Pat Griskus Triathlon Series - Olympic Distance - TriathlonOlympic

My plan: just draft and concentrate on stroke technique. However I felt off (see pre-race routine for why) and had a little difficulty with breathing technique. In the end, I decided to find clear water away from others and to try to find a rhythm to settle into. I felt ok for a few bits but literally with 100m left or so, my R calf started to spasm/cramp off an on. I had to swim without any R leg kick and with R foot bent 90 degrees to shin...kinda weird is all.

Well I had a grand total of 2 whole miles in the water prior to this race (for 2010 I mean, not lifetime)...however I had a wetsuit on, so I knew I wouldn't drown.

I had a wicked slow T1. While I attempted to pull off the wetsuit, my R calf seriously seized up and I spent the next minute in real pain. It relented eventually and I got myself moving again but slowly.
Surprisingly the R calf seizure would not really bother me for the rest of the race.

My wetsuit removal skill is poor.

I was surprised to see how many people rode by me...I saw fewer people pass by the time I went and watched the Boston Marathon. I tried to keep an almost restrained effort on the first half of the course but was still weak on the second half (after Crane Hollow's sharp hills). I was weak mentally out there on the bike: 1) did not feel well (such a whiner about this, I know and 2) I just felt slow esp on the hills and 3) EVERYONE was passing me...I allowed it to affect my concentration.

I don't know.... I had a little over 300 miles on the bike prior to this race and for Connecticut by mid June that is not all that bad I think. I had pre-rode the full course the weekend before in 1hr23min at hard effort and expected I would finish a little quicker on race day. Shortened by 2 miles (=6 min @ 20mph pace) and 1:17:52 translates to 1:23:52 for the full non-shortened course which is SLOWER than my practice ride. WTH! (WTH = WTF except toned down a bit).

I don't remember this transition much as I was still weak in the head and not focused on doing well, but focused on how I felt.

Focus.

Horrible. Just like the weekend before when I pre-rode the course and then ran 1 mile afterwards (brick workout), it felt like someone was sitting on my chest. I could not expand my lungs for more than like a half full breath. I now think its not for lack of brick workouts...I think my aero set up on the bike is all wrong and fatigues/stresses my intercostals/diaphragm/whatever. Meanwhile, the course is real fast to start and I could not do that with half my lungs. I walked on and off so I could try to open up my chest. I also started to have micro-seizures in my quads (off/on I'd get 1/4 second cramps)...so I walked on and off some more and then also up the hill. I started to feel almost normal about the half way mark and ran ok from there out to the turnaround and back to the uphill. Walked the hill (for second time) thou...that was all mental weakness. Meanwhile I've never experienced any cramps before...I've heard (usu ignore since its never been an issue) that cramps are oft due to low electolyte/salt levels (?). I will have to look into it.

I plan to have a bike fit done and also do more brick workouts (prob every time I ride). 8:40 miles is bad (walking doesnt help the stats either). I had hoped for about 1 min/mile faster.

none...like usual. Works like a charm!


I had hoped for 2:40 (2:45 fall back split) and ended up with 2:46 + 6 min for the missing 2 miles on a shortened course = 2:52. Somewhat disappointing. What was more disappointing was bad T1, badT2, the small children on tricycles passing me on the bike route, and the non existent run.

Need to do different for next time:
No caffeine scientifically proven anything. More sleep. And I have to learn to run after a bike...most important...I should be able to do 8 min/mile no questions asked...at this point, I would gladly take that.



Thanks to all the volunteers! they were abundant, they were awesome, and they were appreciated.
Also, it was cool to race with the level of competition...Griskus was the 2010 USAT Northeast Oly championship race.