 2h 31m
  • 56 miles
  • 22.25 mile/hr
Comments:

I wanted to push the bike and did. I knew this bike course suited me and I could really go fast, but needed to keep it under control as well if I wanted to be able to run at all. About 10 minutes into the ride, my bike felt all wrong. I had some kind of vibration or something. Bike just felt loose. I stopped and checked the tires and skewers. Everything was good so off I went. It seemed to work itself out and thinking about it now I think it was just how the wind was hitting me.
First lap went well, no real problems. About 10 miles in I realized I didn't have my chip. I knew exacly what happened, I forgot it. At the farthest turnabout there was a timing mat. I told the woman there my bib number and that I didn't have my chip. She said she would call it in. The gravel stretch was tough and really beat you up and slowed you down. Headed back in from the first loop and made it to the 1/2 turnaround at 1:15.
The 1/2 way turnaround was a little confusing but made it around and saw my family. I "asked" them to let the timer know I didn't have my chip. My poor family. They come and stand in the rain to cheer me on and I come by and bark out orders. I better start being nicer or they may stop coming, lol. I love having them there and it certainly makes a difference.
Headed out for 2nd loop intending on matching the effort from the first. With all the out and back and it being 2 loops, I got to see alot of people on the course. Comic moment: I'm riding and it seems like every rider coming at me is looking at me. I started wondering if something was going on, like I had something funny stuck to my helmet or something. Kept riding and then thought that if I was noticing everyone looking at me, then that means I was looking at everyone too, lol.
Coming back to the dismount line, my wife was holding my chip and said they said to just put it back on and finish with it.
What would you do differently?:

Maybe not push quite so much. I did not TT this course, but may have been able to be a little more conservative. I like to go fast on the bike. I love TT's. I love pushing on the bike until my legs feel like jello and I'm afraid to dismount because I'm not sure I can stand, but this does not work well in a tri. I back off quite a bit, but probably could go easier. No such thing as a good bike and bad run, right?
Transition 2
  • 02m 11s
Comments:

Estimated T1 & T2 times due to chip mishap. Tried racking at the wrong rack. Noticed the bike that was there didn't look like the one that was there earlier, then noticed it was not my stuff there either, lol. Put socks on and had to tie my "long distance" shoes.
What would you do differently?:

This one went well, nothing really to change. Maybe put Yankz in my longer distance shoes, but don't mind the time to tie the shoes for comfort.
Run
  • 1h 59m 14s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 06s  min/mile
Comments:

Coming out of T2, my dad let me know that to hit 5 hrs I would need to run 7:35 miles. I scoffed and said "That ain't happening." Again with my rudeness. Started running and felt good. First 3 or 4 miles really felt good. Not real sure what happened then. Pace dropped, I'd pick it up for awhile then look down at the Garmin and it would would show 9:15 or so. Walked the aid stations and drank water. Never really felt the caffeine from the gels I carried like I do in training. At the 1/2 way turnaround I dropped my hat, glasses, and tri top. I like shedding my top to finish a run it usually give me some pep. I would try to pick it up and see that my picked up pace was around 9:00. Probably ran better miles 10 and 11 then any of the others except for the first few. Took it on in to the line and was pretty happy with my finish time.
What would you do differently?:

Ease up on the bike to maybe run better. Maybe I'll learn someday. This time didn't really match up very well with my training or training runs, I think.
Post race
Warm down:

My legs HURT after the race. Not crampy, just HURT. I walked a little waiting for my teamates to finish. I was afraid to sit down, thought I might cramp up. Finally put on my sweatshirt and headed down to the lake. I waded up to my waist for about 20 minutes and it really felt good.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Swim: Lack of swim training
Bike: Gravel
Run: Bike pace
Still I PR'd for this distance by 13:08 and left some room for improvment. I feel like I "raced" the swim, bike, and probably 5 miles of the run. Thinking about it and looking at numbers, it may have been better to have a longer taper.

Event comments:

Good race on fast course. Race director did a good job rolling with the changes. The 1/2 turnarounds on the bike and run were a little confusing. The run course is pretty rough, but doable.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2008-12-16 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:44:00 | 2112 yards | 02m 05s / 100yards
Age Group: 9/10
Overall: 109/195
Performance: Average
Suit: Orca Wetsuit Full
Course: Square, two loop, stay in the water to make second loop.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 75F / 24C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Average
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:11
Performance:
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
02:31:00 | 56 miles | 22.25 mile/hr
Age Group: 2/10
Overall: 6/195
Performance: Good
5 mile averages (20.8)(22.7)(21.3)(22.1)(23.8) (22.7)(21)(23)(20.9)(22.8)(23.1)
Wind: Little
Course: 2 loops with a couple of out and backs with turnarounds. Bike course was altered late due to some new gravel on one stretch of road. Still had to go over about 3/4 mile of rough, but packed in gravel, twice. Flat course.
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 02:11
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
01:59:14 | 13.1 miles | 09m 06s  min/mile
Age Group: 7/10
Overall: 71/195
Performance: Average
Miles (8:11)(8:30)(8:57)(9:02)(9:12)(9:14)(9:36) (9:11)(9:21)(9:10)(9:17)(9:25)(9:38)
Course: Out and back x 2. Pretty flat, rough, uneven roads.
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4