Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Benton Harbor, Michigan
United States
CAPRI Events
80F / 27C
Precipitation
Total Time = 7h 16m 32s
Overall Rank = 1562/1661
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 200/207
Pre-race routine:

Photo: TJ @ transition Friday evening to rack bike for the night.

I had the "pre-race butterflys" kick in at about midnight, and was up and down trying to yack several times throughout the night. My stomach was completely unsettled, I couldn't eat anything before, couldn't try to drink fluids, and I even tried to force fluids. No luck. I didn't get much sleep since I was up and down. After setting up transition, I was hanging out in the crowd, and some guy was standing by, chewing some dip, and I got one smell of it, and I was looking for a trash can to hurl into. Thoughts of food/drink, bad smells, lots of stuff wanted to send me to the trashcan. I started the race with no food, and no liquids in my stomach.
Event warmup:

I did some light stretching, as well as floating around the water. It was actually nice, floating around the water on my back, eyes closed, visualizing my transitions - just practicing them in my head.
Swim
  • 38m 57s
  • 2310 yards
  • 01m 41s / 100 yards
Comments:

The beach start was fun. Since it was point to point, the start chute was at a 45* angle from the first bouy. I lined up on the side of the chute closest to the bouy, and when we went, 3 or 4 of us ran down the beach to where we were 90* from the bouy and started swimming. The rest of the group went into the water at the 45* angle, and, as a result, were 50 feet back by the first bouy. I hit the 1st bouy 2nd out of my group.

About 100-200 yards into the swim, the approaching storm cold front finally hit, and as a result, the swim turned from calm and smooth to a washing machine with 6 foot swells (yes, they were really 6 feet, that was not an exageration). It really hurt my swim, I choked on some water, and had to do some backstroke/breaststroke, as my lungs were suddenly on fire. I told myself I would accept anything between 30:00 and 40:00. Given the conditions, I was happy with my time, it fit within my goal times. Rough swim, but I got through it. I got to do my corkscrew turn too!



What would you do differently?:

I don't know that I could have done much different. I choked on water, and my lungs felt like they were on fire, but aside from that, I don't know that I could have actually changed much. I didn't go as fast as I was really hoping I would have, but I did perform within my goal time, so I was actually quite happy with my swim.
Transition 1
  • 03m 34s
Comments:

My biggest disappointment was no baby pool, no water spray off, no good way to get the soft fluffy powerdy sand off your feet. I did the best I could, but I still got a ton of sand in my socks/shoes. I took it easy, and made sure I did not forget anything. It was easy to get the wetsuit off. I jogged the bike out of transition, and at the bike mount, I did a flying leap onto the bike. Started my Garmin and Vetta, hit lap on my Polar.
What would you do differently?:

Leave the shoes on the bike (need to practice this). Run faster through transition. Heck, it was not too bad of a transition, considering how big the transition area was.

I had a Polar CS200 for heart rate, a Vetta RT88 cycle computer, and my Garmin 201 for distance (more for run). I need to find a way to easily consolidate all 3 onto 1 waterproof unit (Garmin 410XT?). That was alot of watches/data platforms to deal with.
Bike
  • 3h 12m 56s
  • 56 miles
  • 17.42 mile/hr
Comments:






The roads were mostly good, though there were some parts in need of repair. You can always tell how good the roads are by the amount of yellow profile aero bottle poofie things on the road. There were a ton of them after every bumpy area, and water bottles, and some xlab wings, and a ton of other things lost on the road. There was even one spot where someone dug a trench across the road earlier that week. Best they could do was try to mark the problem spot.

    kmwilliams: "I read a quote last week on Twitter "Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face" - Mike Tyson.

    I can truly say about 40 miles into the bike I found out extactly what he was talking about!!!"


The last 18 miles on Blue Star Highway was BRUTAL. I think I averaged between 12 and 14 miles per hour the whole way back. That should paint the picture for you. I would have probably averaged 20+ had I not had to deal with the wind.

That 18 miles far outweighed and overshadowed the positives that had happened in the first half the ride. I rode strong and fast. With an hour + riding in the wind at 12-14mph, and still averaging 17+ mph overall, I had some great speeds in the first half, and had sections where I was able to hammer at 23-25+ mph, and hold those speeds, which is nothing short of amazing for me.

The last 18 miles? Just miserable. Nothing else I can say about that. The only bright point about those miles was thinking about what would happen if someone had to stop to take a leak near the nuclear power plant. There are a ton of signs saying "Deadly Force". "My gosh Johnny, what happened to you?" "I had to stop and go pee, and one of the nuclear power plant guards shot my .... off."

The things you think of when you're struggling on the Blue Star...

I had nothing left in me by the time I got back to the transition - which led to a rough run.
What would you do differently?:

Try to eat and drink more. Front rim selection is important. With the amount of wind, it was tough to ride on a 100mm front. Mentally prepare for bad conditions. Train in hard winds. Drive the course.
Transition 2
  • 03m 51s
Comments:

I unclipped my shoes from the pedals, and ran back to transition in my bike shoes. I could have probably saved some time, but this was fine - it worked. I really did not know how much I'd be able to trust my legs after the ride, and I didn't want to hurt myself getting out of the shoes on the way into the dismount area.
What would you do differently?:

Leave the shoes on the bike. Slow down to speed up. I was trying to rush, I was fairly scatterbrained, and actually left my Gu Chomps on the bike. After double checking, triple checking, I was able to get out of transition. I was pretty pooped, I don't even remember if I walked out, or ran out. I do know I carried a bottle of water out, which was greatly needed.
Run
  • 3h 17m 16s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 15m 04s  min/mile
Comments:

By the time I got to the run course, the race was already over for me. I was not mentally prepared for a wet weather run after the last couple of brutal hours on the bike. I made the best of the run, though, when I got out of the park, made the left turn on North Shore and took one look at what I will now refer to as "The Hill", I realized what humility was. I walked that hill, and other select parts of the course as necessary. I normally don't mind running in the rain, but you just have this empty feeling to yourself after a bike as bad as it was - I was pooped, and it took me a while to compose myself to push more - and I don't know that I ever really got my composure back fully.

