Swim
Comments: This was a great swim for me! The water didn't feel cold at all and was cleaner than any OWS I've done. I stayed with the group for the 1st 3rd and would have held on longer but I kept backing off when I got someone's feet. The crowd was not difficult, I was just nervous because I hear horror stories and I'm usually behind the crowd. I swam amazingly straight and rounded the buoys almost perfectly. I struggled a little after the last buoy, I just wasn't making the progress I had been. What would you do differently?: Maybe be a little more aggressive, but maybe not. Better to slow a little than get kicked hard and stop. Transition 1
Comments: I'm a little embarassed about this one. I'm not sure why I'm so slow in T1. I'm a little too anal about putting the wetsuit out of the way neatly. I do a lot of checking to make sure I have everything and second guessing myself. Took a gel here. What would you do differently?: Hurry! I need to take the gel running into T1. I forget, especially whering a wetsuit. Bike
Comments: For a hilly course I kind of liked it. A lot of people had trouble starting up the hill from T1, but it was fine for me, but only because I was lucky. I didn't remember to have it in a low gear, it just was. Most of the turns were fun and made me feel fast, a few had some sand and were 90 degrees or more I did terrible on. I mangaged to treat alot of the rollers like rollers and get most of the way back up at a good speed. I was trying to race people who were in my age group, but I didn't see any on the bike course. Some I couldn't read their numbers, but most were probably ahead of me. At least those behind probably stayed behind. Took a get at about 10 miles. I screwed up the dismount. The line wasn't clear and the girl telling me to slow down was motioning with her hands in a way that made me think that was the dismount line. So I got to run with my bike an extra 20 yards instead of coasting. What would you do differently?: Be sure where to dismount. Maybe next season I'll take some spacers out. Transition 2
Comments: Reedemed myself for T1. Still could be faster. I have started just carrying my run number to put on as I run. What would you do differently?: Just be a little quicker without rushing so much that I get frazzled. Run
Comments: I passed someone in my age group and knew it. I'm usually oblivious but really tried to take note of every runner's age group to do the best I could. Didn't notice anyone (in my age group) pass me. Even the downhills were steep enough to be challenging, but I was pleasanly surprised each time I came to a mile marker. Ate a pack of sport beans up to mile 2. Skipped the last water stop; that close to the end, just get to the finish line. What would you do differently?: Nothing Post race
Warm down: Focus on standing. Not too long after finishing I walked with the family clear of all the traffic and the course. Then rode to get the car and pick them up. What limited your ability to perform faster: Me. If I'm honest I need to learn swim technique, vastly improve my T1 performance, get fitted on and maintain my bike better, ride more, and run more. Event comments: I think it's a challenging but fun course. As spread out as the parking is they really handle the logistics well. I didn't get to stay for the food because my son had a soccer game, but they were grilling out for us. Hate I missed that. Could have used volunteers at one more turn on the bike course. Last updated: 2009-09-29 12:00 AM
|
|
United States
Lake Royale HOA
Sunny
Overall Rank = 128/182
Age Group = M 30-34
Age Group Rank = 13/20
Woke up a little earlier than I thought I needed to. Everything was packed I just had to put the bike on the car. It would have worked except trying to get the family ready wasn't as smooth. Plus we had to pack Zack's soccer stuff, including clothes for me and snacks for the team. Peanut butter bagel for breakfast.
Left about 6:15, 15 minutes behind. I dropped the family and most of my stuff off at transition just before 7 and drove out to park. Almost forgot to pump the tires then biked 2 miles. Met Alan in transition, confused him with another BTer, and then had to run... Pit stop then found chip pick up and body marking was right there, too. Back to set up transition. I can't believe how complicated that use to be. Grabbed the wet suit and swim stuff and met the family and fought with my wetsuit. I had 20 minutes left to get it on so no stress. Sipped on a slimfast.
I went down to the start thinking how much better it felt to get there with time to spare, took a few strokes and realized I had my wedding band on. It slips off easy in water so I had to get out, run back to the family, trying to get Zack to run to meet me halfway but I must look like an alien in my wetsuit, swim cap, and gogles. Made it back and still had time to spare. I did a much better job loosening up the wetsuit so it wasn't racking me or choking me too much.
The ride in was great, 10 minutes to relax. Didn't really warmup for the race, but got the feel and relaxed. Swam a little (50 yards would be generous).