Rockin R Toobin Triathlon - TriathlonOther


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New Braunfels, Texas
United States
Redemption Race Productions
76F / 24C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 18m 18s
Overall Rank = 41/200
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 4/16
Pre-race routine:

Banana and blueberry muffin, granola bar closer to race start.
Event warmup:

.5-.75 mile light jog, stretching
Swim
  • 08m 12s
  • 437 yards
  • 01m 52s / 100 yards
Comments:

River was very low in places requiring you to trudge upright for 20-30 meters. Bottom was shallow even where deep enough to swim, so got a lot of bottom much churned up in your face/teeth. Narrow channel for first 100m created real challenge to swim in that tight of a pack--lots of banging around.
What would you do differently?:

Start at back of wave. I noticed that the guy who won my age group was more than a minute slower than me in the water, so waiting a few seconds for the wave to clear out seems to be a decent strategy.
Transition 1
  • 00m 57s
Comments:

Took a bit longer in T1 than necessary, decided (for whatever reason I'll never know) to pull on riding gloves, taking valuable seconds. I guess after the debacle that was the swim due to low water I wasn't feeling particularly rushed.
What would you do differently?:

Forget bike gloves
Bike
  • 43m 19s
  • 13.5 miles
  • 18.70 mile/hr
Comments:

I used every gear on the bike a number of times--from down hills that had we hanging on for dear life, to looong up hills in granny low. I need to learn to get more comfortable on the bars going fast (30+ mph).
What would you do differently?:

Push harder. Although I wasn't too disappointed with my 19 mph pace given the hills (I have no place to ever train on hills), but I could have pressed harder, should have been able to go over 20 mph average.
Transition 2
  • 00m 42s
Comments:

Good quick transition
What would you do differently?:

Learn to jump off bike while moving so as to cross line and keep going
Run
  • 25m 8s
  • 3.3 miles
  • 07m 37s  min/mile
Comments:

All of the hill work I have done running paid off, not only on the run leg but also on the hilly bike course. I shortened my stride, kept chest upright, and trucked up the nasty hill (~8% grade, .4 miles), passing a number of folks in first .25 miles of run leg. My legs never felt rough like during a normal brick, maybe due to my focus on the hill, maybe because of the borrowed tri bike I rode. After first half mile I was settled into a nice 7:30 pace, negative splits all the way. I felt great, passed many people, moving up 2-3 spots in age group (reeled a guy in who had passed me on the bike leg).
What would you do differently?:

Run faster at start, expect more from my body.
Post race
Warm down:

Light stretching, walking, Slim Fast shake, Gatorade.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Need more time on the bike, need to trust my body to perform at higher levels of exertion

Event comments:

This was the first of what the organizer hopes to turn into an annual event. The river swim is probably too long, given unpredictability of water levels (perhaps a 300m swim may have worked out better, given shallow water down course). The bike leg was tough but challenging. The run leg--if you got through the first half mile hill, was flat and fast. Post-race food was good, all in all a well-organized race.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2009-04-20 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:08:12 | 437 yards | 01m 52s / 100yards
Age Group: 7/16
Overall: 0/200
Performance: Average
Suit: No
Course: Down and back swim on the Guadalupe river
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 79F / 26C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Average
Breathing: Below average Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 00:57
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
00:43:19 | 13.5 miles | 18.70 mile/hr
Age Group: 8/16
Overall: 0/200
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Out and back from low water crossing on the Guadalupe, up river road, and return. Course was incredibly hilly, with one 1.5 mile hill that just kept on giving. There wasn't a level stretch on the entire route. Lots of sharp 90 deg turns.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Below average Cornering: Below average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Too much
T2
Time: 00:42
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:25:08 | 03.3 miles | 07m 37s  min/mile
Age Group: 2/16
Overall: 0/200
Performance: Good
Mile 1 8:00 Mile 2 7:35 Mile 3 7:16 Mile 3.3 6:50 pace
Course: Loop up a huge hill through Gruene and return to Rockin R.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4