Venice Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

Rectangular. Out 25 meters, south 350 meters, back to shore 25 meters. This swim course must have been measured long. You could have fit THREE 25 meter pools in the distance considered to be "25 meters". This isn't a problem in my book, as I dig the swim. However, I also like to have my splits "correct" when all is said and done. If I swam 500 meters instead of 400 meters, I would like to know that.

I had a GREAT swim! Without a doubt, one of my better swims! My strategy of going out hard and strong at the beginning has continued to work for me. Today I was able to clear the chaos before I even hit the first buoy. After rounding the buoy, it was just me and two other purple caps... spaced fairly far apart from each other. I'm usually up in the front of my wave pack for the swim, but today I was so far ahead (and there were about 4-5 minutes between waves), that I was pretty much on my own in regards to navigation without anyone to follow until I caught up with the male 40+ wave in front of me. I felt very strong throughout entire swim! I almost wish it had been longer!

I consider myself to be a budding T1 specialist. For whatever reason, I run very well after a swim. I had one of the faster T1 times out of all of the women there. However, I continue to lose a lot of time b/c of my need to put on my shoes, stop and mount the bike, etc...

Gotta work on getting into those shoes while on the bike.

There were too many people at this race for a 2 loop course and such a short distance. There have been problems with this course in the past and today was no exception. There was a horrible crash right in front of me in the zone that I feel should have been labelled "no passing". I do not feel that I can recommend this race until the bike course is changed.

Course logistics aside, I feel that I biked well. I did not cycle 22mph as indicated-- the course was about .75 mile short according to my Garmin. I held a near 21mph pace which is appropriate for me in a sprint distance. Heart rate was high, but no higher than during longer training intervals.

I did not drink nearly enough on the bike b/c I failed to consider the combo effect of high intensity + scorching temperatures. By the time my bike leg was over, the heat index was already 93F out (according to weather history at weatherunderground.com) and I don't think I realized I was sweating as much as I was. Even though I practice racing at this pace, I should have backed off the bike about 1/2mph and drank more. It might have saved my run. I had a great bike split and was the third overall female coming off of the bike, but this is a triathlon, not a cycling event. Therefore, I've gotta call myself out and rate my outcome appropriately-- below average. Hydration & nutrition (hello, growling stomach) are paramount... even at sprint level and especially in 93F heat index. Lesson learned.

I've been practicing a flying dismout, but this was absolutely NOT the course to try it out on. Still, I had a great T2 time even without it.

Actually employ the flying dismount! :-)

OH. MY. GOD!

OK... so this is what happens when you start a race under-fueled enough to actually have hunger pains before the swim start AND you don't consume enough fluids during the bike leg.

I knew coming into T2 that I might be in trouble b/c my HR was not settling down properly. When I left T2 and started the run, my suspicions were confirmed.

This is the slowest 5k I've run since I started all of this in 2008. I pretty much ran the leg of this race at what is normally my EASY pace! Yep, my easy pace! Only this felt like a zone 5 effort! Nutrition is SO important! I can't stress this enough and I really learned a lesson today.

I nearly called it quits at mile 2.5. I wanted to lay down and die. I didn't think my legs were even going to carry me to the finish line. I started the run as 3rd female overall and ended up in only God knows what place. This was a huge disappointment for me. Mostly b/c I had such a great race in July and thought I could pull a similar (maybe even better) effort off and more importantly because I didn't respect the distance. A sprint tri raced HARD will burn a ridiculous amount of glycogen (no fat at this sort of HR zone). I did not take my nutrition seriously enough and I paid the piper dearly.

I crossed the finish line as a blubbering, over emotional trainwreck! I could not catch my breath at all. I couldn't stand still. I was balling my eyes out under my sunglasses. Some very nice gentleman (who had just finished his own race) came over to me and poured HIS ice cold, post-race water bottles all over me. I had numerous people ask me if I was alright. Honestly, for a moment, I thought I was going to have to ask for medical assistance.

Eventually, my HR began to come down and I sat on a curb all by myself for a bit. My emotions were out of control. A fire ant bit me on the ass, which is the only reason why I'm probably still not glued to that curb.

1. Fuel up at home and then again at race site. Gel, banana, anything would have been better than a growling stomach.

2. In very hot conditions, cut back bike pace just enough to take in more fluid.

Made some phone calls and tried to figure out what in the world went so wrong. :-(

The best part of the race for me was meeting Karibu (who is the next BT rockstar) and his lovely wife! :-)


1. My lack of nutritional preparedness (both the day before & the day of the race).

2. Heat + sprint distance race intensity = must dial back established race pace to survive! Lesson of the day!

Good news:

I took home 2nd in my AG and was 8th female overall for the day.


The course: Not so great. The bike course is unsafe and needs to be changed. Period. The fact that race organizers are trying to make us "ride on the left and pass on the right" is already an indication that the course is not up to par. Local events attract a lot of beginners. Add in the course congestion, flow pattern and lack of bike handling abilities... it's a disaster/accident waiting to happen (and it did, right in front of me)!

Directions: I had to scream off the bike "where's the bike entry" b/c nobody was providing verbal cues. The same goes for a turn on the run course.

Post race food: Terrific! Sharkys' on the Pier provided eggs, sausage, biscuits, fruit, bagels, OJ. The works!