Gull Lake Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Hickory Corners, Michigan
United States
TriKiva
80F / 27C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 07m 46s
Overall Rank = 23/177
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 2/14
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 0500 and loaded the truck, let the wife sleep since it was her birthday and headed from the brother-in-law's house to Gull Lake area, about 50 minutes drive, drank more water and ate a few cookies, not sure if it was a good idea, the cookies, but I survived them!
Event warmup:

Stretched out and walked the transition area, dipped a toe and decided on the wetsuit. Rode first mile + to loosen legs and came back in after checking the road conditions. Swam about a few hundred in the wetsuit, and watched the crew put out the buoys (I think a little over 500, more like 750ish), got ready went pee a few times relaxed.
Swim
  • 15m 7s
  • 500 yards
  • 03m 01s / 100 yards
Comments:

Not sure on my overall rank, but probably wasn't very good. Just lack of swimming makes me want to do a duathlon sometime! No panic attack, so guess I am over that, just need some yardage. Long up hill run from the water to T1 so that added about 45 seconds. Yeah I wussed out and wore a wetsuit, while a few women swam in their bikinis, sue me! LOL
What would you do differently?:

Just get in the pool and lakes and swim it out, need to work on overall endurance, worry about speed later!
Transition 1
  • 01m 11s
Comments:

This transition was much better, still had difficultly with the suit, but that is the nature of the two piece without a zipper! But hauled butt with the bike in tow and went sockless for the bike.
What would you do differently?:

Work on wetsuit transition practice, or get a cord to assist getting top off, still can cut this time down some.
Bike
  • 28m 29s
  • 10 miles
  • 21.06 mile/hr
Comments:

I really hammered the bike course. I knew it was fairly flat and knew the roads from way back, so I poured it on, knowing that my swim time sucked. Just got out there and went into hunt mode, passed scores of folks, was passed by only two, 3rd place female and one of the top males. Started to get mad at a few amateurs who were blocking by riding the double yellow and pissing me off by not moving to the right, so I safely passed them on the right, giving them a sarcastic "on your right!" and a "nice block!". I really hate folks who don't follow the rules, but I'll survive. Didn't see any drafting, so that was good.
What would you do differently?:

Was overall happy with the bike, thought my MPH average was higher, but still was good. Was aero 95% of the time, might start to think about aero wheels and helmet, but still rode hard and fast.
Transition 2
  • 00m 57s
Comments:

Wasn't too bad. I think I scared a few folks with my dismount and run into T2, I bet I look like I am out of control, but my legs felt great and helped me get ready for the run with the kamakazi dismount and run in!
What would you do differently?:

Nothing much, might try a few sockless runs in the shoes, but put on socks and might have made the difference between 1st and 2nd, but not much
Run
  • 22m 1s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 07m 06s  min/mile
Comments:

Oh yeah, I CAN run off the bike very well! Actually, I felt like easing it back and calling it a day because I thought I blew up the legs on the bike, but after a few surges and a few guys trying to pass, the legs told me to HTFU because they were not done yet, so I told 'em, OK! paced behind a guy who wouldn't stop complaining about the heat and lack of water on the course, I took that as weakness and attacked and left him in my dust and started to hunt after the turn around and picked a few more off during the run, and even had a good sprint kick. It was good to have the garmin working the right way, so I knew when to surge and where my mile marks were at. Some folks didn't like the fact that the mile marks weren't marked, but I guess having my watch beep every mile was a good advantage and something to keep doing!
What would you do differently?:

Nothing but get healed and better and get back to running. My legs still have the jump after biking, but could be faster with more running (can't run much because of hip injury) and less weight. But still getting good results with little running training, but don't want to make it a habit!
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around and talked to a few folks that I just met and chatted them up. Went to transition and cleaned up my "yard sale" because it looks like my transition area exploded, and helped a nice lady rack her bike since she was having trouble (she was the winner of the 70-75 women's age group; hope I can still move at the age, she is great motivation!) Chatted with a few new friends, Jason (birdog41), a BTer, Paul, a cool guy from Iowa, and Donny, a guy who grew up with my dad and aunt! As usual, great folks and love chatting with them, which is something I don't get to do much when I bring the wife (sorry babe!), but I enjoy taking in the atmosphere at races! Nothing like it in the world! Thanks guys and new friends!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Umm, duh, my swim and my stupid hip / neck thing. Getting MRI after I get back from vacation and a trip to the chiropractor, so that might help a ton!

Event comments:

This race has room to be one of those "I must do this again for the rest of my life" type of races. First year jitters aside, it was very well put on, and despite the lack of marking on the course(s), all I have to say is, it is on the athlete to know the course, maps were on line! No excuses for the three race leaders to take a wrong turn, that is on them and not the RD. Look at the map, look it up on google earth(I did) and pay attention to your surroundings. Don't bag on the RD if you screwed up. There are too many in our sport that don't read the USAT rule book (blocking and drafting, as well as the old "know the course" rule), ok I am off my soapbox. I hope that I will get to come back to next years race, if I can get leave!




Last updated: 2011-05-16 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:15:07 | 500 yards | 03m 01s / 100yards
Age Group: 10/14
Overall: 0/177
Performance: Below average
Suit: Desoto T1 Water Rover
Course: A triangle shaped course, a bit longer than the listed 500, but watched the guy on shore tell the boat to drop the buoy and they kept going, so oh well!
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 67F / 19C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 01:11
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:28:29 | 10 miles | 21.06 mile/hr
Age Group: 1/14
Overall: 12/177
Performance: Good
Ave HR - 181 Max HR - 190
Wind: Little
Course: A semi-rolling out and back, with a one mile stretch that was just re-chip sealed (sad panda face), slight rises, fairly shaded and a few loose stones in corners.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:57
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:22:01 | 03.1 miles | 07m 06s  min/mile
Age Group: 1/14
Overall: 21/177
Performance: Good
Ave HR - 182 MAX HR - 188
Course: An out-and-back course with lots of shade, a few rises and nice paved run route
Keeping cool Good Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? No
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 3