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 Swim
Comments: I know I’m being a baby, but the worst part of the swim for me was the walk from the transition area to the swim area. It was (not a long walk but seemed it) over little rocks and a rough road. The bottom of my feet were killing me. I’m a complainer anyways, but a lot of people had just as much of a hard time as I did. Since it was such a small area at the start, they didn’t allow anyone to take a warm up swim. I thought this would hurt me as I like to get my heart rate going before the start, but as it turned out I don’t think it had any impact. As the lake is very narrow, this was the most congested wave I’ve had to swim in. I was in the wave with males 40 and over, and there was just no room. Usually there is a point where things spread out, and you can get in a rhythm, but not today. At the beginning, everyone seemed to just take off, and I was a little concerned that I might be going too slow. I think people were just trying to get some separation. About 100 yards into the swim, there is a small island on the right. A few people intentionally swam near it so they could then walk in the shallow water for 50 or so yards. Come on guys, it's a swim, so swim. Before the first buoy I caught up to a few in the wave and started to pass a few that probably went out a little too hard at the beginning. I came upon a group of guys swimming slower than I wanted to, and it took me about 200 yards to get by them. Every time I would try to swim in a different direction to get by them, there would be other people to contend with. It was a calm day, and I was a little startled a few times when I swallowed water. I wasn’t expecting it at all. However, they always preach, “Hydrate, hydrate”, so I guess I did. One good note, my sightings were dead on. I don’t know how to explain why my swimming was so straight today, and so zigzag two weeks ago. What would you do differently?: Nothing, I'm not a great swimmer, so this was as good as I could hope for.  Transition 1
Comments: Not a good time, but I'm glad I didn't fall on the steps like the guy behind me. It was a loud sound, and it had to hurt. I didn’t seem to have a sense of urgency here, and I can’t explain it. What would you do differently?: move faster...  Bike
Comments: Depending upon what you read and what’s said, the bike course was either 12 miles or 11.5 miles. It was a two loop course with a hill right at the beginning. I was still a little winded from the swim when I started out, and I wasn’t strong going up the first hill. I don’t have the bike computer/speedometer figured out completely so I didn’t know if it picked up slow mileage walking from the car to the transition area, if it automatically started when I moved the bike from the rack after the transition, or if it started when I started out cycling. All I know is my first lap was not fast. I was amazed after the race that I came in 238th place. It felt like 300 people passed me in the first loop. I rode over 15 mph in Sharon. That average mph is not fast, and I didn’t want to go backwards. When I finished the first loop, the computer said I was going at a 14 mph average. Like I said, I wasn’t sure if it was giving me a low reading or not, but my thoughts were, Aaaaahhhhhhhh, that’s awful. I abandoned all thoughts of saving something for the run as I wanted a 15 mph average. At the beginning of the second loop, a guy passed me and I noticed how low he kept himself on the bike. My first thought was, “you idiot”. I know you’re supposed to stay low. Why the hell am I riding so high? I stayed low and picked up the pace and kept watching the mph creep toward 15. About half way through the second loop, I brushed the edge of a full water bottle someone must have dropped. (I saw them in Sharon, but they weren’t close to me like today’s was). They always preach about watching out for cars, but never mention stray water bottles. Those things are dangerous. Ride over a full one, and you’ll find yourself flying toward a poison ivy patch wondering if all your parts will still be working after you land. I kept riding hard to the finish, and the bike computer said 15.2 mph when I finished. I was happy. I knew that it could be higher, but not lower. As it turned out, the computer must have recorded things when I walked around with the bike and before I started cycling (or, I hope not, the computer is crap). Turns out, I was over 16 mph. Last year at this time, I couldn't get over 14 mph, so I am happy, it is the first time I've been over 16 mph. What would you do differently?: Keep low. Transition 2
Comments: Slow, but I keep getting better in transitions. What would you do differently?: get faster  Run