The course was fantastic, a mix of closed roads, very lightly traveled roads and running trails around lakes on the Whirlpool Corporate Campus. This was really a top notch course.







 

What would you do differently?:

I was not mentally prepared for running in a monsoon, let alone running in a monsoon after cycling in it. Alot of things could have been done MUCH better, but I think the only real thing I had control over was the mental aspect, and I didn't even have very good control over.
Post race
Warm down:

Drank some liquids, rode the bike back to the car. Not much else - I was WAY too tired and sore. I just wanted to get in the car and come home. 24 hours in compression socks and a cryo cuff on my right knee, and I am actually feeling quite myself again.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Brad: That was the most miserable, painful, Godawful experience of my life. I can't wait to sign up for the next one! (IM 70.3 finish)

Stormfront rolled in about 200 yards after the swim start.
Swim: 6 foot swells
Bike: Last 18 miles into head wind of about 20-30 mph
Run: Rain, rain, rain. I was dead after the bike.


Event HR Info:
MaxHR: 179/97%
AvgHR: 146/79%
Calories: 4916
Time in Zones:
Z1: 0
Z2: 47:34
Z3: 2:17:53
Z4: 3:58:54
Z5: 16:13

Event comments:

CAPRI did a wonderful job for this race. Everything was on time, thought out and very organized. CAPRI is a class act. Wonderful expo as well.

Issues:
1) Please add a place to wash sand PRIOR to getting to T1 after the swim. Without it, you are getting sand in your shoes/socks/etc.
2) Please have printouts of course maps.
3) Schwag bags were kind of skimpy - we basically got a t-shirt out of it. I would have liked to see a hat and other things as well. You can get a t-shirt at any local sprint race, while my local HIM races have a ton more.
4) Using cheap velcro, instead of a regular chip strap, causes the chip to dig into your ankle.




























Last updated: 2009-08-02 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:38:57 | 2310 yards | 01m 41s / 100yards
Age Group: 141/207
Overall: 938/1661
Performance: Average
MaxHR: 179/97% AvgHR: 160/87%
Suit: Xterra Vortex 3 John over T3 Trisuit
Course: Current was running south to north, so the course followed suit, from Tiscomia Park to Jean Klock Park. The swim was a point to point course, starting from the beach, out to the first bouy about 25 yards off shore, parelleling the beach for the swim until the exit . Start was a dry beach start. Exit was to the beach, into deep sugar sands. Timing mat was not until the parking lot, so the swim time included beach run. "The point-to-point, beach start, swim will be parallel and will flow in the direction of the lake current with the finish at Jean Klock Park. If the current is flowing from south to north, the swim will start at Tiscornia Park. If the current is flowing from north to south, the swim will start at Rocky Gap Park. You will have to walk from transition the 1.2 miles down the beach. The swim finishes about 150 yards from the entrance to transition. The water will be 10-12 feet deep, and the water temperature is typically 60-74 degrees, and triathlon wetsuits are allowed. Lake Michigan can be calm or choppy depending on the winds, so expect 1-3 foot waves. Athletes will swim outside a line of buoys and inside a line of lifeguards on rescue boats, kayaks and surfboards."
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 68F / 20C Current: High
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Average
Breathing: Below average Drafting: Average
Waves: Bad Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:34
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
03:12:56 | 56 miles | 17.42 mile/hr
Age Group: 161/207
Overall: 1227/1661
Performance: Good
MaxHR: 170/92% AvgHR: 154/84% Gear: T3 tri Suit Uvex Aero helmet Fuji Aloha Blackwell 100 front/back Oakley Flak (jackets) Sunglasses Polar CS200 HRM Vetta RT88 Cyclecomputer Garmin Forerunner 201 Shimano Cycling Shoes
Wind: Headwind with gusts
Course: The 56-mile bike course will take triathletes through the scenic northern Berrien and eastern Van Buren counties in southwest Michigan. This area is part of the Michigan "fruit belt" and includes numerous blueberry, strawberry and raspberry farms as well as vineyards and orchards. The course roadways are mostly asphalt, in good condition with some rolling hills throughout.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 03:51
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Bad
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
03:17:16 | 13.1 miles | 15m 04s  min/mile
Age Group: 203/207
Overall: 1635/1661
Performance: Bad
MaxHR: 167/91% AvgHR: 136/74%
Course: The run takes place on roadways around and in the Whirlpool Corporate Campus, as well as private running trails around the lakes. once on the campus, there are two 4.5 mile loops through the campus. At mile 1, there is a hill that could best be described as a wall, which made me, and just about everyone, walk. Aside from that wall of a hill, there were a couple of smaller hills, though the rest of the course was relatively flat.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %0
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 1
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
Good race? Ok
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