Cleveland Steelman Middle Distance Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Cleveland,
United Kingdom
Cleveland Triathlon Club
24C / 75F
Sunny
Total Time = 6h 26m 30s
Overall Rank = 168/187
Age Group = Female 20-39
Age Group Rank = 17/19
Pre-race routine:

Sorted out transition bag the night before. Re-checked the list about 5 times to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything.
Giant pasta bake the night before, then big bowl of porridge in the morning. Had a can of coke and a bottle of sports drink about an hour before the start.
Sun creamed early at home (spf 50+) and then again before the wetsuit went on.
Event warmup:

No real warm up. Weather was really hot, so trying to keep cool till the start.
Swim
  • 43m 40s
  • 2000 meters
  • 02m 11s / 100 meters
Comments:

Really pleased with how the swim went. Started off in the middle of the pack, which made the start a little insane. Worked hard at the beginning then gradually slowed to a comfortable pace and let everyone pass me. Got hit in the face just after the first buoy and lost my goggles (I wouldn't mind, but it was Huw from our club who hit me!), but managed to stop and sort them out quickly. Otherwise it went well. Got a nice comfortable stroke, and apart from a couple of breaks to sight I just kept with it.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. Felt it went as well as it could have.
Transition 1
  • 02m 2s
Comments:

Got the wetsuit off fine (the baby oil really works). Everything else went to plan.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Bike
  • 3h 36m 51s
  • 56.62 miles
  • 15.67 mile/hr
Comments:

This is where it all went horribly wrong. I haven't had enough time to get used to my new saddle, and my sit bones were painful from about 9 miles. By 29 miles I was in agony, and still had another lap to go. Couldn't pedal properly because it hurt too much, so was just surviving. Was really aggressive on any downhill sections to try to make up some time, and was working in a higher gear than I wanted to because it took some of the pressure off the seat. All in all an unpleasant experience.
What would you do differently?:

Check my bike in transition! I realised at 22 miles that the quick release on my front wheel was released. Immediately stopped and fixed it, but that could have been a disaster. Also had an issue with the angle of my handlebars, but made do with that.
Transition 2
  • 01m 8s
Comments:

Couldn't run when I first got off the bike because of the pain from my seat, but once I got moving it improved, and I managed a jog through transition. Remembered everything I had to do because I'd been running through it in my head for the last couple of miles on the bike.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. It wasn't great, but I was restricted by what I could make my body do rather than anything else.
Run
  • 2h 02m 49s
  • 11.1 miles
  • 11m 04s  min/mile
Comments:

First lap of the run felt good. Just went at whatever pace my body would let me. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to run off the bike, but I think it just felt great to not be in pain any more. Realised I'd done my first mile in 9min 16sec, which was much faster than planned. I also passed quite a lot of people on the run who were either walking or jogging. I continued to just keep doing whatever I felt I could, and it slowed and slowed. The 2nd lap was a lot less fun, but I just stuck with it. Started off running through the water stations, but got to the point where I really needed to hydrate properly, so the last couple I stopped and properly drank 2 cups of water each time before continuing. Still had a headache by the end.
At the very end I heard someone coming up behind me and decided I wasn't going to lose what little position I had. Pushed really hard for the last quarter of a mile or so. Got over the line feeling sick, but I know I absolutely gave it my all.
What would you do differently?:

Leave a bottle of sports drink to pick up. Could have really used the energy as well as the hydration.
Post race
Warm down:

Sat on the ground for a couple of minutes to recover. Waited for Kevin to finish, then went and sat in the lake. Should have done it sooner as I was feeling quite cold by the time we got in, but I still think it helped.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Fitness/endurance, but I think I'd done as much as I could at this stage in my training.
Bike seat, but I was in a no-win situation. I could either use the old one, which was actually causing me damage, or the new one, which caused pain, but nothing permanent.

Event comments:

Loads of volunteers and they were all really supportive, even when I was coming through at the end and there was hardly anyone left on the course.
Much better organised than the short course in the same place 3 weeks ago.
Only negative was that they changed the swim route after the briefing (I think someone got confused, but that meant they confused us and the kayakers, and we landed up swimming further than we should have!).




Last updated: 2011-04-03 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:43:40 | 2000 meters | 02m 11s / 100meters
Age Group: 12/19
Overall: 165/187
Performance: Good
Suit: Aquasphere pursuit wetsuit
Course: Twice round a triangular route. The lead kayak went the wrong way, so the course was actually long, but noone knows how much...
Start type: Deep Water Plus:
Water temp: 15C / 59F Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:02
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
03:36:51 | 56.62 miles | 15.67 mile/hr
Age Group: 17/19
Overall: 200/187
Performance: Bad
Wind: Some
Course: Twice round a 29mile (ish) loop. Undulating course. No giant hills, but a couple to challenge you when you're getting tired. Mostly left turns, and the only right turn is in a really quiet village, so traffic isn't too much of an issue.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence: 67
Turns: Average Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Average Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:08
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
02:02:49 | 11.1 miles | 11m 04s  min/mile
Age Group: 15/19
Overall: 153/187
Performance: Good
Course: Two laps of course: Section 1: Out around the road (water station at the very beginning). Section 2: Out along a little lane (water station at the end) and on through a field (really narrow track, had to keep running on the uneven grass to pass people running the other way) to the turn around point where they have any drinks you've left with them. They take your number at the end point. Section 3: Back through the field and along the lane (past the water station again) Section 4: Around the lake. There are 3 short but very steep up and down sections. The ups are a killer, but the downs are where you realise how much there isn't left in your legs.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race? Ok
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] 5