Guelph Lake Weekend - Olympic Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Guelph, Ontario
Canada
Trisport Canada
69F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 20m 58s
Overall Rank = 415/465
Age Group = 55-59
Age Group Rank = 6/8
Pre-race routine:

Up at 4:30; morning yoga stretches; made usual breakfast but I wasn't hungry so ate it in the car on the way to the race. Did have Dandelion Root tea and one cup of coffee. Also, only ate 1/2 of my oatmeal.

Once we got to site, I started drinking my 500ml of coconut water to be finished by 7:30 but it was more like 8:00 when I finished.

Usually take a pre-swim gel with water but didn't.
Event warmup:

Unfortunately I didn't get any warm up today; by the time we registered, I checked out the water, the buoys, the run to transition, chatted with too many people and finally got to setting up transition it was 8:00. Got a couple of movement prep stretches in and that was it.

I did manage to get in a good 10-12 minutes of swimming. So weird that on race days I have no trouble with my breathing. When I do my OWS practices I seem to get out of breath easy and it takes me a good bit of time to settle in.
Swim
  • 38m 21s
  • 1500 meters
  • 02m 34s / 100 meters
Comments:

Really, the mass start wasn't as bad as I thought it would be other than you don't actually get to start swimming when the 'gun' goes off. Have to wait till all the other athletes get in the water.

Happy that I was able to beat 51 people in my first Olympic.

My swim pace without the beach walk was 2.28/100 meters. :)
What would you do differently?:

Next time I would probably run on the beach instead of walk; especially if I was actually racing and wanted to 'place'. Walking on the beach put me 5/8 on the swim instead of 2/8.

I took my usual 'safe' approach and swam a comfortable pace, partly because I didn't want my swim to fall apart by going too fast; and I wanted to pace myself evenly over S/B/R. Now I know what it feels like to do 1500 meters in a race environment. Pretty darn good.
Transition 1
  • 04m 42s
Comments:

OK. My swim time when I stepped onto beach was 38.21. Took me 2.55 seconds to mostly walk up hill to transition mat, but after I took my watch off, put it in my mouth, took off wetsuit to hips, put watch back on, took off goggles, earplugs and cap, I actually started to run. Time actually IN transition was 1.47.

As far as I'm concerned they should have timing mats on the swim exit. I do not consider running up the hill to transition 'swimming' so I will continue to add that time into T1 total.
I ran carefully out of T1, especially through the mud and very carefully on the pavement to the mount line.
What would you do differently?:

At this location, probably nothing. I can't put my watch under my wetsuit. Too much pressure on the wrist.
Bike
  • 1h 27m
  • 40 kms
  • 27.59 km/hr
Comments:

Once I got out to Watson Road and climbed the first hill, right away I noticed how weak my legs were and was quite concerned. My legs are rarely weak. Wondering if I took TOO much rest this week.

Once my hip started acting up I did some stretching on the bike and played around with my position. Stayed out of aero bars as much as possible on the way out where I could have used the advantage going into the headwind but thought it wiser to save that for the return trip.

Have only really started using the aero bars, 2 weeks before Lakeside and I think my body is not used to that position, especially since I have been riding HARD in that position with a much lower cadence than usual - 78-80 compared to 95. Just guessing really.

I have been riding alot more forward on the seat with all the hill work the past 3-4 weeks, so pushed myself back to see if that helped. Something worked because by 25km my hip wasn't bothering me anymore.


What would you do differently?:

Get my bike warm up in before the race start. I think perhaps not taper quite so much. With my pelvis problem at Lakeside 2 weeks ago and racing my first Oly, have been babying myself a bit.
Transition 2
  • 02m 3s
Comments:

Had several people at the dismount line shouting what a great dismount I had. Feet on shoes, off bike and running without stopping bike. I ran with bike to the mud, then started walking, trying to loosen legs and hips a bit in prep for run. I do normally run but there was mud and wet grass so took advantage of walking and stretching.

Took time to put socks on. Focused transition. Smooth but not fast.
What would you do differently?:

In those conditions, nothing.
Run
  • 1h 08m 16s
  • 10 kms
  • 06m 50s  min/km
Comments:

Run still continues to be my weakest event. But it is definitely coming. Legs actually felt good running off the bike, until I got to the first hill. Decided to walk through all the water stations rather than do a 10:1 combo. Pace per km: 7.06; 6.34; 6.47; 6.53; 6.29; 6.25, 7.10 (hill with gravel - walked up) 6.50; 7.04; 7.22. Last 2 km had hills and I might have walked up faster than I ran. BUT, I felt quite good, especially the last km.

I didn't bother drinking at the stations. Just dumped the water down my back; front and on my head.

Very pleasantly surprised how a 10km run felt after swimmng and biking. Amazing how quickly the time goes.
What would you do differently?:

Had a gel diluted in small bottle of water to take out on the run and wouldn't bother with that again. Too hard to drink and it was coming back on me. Harry doesn't feel I/we need anything for a 10km run. Says people drink too much.
Post race
Warm down:

Nothing till we got home. Did some stretches. Bath coming.....

What limited your ability to perform faster:

First Olympic so it was all new. Wasn't limited by this - chose to use it to LEARN how to race it.

My legs were weak on the bike and my hip was bothersome for the 1st half.

Note to self: out of 26 women in the 50-59 age group I placed 15/26. Very happy with that for my first olympic.

Event comments:

Was really happy to see so many water stations on the run. Draw prizes are done too soon.




Last updated: 2009-03-31 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:38:21 | 1500 meters | 02m 34s / 100meters
Age Group: 5/8
Overall: 414/465
Performance: Good
First lap - 18.19; walking on the beach - 1.10; Second lap - 18.58. Got a bit off course due to poor sighting.
Suit: Yes
Course: 2 loops of 750 with a beach run. Mass start with my group at the back, almost on the grass.
Start type: Run Plus: Shot
Water temp: 69F / 21C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 04:42
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
01:27:00 | 40 kms | 27.59 km/hr
Age Group: 3/8
Overall: 415/465
Performance: Below average
Rode well from mount line out to Watson Road where we got the north wind in our face. Watson is a gradual, steady, climb, nothing drastic. Hadn't gone 10km before my right hip at the insertion point of IT/glutes was hurting. Made the decision to keep this a training race and take it at a comfy pace outbound, push a bit more homeward bound if possible, and save myself to be able to run.
Wind: Some
Course:
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 80
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:03
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:08:16 | 10 kms | 06m 50s  min/km
Age Group: 8/8
Overall: 423/465
Performance: Good
Felt pretty good on the run. Breathing was good and I was putting in a good effort but still tried to stay on the comfortable side. I was able to talk so I know people will say I was going too slow. My goal was to finish, not have my legs/lungs or body give out half way through.
Course:
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
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] 4