Revolution3 Half Ironman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Middlebury, Connecticut
United States
80?F / 0C
Overcast
Total Time = 7h 11m 8s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = F35-39
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Put everything in order the night before, went to bed around 9:30. Got up, put on loads of sunscreen (I fry), ate a mini bagel with peanut butter and honey, drank a lot of Gatorade G2 and water. Got to the race site just as transition was opening.
Event warmup:

I didn't do one. I find that warmups just make me more nervous.
Swim
  • 44m 35s
  • 2310 yards
  • 01m 56s / 100 yards
Comments:

I started out having a great swim. I was siting well and feeling strong, and was drafting off of people consistently. Right before I rounded the bouy to turn towards the swim exit, someone who had been drafting off of me grabbed me and pulled - I shook it off, but I got discombobulated. I rounded the bouy... and then just kept on turning. I started swimming towards the next bouy, only to find that I was going back the way I had come instead of heading towards the exit. I cut the corner and started swimming hard for the main pack/swim exit, but I lost at least 3-5 minutes on my swim time. Total bummer.
What would you do differently?:

Take a few seconds to get situated when I rounded that bouy. It would have taken a lot less off my swim time than swimming the wrong way did.
Transition 1
  • 03m 16s
Comments:

T1 went OK. I was a bit discombobulated coming out of the water, so I didn't run that hard into transition. Once I was at my bike though, I made the transition quickly.
What would you do differently?:

Get from the water to my bike faster. Get my arms out of the wetsuit quicker.
Bike
  • 3h 44m 19s
  • 56 miles
  • 14.98 mile/hr
Comments:

This is a hard bike course, and one you have to be really patient with. In my opinion, the hardest sections are in the first 18-20 miles, which are full of short, steep uphills. I had ridden the course once before, so I was prepared for it. I took it easier in the beginning, and started pushing it more on the long uphill that starts at mile 23. I passed a lot of people on the uphill. I'm not a particularly strong/fast cyclist, so for me this was a good showing. It was also a great time! For probably the first time ever in a race, I thorougly enjoyed the ride. It's a gorgeous course, and, except for one section when headwinds magically appeared out of nowhere, conditions were ideal.
What would you do differently?:

I would probably try to drink a little more water in the last 5-6 miles. I didn't quite realize how hot and sunny it was getting.
Transition 2
  • 03m 33s
Comments:

This was a slow transition for me. A guy in transition helped me out, but I think it actually threw me off my game a little. But it was nice of him, and I remembered to spray some sunscreen on, and I didn't run out of transition with my helmet on, so all things considered I'm not too upset
What would you do differently?:

Be more focused. Remember that I can get focused and adjust in the first few hundred meters of the run; I don't have to do it in transition.
Run
  • 2h 35m 25s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 11m 52s  min/mile
Comments:

I ran pretty much the entire course other than the aid stations, which was a victory for me. I've never seen so many people walking on a course. My legs were screaming pretty much the whole time. The aid stations were plentiful and well stocked, and the volunteers were awesome. I enjoyed the run, despite the pain. For some reason, Missy Elliott's "Shake Your Pom Pom" kept going through my head. I am very grateful that I didn't just randomly bust out with "Lauren's got a big ol' donkey, oh yeah!' in front of other people.
What would you do differently?:

I wish I could have upped the intensity of my running, especially on the downhills. And I dawdled too much at the aid stations. I needed to up my run cadence so I could go a little faster. Even with the hills, 12-minute miles are pretty slow for me. Going to have to practice running off the bike with intesnity.
Post race
Warm down:

Congratulated all my friends, hung out with my boyfriend, stretched a little.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Lack of directional sense on the swim, perhaps a lack of leg strength for the run.

Event comments:

This is a great race - really well run and a joy to participate in. The course is gorgeous and the amenities top notch. They put your name on your transition spot! The only thing I really wish they'd change about this race is the post-race food. After 7 hours of consuming gels and electrolyte drinks while exercising, the last thing I want is mac and cheese and a burger - or really any hot, prepared food. I was longing for some bread or bagels and peanut butter to settle my stomach.




Last updated: 2010-06-07 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:44:35 | 2310 yards | 01m 56s / 100yards
Age Group: 26/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Suit:
Course: Basically a traingle with the top point cut off (so you finish about 500 yards down the beach from where you start)
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 75F / 24C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Bad
T1
Time: 03:16
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
03:44:19 | 56 miles | 14.98 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: This is a course of constant hills - short hills, long hills, steep hills, gradual hills, they're all there. You climb a lot, but you also get a lot of long, fast descents.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:33
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
02:35:25 | 13.1 miles | 11m 52s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Course: Holy hills, Batman! This course is NO joke. After a 2 1/2 mile mostly downhill stretch to start, the course just keeps going up and up and up. From mile 3.5 to about mile 8, I'd say you're running uphill 85% of the time, and the hill from mile 3.5 to 4.5 is intense. From mile 8 to 12, you're doing more downhill than up (though there is some up), and then the course gives you the middle finger with a giant hill at mile 12. Luckily you crest that just before rounding the corner to where people are, and the last few hundred meters are downhill to the finish line, so you can definitely finish strong
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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