Top Gun Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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St. Petersburg, Florida
United States
87F / 31C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 04m 27s
Overall Rank = 77/1110
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 9/69
Pre-race routine:

Got there entirely too early but will do it again.

Ate a banana with coffee and orange juice at about 4:30 and headed to Ft Desoto. Arrived before transition opened so I walked to the beach and enjoyed the breeze.

There were 3 or 4 thousand people there and I had fun watching the nervousness. They all (me too) treat this a little more serious than they probably should but it sure is good watching.
Event warmup:

Jogged a little and swam about a 100 yds.
Swim
  • 08m 8s
  • 440 yards
  • 01m 49s / 100 yards
Comments:

I pretended I was fast again and hit it hard at the start. I was first in the wave to the first turn bouy but was quickly passed by two or three people. I have no way of knowing their age group. There were four more bouys until the next turn but during warm up I noticed they were not in line so I headed straight for the next turn. Swam for the shore and exited over the beach to the tide pool. Had a mental lapse and took my cap and goggles off only to realize I had more to swim. I had time to put them back on and swam/ran the tide pool.

The swim time included the tide pool and quite a bit of running so the times are misleading.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing- I even remembered to rinse my goggles just before my wave.
Transition 1
  • 03m 22s
Comments:

There was a long run in transition and I had a long way to get to my bike. The rough pavement slowed me tremendously.(something else to train for)

8th in my age group and 81st overall.
What would you do differently?:

Prepare my feet for rough pavement.
Bike
  • 27m 33s
  • 9.6 miles
  • 20.91 mile/hr
Comments:

The course was definitely short, maybe 9.6 0r 9.7 but it was still fast for me. I felt really strong compared to normal. I assume it is due to the rest I had this week.

I did better than I am able. Mile five I had a flurry of guys pass from my age division. I had no answer for their speed.

I did a better job getting my feet out before dismount and was not rushed.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing I know of except train more which is becoming harder to do.
Transition 2
  • 01m 27s
Comments:

The pavement was my biggest weakness again. There was only 12 seconds difference in the top ten times.
What would you do differently?:

toughen my feet
Run
  • 23m 59s
  • 3.16 miles
  • 07m 35s  min/mile
Comments:

Much better than Englewood. I slowed myself at the beginning and negative split. I was close to sprinting at the finish.

My dream came true at mile number two. Right when morale was starting to sag, the angels appeared with a cold wet rag.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing- I hope I just need some time to get faster.
Post race
Warm down:

No real warm down. Went straight to the outdoor shower and cooled a bit. Tried to eat a little but no real appetite.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Fitness and foot toughness were the only limiters. This time is was more running fitness that held me back on the run instead of the bike.

Event comments:

Everything was good except for the award ceremony. They waited too long to do it and rushed through it. I felt sorry for the winners. The awards were lacking as well. They all said "award winner."

Sprint triathlons are painful to me, I cannot imagine an Ironman. I know it is a different pain but the thought of it is kind of scary. One of the things I like the most about my young triathlon life is the awe I have for Ironmen. Shoot I admire the Olymic distance and the 70.3"s as well. What an accomplishment!




Last updated: 2010-05-26 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:08:08 | 440 yards | 01m 49s / 100yards
Age Group: 1/69
Overall: 30/1110
Performance: Good
Suit:
Course: Swam approximately one quarter mile, exited the sea and ran over the beach and entered a tide pool. (The tide pool was about 60 yds) Exited the tide pool and had about 100 yd run before the timing mat.
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 79F / 26C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Bad
Waves: Bad Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:22
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Below average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:27:33 | 9.6 miles | 20.91 mile/hr
Age Group: 26/69
Overall: 312/1110
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: Two turnarounds but they were gradual. (Flat, fast and closed roads)
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills:
Race pace: Hard Drinks:
T2
Time: 01:27
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:23:59 | 03.16 miles | 07m 35s  min/mile
Age Group: 10/69
Overall: 70/1110
Performance: Good
Course: Paved path out and sand rode back. The rode was hard pack so not a factor.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
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] 4