Hy-Vee Triathlon - 5150 U.S. Championship - TriathlonOlympic

since there were so many participants, we had a wave/time trial start. i was in the third of like 15 waves. in the bigger waves they would start 4-6 at a time on the time trial clock. the first group to go was the elite men, then elite women, then the pc, then the youngest males, then each of the male age groups and then the women age groups and i think the clydesdales and athenas were sandwiched between the males and females.

i was pleased with my swim, not the greatest, but not bad. i was concerned about staying on course, that wasn't too difficult since there were so many swimmers passing me and the buoys were these 3 or 4 foot tall, bright colored triangular inflated pyramids that were easy to spot. i swam to the outside so i wouldn't get run over as much. often had swimmers knocking into me, hitting my legs or back. two or three times i had someone crawl up my back. but nothing serious. i was able to stay focused. afterwards. on the run, one of the voluteers told me he was assigned to stay with me throughout the swim in his kayak. he complimented me and said i was solid the whole way and didn't need him near bye even though i was swimming with one arm. about two thirds of the way through the swim two things happened. first, i started to feel the tightness of my googles and was a mild to moderate discomfort that i was often aware of (but they were at a good level of tightness). second, i felt a little loss of energy. nothing drastic, but noticeable. my goggles,trunks and top worked fine.

1. get a few more mile swims in.
2. figure out a way to get a gel/fuel halfway through the swim

the transitions were long. there was a long chute from the swim around half of the huge transition area and then in from the run exit. my bike was right in the middle. my medicine bag, sweatband, helmut, and classes went on quick, then sat on my bucket and put on my shoes. ran my bike out. luckily, it wasn't muddy because it was muddy in the t area yesterday when i dropped off my bike after the big rains

my transition was average, no major hang ups, but i wasn't sprinting at top speed...was always on the run. on the other hand, the transition area was so huge that i doubled my t time just running around the t area to my bike and then out the bike exit.

it was a good cycling portion with plenty of riders so always folks around, but never too many. got passed alot, passed a few who then passed me and sometimes that went back and forth a few times, passed a few. i had some strong/fast downhill descents and usually pushed it hard downhill and passed other riders. no problems with chaffing, the chamois butt'r was great. did get some crotch numbing the last third of the ride. not terrible, but did have to stand up a few times and work it out. very little left arm numbing...i usually get that even when i do short rides. maybe the swim got my blood circulating well. no right arm numb...also very unusual. it goes numb about half as much as my left arm usually. i finished by top water and had a full bottle under the seat that i did not access. used about 3/4 of my gatorade.

once i completed the first climb and got a few downhills and flats under my belt i was running and average mph at 16 or better. about two thirds of the way through, i got it up to 17.4. with less than 5 miles left i was at 16.4 and struggled to push hard. i dropped into the 15 to finish.

i took an energy gel at the beginning and then about halfway through. i was due for another as i finished and just did that as i was running through t2.



1. i don't think i ever got my right foot looked in. i need a new set of pedals, or maybe some tri cycling shoes since i have a pair of the nicer pedals that came with my bike.

2. ride more 15-30 milers to increase my ave mph. i think i could ride at 17 or 18 mph. that's a place i can cut my time significantly. a wee ago was the first time i've biked 25 miles since i did it with the scouts in the early 2000s. i only got a couple of 15 milers in...did as many in competition as i did in training. MORE 15-30 MILE TRAINING RIDES!! i'll have to go even further when i train for the half ironman.

like t1, my t time was decent, i put on my number belt (first time i did that after the bike), took off my headband and put on a pretied yellow bandanna, socks and shoes went on quick, grabbed my folded red bandanna to carry in my left hand and blow nose and wipe face after getting water at the aid stations. did not drink during either transition. consumed a gel on the way out of t2. lots of time running bike to the rack and then running out.

