Gateway Triathlon - Olympic Course - TriathlonOlympic


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Carlyle, Illinois
United States
3 Disciplines Racing
90F / 32C
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 36m 35s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Drove down from Springfield on Saturday with Troy. Went to packet pickup, then we met up with Mike Ransick and we all swam the sprint course. Water felt great. We then drove the bike course and biked the run course. Didn't remember all those hills on the bike from 2011 but I suppose they were there.
We went for pizza and beer/wine at LuBar in Carlyle. Went back to hotel, got everything in order.
Morning of race, ate a turkey sandwich and had a cup of coffee.
Last year I blew up at this race due to some significant asthma issues. I really wanted to come back this year and conquer the pollen foe. Armed with an arsenal of Advair, Zyrtec and an inhaler, my plan was to just not push hard to beat my time, but rather to just have a better race experience.
Event warmup:

Swam out to the first buoy of sprint course, then back. Water was nice and cold and felt great. Stood in the shade until we were called down to the beach.
Swim
  • 36m 12s
  • 1640 yards
  • 02m 13s / 100 yards
Comments:

Kept things nice and steady. Actual swim time was probably more like 34 minutes, but I stopped just short of getting out to sit down in the water and peel out of my wetsuit, rather than do that in transition. This worked for me at Racine (the wetsuit will practically fall off if you get water in it). It got stuck on my chip, however, so took longer :O
Seemed like kind of a small field of women doing the Olympic. I started toward the back and just swam easy, focused on staying calm. In talking with a member of the race crew the day before, I had learned that the lake was only about 3 feet deep at the far end. When I got to that point, there was a guy panicking and backstroking trying to get his breathing under control. Told him he could just stand up and take a break and then demonstrated this. It was kind of cool. He was very appreciative.
Coming back on the long home stretch, I was pretty much alone. Actually passed a couple of guys from the wave before me who were breast stroking. A big guy with a handlebar mustache was swimming somewhat erratically and seemed to be gasping for breath. He seemed to be having trouble siting. I tried to give him room and he hit my feet a couple of times. No big deal, but next thing he swam over me. I pulled harder and got away, only to have him come back and slug my shoulder. That time it kind of ticked me off, mostly because it's such an open body of water and there's no excuse for that. Swam wide and escaped him, probably added some yardage that I didn't need.
Overall felt like a decent swim.
What would you do differently?:

Just need to get faster.
Transition 1
  • 04m 45s
Comments:

Long run up the beach, then up a little hill. They had you run all the way around transition to the run out, rather than being able to enter from the side. I was camped out over by the bike out so had a fairly long T1 time.
Took a hit off the inhaler and headed out.
Bike
  • 1h 28m 23s
  • 24.85 miles
  • 16.87 mile/hr
Comments:

Had filled my hydration bottle with Ironman Perform and made myself take a sip every mile. I think this helped, as I had no cramping issues today. The hills were tough but didn't kill me like they did last year when I was enjoying an asthma attack. I think there was quite a bit of pollen today, and part of the course went through a hayfield, but the Zyrtec and Advair did their job.
Tailwind on the way out, headwind coming back (of course). Averaged 19+ going out, more like 14 or 15 on the way back.
What would you do differently?:

Just need more hill riding and longer distances.
Transition 2
  • 02m 2s
Comments:

I was really not looking forward to the run, so kind of took my time here.
Run
  • 1h 25m 13s
  • 6.21 miles
  • 13m 43s  min/mile
Comments:

I knew I was no match for the heat, so made a decision from the very start that I would walk a minute/run a minute. This strategy worked pretty well. Lots of great volunteers out there with water, HEED and cool washcloths. I poured water on my head a couple of times and that really helped. I find that every year, the heat is harder to deal with.
What would you do differently?:

I guess just train in the heat more.
Post race
Warm down:

Got a sub sandwich and sat in the shade watching the awards. Took a shower. Troy's wife, Mary, was here and she rode back to Springfield with me.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I'm just a slowbie!

Event comments:

3 Discipline Racing puts on a very good race, very organized and on time. Love the light blue shirts they gave out this year.




Last updated: 2011-12-23 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:12 | 1640 yards | 02m 13s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Suit: Xterra Vortex
Course: Counter clockwise swim around a big rectangular course.
Start type: Wade Plus:
Water temp: 74F / 23C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting:
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 04:45
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:28:23 | 24.85 miles | 16.87 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Wind: Some with gusts
Course: Out and back on nice country roads. There are some fairly significant hills.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:02
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
01:25:13 | 06.21 miles | 13m 43s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Course: This run course goes across a mile+ dam with lots of rock riprap, and the sun just beats down. Heading out, I saw the faster people coming back and some of them looked really beaten down by the heat.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
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] 4