White Lake Half - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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White Lake, North Carolina
United States
Set-Up, Inc.
85F / 29C
Sunny
Total Time = 5h 57m 3s
Overall Rank = 355/489
Age Group = M 30-34
Age Group Rank = 53/64
Pre-race routine:

5:00 a.m. wake; Egg, Berry Smoothie; shave, shower, dress; wake everyone else and load car; go to race; set up bike, get chip/marked; scout lake and transition areas. Stretch. Bathroom. Stretch with goggles in hand. 7 minutes to start, enter water for quick warm up.
Event warmup:

45 seconds swimming. Plenty of stretching. Lots of mental rehearsal.
Swim
  • 29m 43s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 25s / 100 yards
Comments:

Twice I had trouble sighting the bouy...but in the main, it was relaxing to be on the water. I felt calm and relaxed. When the other guy pulled away, I tried to stay with him but that only lasted about five strokes. He dusted me. I came out of the water second for my age-group/wave.
What would you do differently?:

Practice more; practice swimming a mile with a really fast last 250 yards instead of a steady pace the whole way.
Transition 1
  • 03m 50s
Comments:

Wetsuit half off before arriving at bike; goggles and cap off before bike. Sat on towel and used Nalgene bottle to rinse feet. Harder than I thought to run in wetsuit. Wetsuit came off without any trouble.Put on socks, shoes then helmet. Stuffed Gu in pockets, swig of Gatorade and then took off. Glasses were fogged until I got up and riding. When running with bike through transition, had trouble keeping front tire on the ground...a little out of control. Crossed mat, took two or three steps past the "mount line" and then got right up and riding. Talked to Dana and Esme a little bit over the fence during transition.
What would you do differently?:

run with bike better. Perhaps tape Gu to bikeframe. Perhaps sit on bucket for putting on shoes.
Bike
  • 2h 50m 56s
  • 56 miles
  • 19.66 mile/hr
Comments:

Scores of people passed me. I gave out encouragement and received the same. However, I just wasn't even in the same league...probably several mph faster than me. I ate a Gu with water every 20 minutes for the first 2h20minutes. Never traveled with more than 1.5 full water bottles and usually had about 1 full bottle with me. Really enjoyed the ride but the middle hour was the worst; felt like I was breaking my ass on the seat and pulling my right groin. First hour was exciting and last hour gave a sense of accomplishment i.e. "almost done". Middle hour taxed my mind as tiredness built but sense of being finished did not build.
What would you do differently?:

Practice having a high cadence and staying in the aerobars for 20 minutes non-stop. When I went around turns, I had to slow down significantly for confidence.
Transition 2
  • 02m 32s
Comments:

First two steps off bike were nearly cramp/disaster but then I found my legs. Drank about half a Gatorade. Quick-tie shoelaces were really helpful. Quadriceps were really tight.
What would you do differently?:

Keep calm; I was mentally a bit of a spaz because I wanted to get running.
Run
  • 2h 30m 5s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 11m 28s  min/mile
Comments:

Really only stretch out legs and "ran" for approximately 2-3 minutes at a time...maybe 4 different times. Rest of time I just shuffled along in painful "slow, fat man run who could walk that fast" style. Ran first thirty minutes; then started taking 45-60 walk breaks after every mile. Also, walked through every aid station (excepting the first one at T2) and took in fluids. Took two HammerGels. Twice ate a cracker with peanut butter and salt. Used cold towels twice. Basically, I couldn't get my mind around a good posture, pace etc. I was at the remedial mental level of trying to keep forward motion and picking out a feature in the distance to "make to". Aid station people were marvoulous and really encouraging. I thought that either I looked really bad and demanded much sympathy or they were super good actors/nice people. Probably a bit of both. They really helped me keep positive even when I knew from my watch that I was going very slow.
What would you do differently?:

Practice runs that last for 2-3 hours. Mentally I was as weak as I was physically because I couldn't keep focused. It helped to start timing my miles but I didn't think to do that until after mile 5.
Post race
Warm down:

Walk about 2-3 minutes. Stretch hamstrings and calves 2 minutes. Get food and drink and sit. 15 minutes later took Esme for swim in the lake...she loved it but wouldn't get out of my arms.
Immediately after the race, probably for 10 minutes at least, I was just "out of it" like a drunk or addict of some sort. I could see and hear and smell everything. I spoke with Dana and watched Esme while Dana went to the bathroom...but I was loony. For quite some time, I felt like I was still moving. It was a very, very odd sensation.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Inadequate training and experience. Needed much better running technique and mental focus. I was surprised at how much psychic boost I got from the water lady yelling encouragement at 20 miles on the bike and how much it set me back mentally to see struggling runners pass me. Trying to run your own race means having a strategy to deal with all of the senses --sight, sound etc.

Event comments:

I'd give this race a 6 on a 5-point scale.




Last updated: 2006-02-13 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:29:43 | 2112 yards | 01m 25s / 100yards
Age Group: 4/64
Overall: 24/489
Performance: Good
Swam in second wave; led my wave for first 300 yards then swam on left side of another participant for about 1200 yards; he pulled away by more than a body length with about 500 yards to go. We passed some people from wave one. Very clear water; serene, flat lake. Cool but not cold. Gorgeous place to swim. About 90% of course I breathed every three strokes. 2-beat kick until last 100 yards (excepting first 150 yards)
Suit: Ironman (sleeveless)
Course: Start in the water. Triangle -- 800m, right turn, 300m, right turn, 800m, climb 4-step ladder to pier.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 69F / 21C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Bad Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:50
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
02:50:56 | 56 miles | 19.66 mile/hr
Age Group: 46/64
Overall: 336/489
Performance:
People passed me like they had rockets on their asses. Felt like I finally hit a groove with about 3 miles to go. Also, after about 25 miles I started watching the chain rings of the people passing me. They were all in rings 2-3 "easier" on the derailer. I adjusted to match their technique
Wind: Little
Course: Flat. Pretty. Very well marked with 5 mile marks on pavement and volunteers at all corners. 3 water bottle hand-offs. Last segment is full of bumps/seams in road.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Below average
Gear changes: Below average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:32
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
02:30:05 | 13.1 miles | 11m 28s  min/mile
Age Group: 56/64
Overall: 395/489
Performance: Bad
Ran two laps of an out-and-back course. 4 aid stations with signs every mile to advise on how far traveled. Two big puddles that soaked shoes/socks. I peed at the 6 mile marker portable toilet.
Course: Through a neighborhood and on edge of highway -- asphalt 95% of way. Circa 3+ miles each direction. Out and back, twice.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5