Comments: In Sharon I was finally able to stay under a 10 minute a mile pace after riding the bike, and I didn’t want to go backwards. Getting off the bike, my legs felt great, no tightness nor soreness. However, as I knew it would be, my heart rate was very high from pushing the second loop of the bike. The first two miles of the run were up hill followed by a nice fast downhill finish, perfect. I had to bring my heart rate down so I couldn’t run fast at the beginning anyway, so a downhill beginning would have been a waste for me. I started out at a slow pace hoping my heart rate would go down, and I could recover in time to get under 30 minutes. About a half mile in, I was startled when someone called out my name and told me I was doing good. It was Claire from Trifury, the one who ran the Wednesday night “Try the Tri” races I had participated in. She was volunteering, and I appreciated the words of encouragement. I usually only get spoken to during the bike, “Coming through”, “Watch out, passing you on the left”. After the first mile I felt better, but the course was still going uphill. Around the two mile mark, I felt fine, and since it was all downhill from there, I had a very (for me) fast finish. Near the end, I kept peeking behind me. I didn’t want to make anyone’s day by getting nipped at the finish like what happened two weeks ago in Sharon. I’m tired of giving others a thrill at the end. What would you do differently?: Nothing, I'm very happy going under 30 minutes. Post race
Warm down: After I finished, they gave me a water bottle filled with cold water (I love free stuff), put a finisher’s medal around my neck, and I headed to the transition area to get my bike. After packing my stuff in my car, I headed back for what I thought was going to be free food. I waited in line and got a massage, more like getting stretched out. I got a mini lecture about how important it is to be flexible. No kidding, but I just thanked her. She was nice and meant well I was still waiting for the food when the award ceremony started. I’m usually gone by the time this stuff starts, but decided to hang around. After the awards, they always have a raffle and give away 5 or 6 things. The MC didn’t draw numbers out of a hat or anything like that, he just randomly said a bib number. Whoever was still there that had their bib number closest to the number he said won the prize. Right off the bat, a cute girl sitting near the front won the free wetsuit prize. I really didn't care if I won anything or not, but my first thought was “bag job”. I'm probably not being fair here, but the MC was a guy, and when their are cute women around, we guys become very predictable. The food never did come so I just headed home. What limited your ability to perform faster: Nothing, as long as I continue to improve from race to race, I'm happy. Event comments: Great race, the organizers and volunteers were awesome. I hope to come back next year and maybe try to step up and race on Sunday instead of Saturday. I'm not sure if I'll be ready, but it's a nice goal to shoot for. Last updated: 2010-08-30 12:00 AM
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United States
Sun Multisport Events
75F / 24C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 238/344
Age Group = M60-64
Age Group Rank = 5/7
Race day morning. Had my usual breakfast of oatmeal, banana, blueberries, and orange juice, and was out the door at 5:10. A little after 6 AM, I had to go and pulled over at a rest area. The sign said, “Rest Rooms are open between 6 AM and 7 PM. It was after 6, but being a life long Massachusetts resident, and this being a Massachusetts rest area, I wasn’t overly confident it would be open yet. Just as I suspected, the rest room doors were locked. What a shocker, state workers are not on time. There were a few others mingling around. They either have more class than me, or can hold it longer. I couldn’t wait. I strolled around the back of the building, watered some bushes, and left. When I decided to get off the couch 2 1/2 years ago and get active, I never envisioned that one day I would be behind a building, taking a leak on a Saturday morning, wearing a spandex style outfit while on my way to a triathlon. One just never knows.
Unpacked the car, registered, got body marked, and headed to the transition area. I thought it was cool that the bike racks had your name and number on the rack so you knew where to place your stuff. It was even better that the person beside me didn’t show, thereby, giving me extra room.
I ate a banana, drank a bottle of water, and then heard the announcement that the water temperature was 76 degrees, making the wearing of wetsuits legal. Anything 78 degrees or over, you can still wear it, but you won’t be considered an official entrant eligible for a prize in your age group. This announcement meant nothing to me. Like a lot of people, I was wearing the wetsuit regardless. I’m not getting a whiff of the podium anyways, and I’m still in the stages of just racing against myself. Maybe some day I will feel differently, but not yet. Around 7:15 I started to put my wetsuit on. I have two wetsuits, a long sleeve one, and a short sleeve one. I realize now why I was able to get the short sleeve one at such a cheap price. I tore a hole in the wetsuit over my right calf while putting it on. I wish I could tell you my calves are so huge from working out that I can’t get a wetsuit over them, but that is just not the case. I didn’t pull especially hard, so I’m unsure exactly what happened. I didn’t get worked up about it. Looking at the hole, I knew it would not have an impact on my swimming.
I recognized Ontherun from his videos and talked to him a little before the swim. Maybe if I had paid a little more attention to his videos, I might still have a wetsuit without a hole.