Wilmington YMCA Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
United States
Wilmington YMCA
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 50m 47s
Overall Rank = 552/615
Age Group = M 30-34
Age Group Rank = 69/71
Pre-race routine:

Rushed! Stayed with a friend in Wilmington, woke up at 5:10 to leave by 5:40. Stopped at a convenience store for my usual Slim Fast shake, but for the third time they didn't have it. I'm going to have to figure a more readily available breakfast. Grabbed a Nutri Grain Bar and an extra Power Bar and of course my usual Coke. Got to the race site, marked, and got my chip by 6:30, then heard it was wetsuit legal. I should have skipped the wetsuit... but no, I ran back to the car for it, ran back to transition to set up. I managed to tweak my hamstring setting up transition! Grapped my swim stuff and caught the bus. I was putting on Body Glide and sunscreen on the bus. Stepped off the bus at 7 with my wave starting at 7:05. No time for a pit stop, filled my drop off bag making sure not to leave something I needed, then started wrestling into my wetsuit. That should be an event all by itself. My hamstring was already hurting, I hadn't had time to eat all the breakfast, I was getting very tired just trying to get it pulled on. I should have just stuffed it in the bag and started on time. I saw my wave take off as I hit the beach but I had my water bottle that I just emptied. I just can't make myself litter so I went to the dock to throw it away.
Event warmup:

Wade out into the water and start swimming. I guess I did jog a lot.
Swim
  • 36m 59s
  • 1640 yards
  • 02m 15s / 100 yards
Comments:

Someone else must have missed our wave because I wasn't last (and his other times were too good to be 20 minutes slower than me). I felt a little weird taking off between waves. I almost said something to Bill Scott as I went by but he started announcing so I just swam out figuring they would see my cap color and not call me out. I heard later that they would have let me start with the next wave and adjust my chip start, but they wouldn't do that in past years.

The current was more left to right, when I finally picked up some speed I headed qickly towards the boats and had to swim hard to get around them. My wetsuit was pulled up too high in an uncomfortable spot and it was also very tight in my chest. I can see why some people panic, I started to and certainly considered giving up. The problem is when you need to come up and catch your breat, that's the position that it is the tightest. So you can't get enough breath swimming or not. I rolled on my back and was able to relax and breath pretty well.

I decided I would enjoy the rest of my race anyway. Even struggling it's a very nice swim. Interestingly, the late start would not have made any difference in my age group standings. I started 2 minutes late and I was 3 minutes behind the guy ahead of me in age group.
What would you do differently?:

Get there earlier, skip the wetsuit if I don't have time to put it on and get it adjusted. More swim training and I still need to learn proper technique.
Transition 1
  • 04m 39s
Comments:

Had a gel on my way into transition. I already knew my overall time was screwed and I needed to recover and get my head on straight for the rest. I was running past my bike, but Christine was there and called me back, so I was able to talk to her about how it was going. My goals were for the bike and run so I could still make those. As I ran with the bike my helmet wasn't fitting right so I had to stop to adjust it.
What would you do differently?:

This long transition made the rest of my race possible, so I wouldn't change a thing under these circumstances.
Bike
  • 40m 23s
  • 12.43 miles
  • 18.47 mile/hr
Comments:

I don't know if I consider this goal met or not. If I adjust the distance back to 12 miles then I'm not quite at 18mph average, but I didn't change it for the other years.

I started out easy to try to loosen up my hamstring. Plus, I was stopping pedaling and lifting just off the saddle on Aralie Rd. Sand and wet spots made me nervouse turning so I took those easier than I would like. They also cone it off to a smaller lane to turn than I have in training. Maybe I shouldn't use so much of the road turning in training.

The last half was really great! I did a lot more passing than usual, not having to worry about the next hill crushing me right after the pass helped.
What would you do differently?:

Go a little faster early. Turn more aggressively.
Transition 2
  • 02m 9s
Comments:

I was joking around about not wanting to run. I was comfortable but not rushing. I was really getting hungry at this point so I grabbed my extra Power Bar, a gel, and some sport beans. I really like having jersey pockets.
What would you do differently?:

Maybe hurry, maybe not.
Run
  • 26m 38s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 08m 34s  min/mile
Comments:

Woo hoo! I made my run goal! I learned a lot by reading last year's race report before this race. I felt like I wasn't going to make it at about the same place, I did not slow down for water breaks and made it in the trash cans, but I was not going to stop if I missed (I've been a volunteer now and they really don't think twice about pickin up all those cups).

I took the gel and hoped it would be enough, the Power Bar would have slowed me down, but it was a good security blanket. At the half way point I picked up the pace slightly with a little more confidence. Coming up on 2 miles I knew I had to be there in 18 to have a shot so I kind of raced to that point. A sip to drink and a cup for the head I pushed harder and was encouraging others not to anything back on the last mile. I hate when I finish, miss a goal, and realize I could have run harder. I almost threw up and was able to laugh about it and keep pushing.

The last half mile was really tough. I'm scared to see that picture, but I was pretty sure I had made my 27 minute goal.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing, but I will continue to take a gel at the start and not slow down for water. I still get plenty even spilling a lot.
Post race
Warm down:

Remain standing, concentrate on standing up. Find a Coke and find the family.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Swim ability, lack of a good breakfast, and lack of time to get settled and prepared well.

Event comments:

Smooth out the roads and this would be the best race.




Last updated: 2009-06-12 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:59 | 1640 yards | 02m 15s / 100yards
Age Group: 70/71
Overall: 597/615
Performance: Bad
If I had started with my wave this would have been 35:03. I timed from the start all the way to the timing mat after the barefoot run.
Suit: Sleeveless Wetsuit
Course: Point to point, sort of an S-curve.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 76F / 24C Current:
200M Perf. Bad Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Below average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Below average
T1
Time: 04:39
Performance: Below 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
00:40:23 | 12.43 miles | 18.47 mile/hr
Age Group: 61/71
Overall: 463/615
Performance: Good
The bike hasn't changed, but I think it was only 12 miles.
Wind: Some
Course: Loop with a choke point both directions on the bridge.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Below average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:09
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
00:26:38 | 03.11 miles | 08m 34s  min/mile
Age Group: 55/71
Overall: 390/615
Performance: Good
Course: The loop at Wrightsville Beach with an extra spur.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 5