1. learn to get out of my shoes while finishing the bike.

didn't have any legs after the bike, but the long run through the t area got my legs back under me. still, i knew my pace was down. i'm guessing that i was in the high 13s or 14s or maybe low 15s in terms of minutes per mile. but i was solid and steady. i yelled out encouragement to every runner i saw, particularly during the initial and concluding out and backs. i enjoy sharing the joy and encouraging others...those that passed me, those i passed, the volunteers and the fans. i teased a lot of the volunteers and told them that they "were starting to look tired:)" and joked with volunteers and supporters alike to "put on a number and join us next year". there was a very positive vibe throughout the run. everybody supporting one another. shoes worked great for a third season, no blisters, may need to get some new ones for next year

the greatest was that at the end of the last out and back by the capital, i saw and heard my honey and baby k cheering me on. it great to have their support both at that moment and joining me for the event.

1. that was the longest distance that i have ever run. i ran 5.75 miles three times the week of the okoboji tri a month and a half ago. i ran 5 or 6 5k s in the time between. i did swim a lot so i think that kept me in decent shape even if i wasn't running as much as i liked. but i need to do more 6 mile runs. particularly if i want to get ready for the half marathon in mankato in october and for any future olympics or half ironmans.

2. i want to get my 5k below 30 minutes which is below a 10 minute mile. i think my best time right now is a 10:50 mile or so. i think this is another area that i can significantly improve and reduce my times.

drank a bottle of water, kissed my honey and baby and went for a massage at the massage tent. when i got there the signup sheet said "no more signups" and indicate it was closing. (see race evaluation for my other thoughts about this). also got fresh fruit and gatorades to replenish.

SIDENOTE: befriended two brothers who were pretty young, one in the air guard and his younger high school brother. first tri...it was free to service men and women and their families. both were in there running or bball shorts, no goggles, average moutain bikes. they started the swim in the wave after me, must have passed me in the water, i caught passed them on the bike, then the caught and passed me in the last half a mile as we approached the capital.


i think what limited me the most was that i struggled to find the time and sometimes the motivation to adequately train for my first olymipic level tri. truth be told,
1) i have only swam close to this distance once in april, i believe and only 2 or 3 times in my entire life. i knew i could make it, but did not train to do it efficiently and effectly.
2) i only biked this distance one week ago for the first time in the past decade and the second time ever. regular cycling will allow me to quicken my pace and not lose my energy in the latter part of the bike.
3) i have never ran this far before in my entire life. a month and a half ago i ran 5.75 mile run in the okoboji tri (although when i measure it the beginner triathlete gps maps system it was closer to 4.5-4.75 miles). twice in the week leading up to the okoboji tri i trained at 5.75. those are the only times i have ever run those distances. another area that i can improve in terms of both pace and endurance.


this was an amazing well organized and enjoyable triathlon. lots of swag, very well laid out course: in the water, on the bike and on the run. the transition area is too big!! but i do not think this could be avoided given the number participants. fantastic volunteers and staff!! warm encouraging atmosphere.

i do have one major complaint that does not only apply to this triathlon, but to almost all that i participate in. in this case, when i finished after being on the course for about four and a half hours, i was excited to see the massage canopy and see several triathletes on tables getting treated. when i went to the sign up desk there was a sheet of paper that noted that the massage area was now closed and they were not taking anymore people. initially, i was angry because this kind of discrimination happens in one way or another at almost every triathlon that i have participated in. those who are slower triathlete and finish near the end of the race do not get the same treatment as the "hardbodies" that finish earlier. i have not got complete timings because the timing mats have been moved before i finished my swim so i got a swim/t1 combined time despite paying the same fees as the other participants, i have seen the allsportscentral folks start to pack up the pylons and barriers at the finish line before everyone finishes, now this experiences with no more massages available. thus, the old fat physically challenged guys at the end get bilked. this discriminatory practice devalues many of the bigger, older, physically challenged athletes who work just as hard as the others but finish near the end. this is a shameful practice that devalues triathletes because of their size, level of fitness, age, and or physical challenge and should be eliminated. all triathletes deserve to be celebrated for their efforts.

ps after some smooth talking and assertiveness, i was privileged to have a massage on my calves and upperback/shoulders/neck area...thanks to my volunteer masseuse Matt!!