Miami University Student Foundation Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Oxford, Ohio
United States
Miami University Student Foundation
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 00m
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = W40-43
Age Group Rank = 15/17
Pre-race routine:

I got up EARLY and had my usual coffee then took off. I didn't feel as if I slept at all.My dreams have been race-related for the last week! I arrived at the Miami parking garage by 5:45 and got a sweet spot.

I checked in right at 6:00am. It looked like they had opened packet pick-up early. The big screen over the pool said it was 37F outside. Brr.

No race tag or numbers on my leg, just a paper wristband.

We were assigned a T1/2 rack. I got Rack J and chose a spot toward the back so as not to be in the way of the FOP people. My stupid hybrid bike handlebars didn't want to fit under the rack so I could hang my seat on the pole.

I decided to wear a long-sleeved technical under my Cincy Express singlet for warmth.

I found Lora and Jess. Jess gave me a great tip on how to get my shirts on over my wet body: Pre-roll the shirt so that I can pull it over my head then just unroll it down my body. Did it. All set by 7:10 and well into my nervous fog.

It was cold out. At 7:15 I ate my first GU ever (violating the nothing new on race day rule) then I took off my shoes and stripped to my tri shorts and bratop and went in. At 7:17 I came back out and got my googles from T1 and my swim cap from the goody bag I'd stowed in the car.
My naked feet hated the cold sidewalk.

Event warmup:

I forgot all about that...Does wandering nervously count?
Swim
  • 00m
  • 437 yards
  • / 100 yards
Comments:

The water was cool enough to make me a little short of breath - or maybe it was the nerves. I expected to breeze through the swim but didn't. I just felt like I was hardly moving and just couldn't get the hang of flip turning and gliding under the lane guide to the next lane over. The lanes were wide enough to swim 3 abreast - good, since I seeded myself too high and was getting passed like crazy. I used the stairs at the end to climb awkwardly out of the pool.

Speedy Feet missed my pool and T1 splits. All I know is that they took 14 minutes overall when I'd hoped for 9.
What would you do differently?:

Warm-up. Practice the flip/lane guide bit. Skip the stairs and climb out like I usually do.
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

My shirt rolling strategy backfired. I pulled on the pre-rolled suit, but when I went to unroll it down my body - I had rolled it UNDER!!! I was now trapped in my shirts with a huge sausage-roll glued to my armpits and shoulder blades. I think I had a 7-8 minute T1 wrestling that damn shirt. No way was I riding with my freezing white belly hanging out in the wind! I wrestled my bike out from the rack and clunk/jogged out of T1. I had to stop and do my usual psych up to get myself on the bike and clipped in. I had new pedals and was having trouble getting my right foot unclipped, so one of my main race goals was not to fall over sideways stuck to the bike.
What would you do differently?:

Pre-roll correctly. Eat the GU on the bike. Learn to do a running start - or even just a faster less terrified start.
Bike
  • 00m
  • 12.74 miles
  • 0.00 mile/hr
Comments:

One of my race goals was not to fall over stuck to my new pedals. When I saw the first monster hill, I didn't think I had the ability to make it to the top, so I caved, unclipped at the bottom and trudged up it. I made the rest of the hills, no problem.

I'm still scared when the bike gets over 20mph. I rode the brakes down most of the hills because I can't forget what a 10mph spill did to me 20 years ago.

It was really depressing to see all the road bikes blitz by me at I swear the same cadence.

I did pass a couple of folks. Mostly, they passed me right back...
What would you do differently?:

Learn how to get out of my seat for hills. Practice hills. Get more comfortable with speed.

Road bike, not a clunky hybrid.
Transition 2
  • 00m
Comments:

Someone racked their bike from the other side where mine was supposed to go. My handlebars hung up on the rack support again. The rack was pretty well full of bikes...

I choked down a GU and tried to drink some water. Choked. Changed shoes, coughing. Ran out of T1, coughing.
What would you do differently?:

Learn to drink water while out of breath.
Run
  • 00m
  • 3.11 miles
  •  min/mile
Comments:

I waved to my family as I left T2. It turns out the most important prep I did for them was to describe what I was wearing to race in. Even with that, they didn't recognize me until I waved to them!

I ran at around my standard workout pace. I didn't have jellylegs, but I just couldn't seem to pick up the pace.

Each time I picked up water, I had to walk and still almost choked, due to being out of breath.

A few times I heard "Go Cincy!" greeting from fellow team members as they passed me on their return. That was quite a charge. I passed a couple of people. That was a charge, too. I didn't expect that.

As I came into the final chute, I could hear the race director announcing names and sometimes their times. Then I saw my family and heard them yell and saw a Cincy Express group watching and cheering. For the first time, I was able to accelerate and felt like I actually RACED through the finish line!
What would you do differently?:

Run more so I keep getting faster. I still need to work on drinking. Who knew drinking from a cup could be so challenging?
Post race
Warm down:

I paced around a few minutes. My family walked up ready to chat. I was so overwhelmed, I couldn't even put sentences together. Just couldn't think.

I got my after race bag. Underwhelming. Apple, orange, granola bar, PB crackers, water, maybe a banana. The 3 and 5 year old promptly laid claim to the apple and orange. I refused to share the water and granola bar. No one wanted the PB crackers...

Note to self: Pack after race bags for each kid.

I checked in with the Cincy Express cheer squad and got my temporary results. I finished in under 2 hours!! I wasn't last!! Woo hoo!!

I cleaned up in the locker room. That was the BEST shower I have ever had.



What limited your ability to perform faster:

I'm just a beginner. I'd only been running and cycling for 3 months each, with very little road time. I really didn't know how to pace a tri or how hard I could push and still be able to finish without walking (one of my goals)

-need to be able to flip and push off under the lane guides for this swim.
-just climb out of the pool, skip the stairs
-getting my shirt stuck in T1
-slow bike start because I'm still learning how to clip in and out.
-need better hill ability.
-lose fear of downhill speed
-don't choke (literally!)
-push harder on the run



Event comments:

The most annoying thing was waiting for race results. I thought I'd see them posted online by Saturday night. It was days and then the splits were messed up. Some folks didn't get any. For me, I didn't have swim or T1 splits. Also, the overall ranking included relays, which I didn't think was right. The race forum was full of complaints about the timing mess-ups. New timing company, first race of the season, apparently...

My goals were:
finish without injury.
finish under 2 hours, aiming at 1:45.
don't finish last overall or in my age group.
don't fall over stuck to the damn pedals
ride not walk most of the hills.

I made all my goals! I finished at 1:53. If I hadn't gotten my shirt stuck in T1 and spent 5 minutes wrestling with it, I think I would have nailed my 1:45 estimate.





Last updated: 2009-04-04 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:00:00 | 437 yards | / 100yards
Age Group: 0/17
Overall: 0/
Performance: Bad
Suit: bratop and trishorts
Course: serpentine 50m pool to make 400m. Jump in entry
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Below average Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance: Bad
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
00:00:00 | 12.74 miles | 0.00 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/17
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Wind:
Course: roads. hills. I think we were in the country most of the course. I had race tunnel vision. There was a left turn at the bottom of a long descent then a scary monster hill soon after. There were a few more painful hills and one train track in town to cross.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 00:00
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Bad
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Bad
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:00:00 | 03.11 miles |  min/mile
Age Group: 0/17
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Course: flat through campus out and back, many 90 degree turns. one water station that you hit twice.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
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: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3