New Jersey State Triathlon - Sprint Distance - TriathlonSprint

I thought I would just nail the swim this year after continuing to get slower and slower after each of the last 4 races. I have time trialed in the pool and had 500 yards under or just at 8 minutes. I was really shooting for a time under 9:00 minutes. I lined up in the front right at the left buouy. When the gun went off I decided I was not going to get caught up in "racing". The guy to the right of me had to have gotten out of the water first (from my wave) because he immediately went OFF and was a good 25 yards in front. I just concentrated on my breathing, rotation and pull. My sighting and navigation was excellent I thought. I didn't stop to breaststroke so I could sight or even to catch my breath and I had already passed a dozen or more swimmers in silver caps that I figured that this swim would end up being my PR. In the end it wasn't as I swam the 2006 NJ State swim course (that one started at the docks and ended at the ramp) in 9:22 - 28 seconds faster than this year. I'm hoping that course in 2006 might have been just a little short. Still - I was pleased with my swim - not much to analyze here.

Not much. Train more anaerobically next season. I have this year but likely not enough and/or not fast enough.

Still very slow getting out of the water and uphill to transition - didn't walk though. Slow jog all the way to my rack. Threw my cap and goggles down. put my helmet on and my race belt and took off with my bike.

I had almost the furtherst run to the bike mount like. Its crazy. What was it? A 100 yard or 200 yard run once you LEAVE transition and then you have to run to the bike mount line. Well multiply that by two because I'm literally running from the boathouse all the way to the main park road where the bike mount is - 400/500 yards away. So taking all that into consideration - 1:38 ain't half bad.

Nothing.

Again - trouble getting my feet into the Specialized tri shoes. Although I was able to stay around 16 or 17 mph while accomplishing it. Once I turned onto Hughes Dr. I began a nice high cadence to wake my legs up. Continued onto Quakerbridge Rd and once I made the right turn off of Quakerbridge I turned it up a notch staying in my granny wheel and using a high cadence (100-105) I was rolling along uphill (somewhat) at about 21 or 22 mph. Once I passed the entrance into the park and hit flat ground - I shifted to my large wheel and began to just push - I'm talking about 25 or 26 mph until the next right turn. Made the right turn going about 21 mph and then started to hammer again until the left hand turn at the ballfields. The road dips a bit here and this is where I shifted to my smallest wheel on my crank and just blasted downhill hitting 30mph. And just as the road leveled out and I started my ascent again I shifted all the way down and increased my cadence going uphill at about 21 or 22 mph. I was making terrific time and was on pace to finish up in just about 30 minutes. For some reason I had it in my head that since my runs have been so terrible in this race I would shift to my granny wheel and increase my cadence so my legs wouldn't be shot for the run. I won't do that next year because once I made the turn back into the park I must have been cruising at around 14 or 15 mph instead of continuing to hammer. I lost myself a good 2 or 3 minutes from my finish time. Not happy. Will. Not. Happen. Again.

Not let up at the end of the course. This was my chance for a good time and I blew it.

And what is the deal with the distance between the timing mat and the bike mount line at the road? I HAD to have added a minute to my bike time due to this distance. It was MUCH, much better 3 or 4 years ago the way they had it set up just to the side of transition.

Everything good here. Just wish it wasn't so crowded at the bike dismount line. And I HATE that run from the bike dismount line to the timing mat into transition.

Nothing. One of my better times especially considering the distance from the road to my rack.

I ran the course after setting up in transition and kept thinking to myself that everything was pointing to a good run that day. I felt great. No significant injuries to deal with this season. I am 10 lbs lighter than this time last year. I have been training in mid-day summer heat for the last two months. Today HAS to be the day I run this course better than 29 minutes. Well - It didn't happen - AGAIN! At this point it has to be mental. I know there must have been a lot of people whose times were slower this year than year's past - but I can't use that as an excuse. I was ready this year.

I'm gonna have to figure this one out.

terrific addition to the race - the tent with the showers. So nice. I just stood there under one for about 3 minutes. Aaaah! Not much of a warm down at all. Walked and talked with my cuz and grabbed a couple of bottles of water. I could not eat anything - I felt so sick to my stomach.


The only thing I can think of is that this is the first summer where I had not participated in any early season triathlons. The NJ State Triathlon is usually the 4th or 5th race of my season by the time it comes around. Not this year. I think I probably need one - if not two - at least two weeks before next July's race.

Finished #5 out of 52 Clydesdales which is the closest I have gotten to the top 3 - ever so I'm pleased with that even though I still did not come close to my time of 1:10.


Still my favorite and likely will always be my favorite. I really liked how the sprint distance worked out being split up from the Olympic race distance. Having the Sprint on Saturday and the Olympic on Sunday is most definately the way to go. Crazy thing is how crowded the park was on Saturday during the sprint. Seriously. I don't know how it was done for all those years with both races on the same day. I also know where the Olympic racers' complaints came from regarding late start times since my Wave #16 did not start until just about 9AM. That sun just beats down on you after you get off of the bike. No more Clydesdale division for me if they are going to be going off at 9AM.