Lake Mills Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Lake Mills, Wisconsin
United States
Lake Mills Triathlon
56F / 13C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 28m 14s
Overall Rank = 215/594
Age Group = m40-44
Age Group Rank = 27/53
Pre-race routine:

In July of 2005, I did my first triathlon. There is really only one thing I remember about that tri: The first 50 yards of the swim and yelling at myself for doing such a stupid thing as deciding to do a triathlon. I promised myself that if I survived the swim I would NEVER do this again! Well thankfully, I didn't listen to that silly voice in my head and on Sunday morning I woke to start my 6th season of these goofy things and my 20th triathlon. I was well rested after a good solid 5.5 hours of sleep. I have the pre-race routine down to a science and had car loaded up and out the door by 5am. I was grateful to find that it was not raining and that the sun was even peaking out. Arrived in a timely fashion and as I got out of the car the air was filled with the music of, well, air filling, as people pumped up their tires. The first of many donkey sightings occured as I saw Clint and Ben. Did the usual body marking and transition setting up and such.
Event warmup:

Did about a 10 minute warm up run, then got wet suited up and headed over to the water. For some odd reason I was a little anxious about the swim. So to calm myself, I did about a 15 minute warm up. This is easily the longest swim warm up I have done. Felt very calm (the unusually warm water helped) after.
Swim
  • 10m 59s
  • 440 yards
  • 02m 30s / 100 yards
Comments:

Well usually the first segment out to the first buoy is iffy as I start first race swim of the year. However this went fine. Then I turned the corner, into the wind and the chop and started getting tossed around like the Skipper and Gilligan. I was still ok until I decided I better sight. When I did I got a mouthful of water. This happened about three times. I started to freak a little (that hasn't happend in over 4 years) and started to breast stroke. I actually looked around for a kayak or life guard. When I spotted one, I said to myself, " well that is too damn far away, I might as well just finishing swimming." So I put my head back in the water and just finished swimming. Once I turn the corner at the buoy I picked up the pace, but it was really too late to save this swim. Hit the shore (which was also hard to find because they had no buoys or ballons to mark) nearly a minute slower than last year. Bummer man.
What would you do differently?:

Not let that stupid voice creep into my head and just do what I know how to do: swim.
Transition 1
  • 03m 5s
Comments:

I let myself swear and be all mad about my swim only until I got into Transition, then it would just be a bad memory.
Got my suit off quite quick. Wish this was faster, but I just have a lot to do: dry my feet, put glasses on, put Garmin on. As I was getting ready to go, the guy next to me asks me to help pull his shirt down that he was having trouble getting on his wet body. I did, but then I flew out of there before he asked me if his shorts made his hips look big.
What would you do differently?:

This is 30 seconds faster than last year. At this pace of improvement, I should have a decent T-1 in about another 6 years.
Bike
  • 50m 25s
  • 16.18 miles
  • 19.26 mile/hr
Comments:

Life is funny really. No really it is. Take last year (please!) I focused on the bike all winter and then turned in several duds of performances. Last year at this race I averaged a little over 18mph on the bike. So fast forward to this year. I said screw the bike I'm focusing on the run. I had zero expectation for the bike. Just decided to push as hard I could. Lo and behold I hit over a 19mph average. If not for some stiff head winds the last three miles, I probably would have averaged that elusive 20mph average. Maybe next year when I focus on the swim. Saw the strangest thing I have seen on the road in a race: a bike saddle. Talk about working your azz off.
What would you do differently?:

Go with a woman's wave. In this race all the men's waves go first, then the ladies. I personally like mixing it up with the ladies. Nothing personal guys, but riding with a bunch of dudes, isn't really all that much fun.
Transition 2
  • 01m 24s
Comments:

This was going pretty well until I made a rookie mistake of trying to run out the bike in.
What would you do differently?:

go the right way.
Run
  • 22m 24s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 07m 12s  min/mile
Comments:

I'll be honest. I can be honest right? I mean we are all friends. The only thing I really cared about at this race was getting a PR for the run. Conditions were perfect for a Pr: cool, flat course. Last year I started out fast, but talked myself into slowing down. This year there would be none of that talk. I passed a ton of people (not easy on the narrow trail) and was only passed by two people and only one of those counts because the second guy I passed back again. Even though I was working hard, I did not redline.
What would you do differently?:

This a PR for 5k (even stand alone) by nearly a minute. Hard not to be pleased about this.
Post race
Warm down:

Drank some chocolate milk because it does a body good.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

mini freak in the water, no taper

Event comments:

Always a great race to start the season. As always great to see and hang with my fellow Donks. Little smaller contingent than years past, but very enthusiatic! Pleased with race considering I did no taper at all. This was about 30 seconds off my PR for this race, however that was when the bike course was a mile shorter. So I think I could get credit for a PR. What do you think can I get credit for that? Maybe I will do one of these: PR*




Last updated: 2010-05-03 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:10:59 | 440 yards | 02m 30s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/53
Overall: 0/594
Performance: Bad
Suit: Rocket Science full
Course: Full rectangle minus of the sides in DEEP Rock Lake
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 70F / 21C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Bad
Breathing: Below average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Below average Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 03:05
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:50:25 | 16.18 miles | 19.26 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/53
Overall: 0/594
Performance: Average
Wind: Some
Course: rough road ahead
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:24
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:22:24 | 03.11 miles | 07m 12s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/53
Overall: 0/594
Performance: Good
Course: out and back along the crushed gravel path
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 4