Rock 'N RollMan Sprint Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Macon, Georgia
United States
95F / 35C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 34m 48s
Overall Rank = 31/79
Age Group = 25-29
Age Group Rank = 2/10
Pre-race routine:

Took it easy the week before the race, but still got the regular exercise time in.
It was nice to already have the bike checked-in the night before, so that transition setup in the morning didn't take longer than a minute. So given the chance I would always do that again.
Pasta with shrimp the night before wasn't necessarily the brightest idea - next time should go for something easier to digest.
Breakfast - might wanna skip that next time or stick to a protein bar, egg and Banana did not work well.

Event warmup:

Went for about a 1k run in the morning right after getting up around the hotel and that felt really good, warmed up the muscles stretched them out and calmed my mind down.
At the event site I didn't warm up anymore - also didn't have time, because we arrived super late at the site- if my bike wouldn't have been checked in, I would've been in trouble BIG time. But this way all was good, well all besides my stomach and my mood.
Swim
  • 13m 30s
  • 500 yards
  • 02m 42s / 100 yards
Comments:

Starting in corrals and as I don't consider myself a great swimmer I stayed back and tried to get in the water on the outside, swimming besides the field - turned out I was faster than a lot of other girls and that gave me a hard time passing them. And it got tougher after the second buoy, where sprint and half iron swimmers came together. Most of the half iron swimmers that were left in the water had a hard time and were very slow and tended to hold onto other swimmers.
What would you do differently?:

Next time I hope I'll have more confidence in my swimming and position myself better, it's easier to get passed that to pass.
I also think I can still go harder
Transition 1
  • 01m 37s
Comments:

Plan was to improve T1 - and it worked. Didn't bother drying off - I was hoping to get a cool breeze out of it. Getting in shoes got better and not putting on gloves was a good idea.
What would you do differently?:

Position shoes in a better angle and maybe get some shoes that have one velcro strap instead of three. Have to try and see whether riding without socks is an option - they take FOREVER to put on, even rolled down...
Bike
  • 49m 37s
  • 15 miles
  • 18.14 mile/hr
Comments:

The map they had given out was so completely off - it wasn't even funny anymore. The hills were at completely different spots and therefore the planning was well - off. Good that they had lots of volunteers guiding the way. The roads were partially in great and partially in horrific condition. Coming down that last long hill was freaking awesome and a good chance for someone reckless ( me ) to pass some people or better to fly by some people who didn't wanna go down the hill with 37 mph :) Took it easy on the last 1.5 miles to stretched out and loosen my calves for the run ( which actually worked)
What would you do differently?:

Ride the course before the race if possible , that would have let me take the course harder and push more. I was always waiting for that horrible hill that they had predicted but that didn't come, so I saved my energy for nothing.
Transition 2
  • 01m 11s
Comments:

Happy with those new pre-tied elastic laces! and putting some body glide in the shoe was such a great idea, helped tons getting in.
A bit of a problem racking the bike were the aerobars that sticked up higher than the rack and so I had to lean the bike sideways under the rack to hang it up. Rest worked great
What would you do differently?:

Paying attention to how much room there is for the aerobars and maybe set up the transition area so that I arrive from the front of the rack and not the back and can just push the bike in backwards
Run
  • 28m 54s
  • 3.12 miles
  • 09m 16s  min/mile
Comments:

Having stretched out the calves on the last 1.5 miles of the bike leg helped surprisingly a LOT. It was a "give it a try" during race never done that in training before, but my calves felt like I hadn't ridden before.
Of course my shin and my knees bothered me and let me know they weren't happy about the run part - what else is new?
Kept it up and tried to remember "pain is temporary - regret forever" and so I went on. Gave myself another minute to stretch the calves and walk a few steps around 0.75 mile and at the aid station! Gotta love those ice-water-rags!! The way back was all downhill, except for the one steep hill entering the last 0.5 mile. So no mercy and no excuses and keep those feet moving!
What would you do differently?:

Run faster :)) Well a little faster, and don't take the walk breaks. Saw the girl that won my age group pass me and thought about sticking with her and pushing harder, but then decided she was to fast and sticked with my pace - MISTAKE!!!! Next time go for it.
Need to work on breathing - oh and next time, trying to not start the finish-sprint half a mile from the finish line - my lungs won't do that!
Post race
Warm down:

Maaassssaaaaaage!!!!!!!! So awesome, after taking a few steps in the shade got in line for the massage and that felt great, then some cheering and a jump in the water with some fun-swimming and cool down. Oh all of that after the award ceremony :)))

What limited your ability to perform faster:

my left should which is still week from the tendonitis - have to work on that, need to build up that muscle to take stress off the right shoulder and arm during the swim and put more power in the strokes.

Bike gotta work harder on the hills, getting better at hills is my chance to beat others on the bike legs, as I am not really fast on the flats but better than most on the hills.

Run - the biggest problem is the mental blockade to simply not wanna go harder, not wanna feel the pain. Hope to be able to get that out of the way, by intentionally planning painful workouts and train getting over that inner wall!

Event comments:

It was a great race that I would do again at any time! Yes it's hot, yes it's a hilly course BUT

great organization!
great number of volunteers!
great music and atmosphere!
Tons of people cheering!
Great expo!
A chance to see some pros live!
Great after event atmosphere, people stick around!
Great facility - no lack of porto potties and even real and clean bathrooms!
Awesome trophies!

And afterall, I have been so scared to start at this race because everybody told me how super tough this race is and that it might not have been the smartest choice for ones 2nd triathlon ever, but really the sprint course is not that challenging and if you have trained and prepared yourself for the race it is a fun race that is not too challenging! I can highly recommend it!





Last updated: 2010-05-28 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:13:30 | 500 yards | 02m 42s / 100yards
Age Group: 4/10
Overall: 31/79
Performance: Average
Suit: no suit
Course: Race officials had shortened the course for unknown reason and cut back to 500 yards - you didn't see me complaining! Water was super warm, almost uncomfortable for the swim. Course went out to the first buoy, around it to the last buoy of the half , around that and back to the start/finish at the beach.
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 82F / 28C Current:
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 01:37
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:49:37 | 15 miles | 18.14 mile/hr
Age Group: 2/10
Overall: 24/79
Performance: Average
Wind: Little
Course: Loop around the lake. Some hills, on the first 2 miles two tpough ones to begin with, but after that nothing scary or really tough
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:11
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:28:54 | 03.12 miles | 09m 16s  min/mile
Age Group: 2/10
Overall: 50/79
Performance: Average
Course: Out and back course with some mean long stretched hills that were advertised as false flats, but were obvious hills
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5