Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Sims, North Carolina
United States
FS Series
88F / 31C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 01m 47s
Overall Rank = 188/215
Age Group = M 35-39
Age Group Rank = 29/29
Pre-race routine:

Easily out of the house on time (6:00) and was there by just after 6:30. Setup leisurly and hung out with the family and headed down to the lake 20 minutes before the start.
Event warmup:

Swam between 75 and 100 yards warm up doing glide and catchup drills.
Swim
  • 28m 5s
  • 820 yards
  • 03m 25s / 100 yards
Comments:

The absolute worst swim of my life. I should have been able to swim this in 17 minutes.

Started out well back from the start line (end of the docks) but everyone else started even farther back. I figured it would give me more time drafting as they swam over and around me. The scrum was fine. I got swam over but it was okay. The problem was that I pushed too hard and was just wasting all that effort because I couldn't swim well in all those bodies.

I was still doing okay to the 1st buoy, but after the turn I struggled to stay close to the line and the group really pulled away. This is where I started overheating. Between the efoort, really warm water, and swim cap I was overheating and getting a head ache. Someone from the next wave (probably) tackled me and sseemed to stay on me, ripping off my garmin holder, so I had to stop and catch that. Hurt my back as I was trying to stick it in my jersey pocket. Going to the finish I was still too far right and just not making any progress. At this point my head was really hurting and I was desperated to take my goggles off. Through all this my goggles were too foggy to see my watch. I knew it had been a long time, but it wasn't until getting out of the water that I discovered just how long it really was. I was stunned.
What would you do differently?:

Start in the back. I wish there was more, but that's the only clear mistake I can see. More open water swimming and checking out the water before the race to see where the current might push me.
Transition 1
  • 02m 33s
Comments:

Too dejected at this point to care. Not to mention needing to rest and cool off a bit.

Took a gel (chocalate powerbar is tough to eat). Stopped to dump some cold water on my head from my spare bottle.
What would you do differently?:

Have a better swim. Not realize I'm out of Gu the night before a race.
Bike
  • 1h 00m 51s
  • 17 miles
  • 16.76 mile/hr
Comments:

Wiped out at the beginning and was thinking about quitting or just gearing down for an easy ride. Considered just quitting and turning around, but only breifly. Debated if I wanted to try for a good bike or run split (one or the other) and decided to just treat it like a brick workout.

Much of the 1st third was spent wondering if I should give up on triathlons. I also drank alot of G2, almost emptying my aero bottle in the 1st half.

Pretty much any climb was tough, never found a good rythem for long. I did enjoy some fast downhills. Took a tropical gel around 45 minutes on the bike, but I'm betting it had artificial orange flavoring because I almost threw up, not from taste, just a reaction my stomach has.

Hit the big climb better than some of the others because I was ready for it and wanted to do something well, but almost died at the top. Finished out okay, but my legs just felt weak for much of it.
What would you do differently?:

Swim better. I might need to gear down less than I do. I'm a little better just under 90rpm instead of over.
Transition 2
  • 01m 41s
Comments:

Not focused. Trying to rest to see if I can pull it together and finish the run.
What would you do differently?:

Swim better. Care.
Run
  • 28m 35s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 09m 11s  min/mile
Comments:

Had a frozen flask, and it stayed mostly frozen in the insulated bag, that I carried in my jersey. It gave me enough G2 (6oz) for the run and it thawed throughout.

Felt terrible, but my speed was just over 9/mile starting out. Not the 8:30 I'd like, but not bad considering, so I just keep trudging along. I wanted to walk up the hill on the park road, but decided to hang on until the flat main road and then walk if I still needed to, but then I didn't need to.

The run was the most challenging not to just quit and finish walking, or even not finish. I considered these options all the way to the last trip down the park road hill. I really thought I would be puking and possible collapsing at the end, but I never walked. Kept cool dumping water on my head and sipping the G2 as it thawed.

Scottie gave me a lift at the end (that and the downhill) and I finished fairly well.
What would you do differently?:

Swim better. Get over it if I don't.
Post race
Warm down:

Held myself up leaning on a table.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

My swimming ability. Maybe a lack of strength in my legs and in my swim stroke.

Event comments:

The race was good. My performance had nothing to do with the race.




Last updated: 2012-02-24 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:28:05 | 820 yards | 03m 25s / 100yards
Age Group: 29/29
Overall: 145/215
Performance: Bad
Suit:
Course: Counter clockwise triangle (reversed from usual at the last minute to keep us from looking into the sun coming in).
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 86F / 30C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Bad
Breathing: Average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Bad
Rounding: Below average
T1
Time: 02:33
Performance: Bad
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:00:51 | 17 miles | 16.76 mile/hr
Age Group: 26/29
Overall: 131/215
Performance: Average
Wind: Some
Course:
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:41
Overall: Bad
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Bad
Running
00:28:35 | 03.11 miles | 09m 11s  min/mile
Age Group: 23/29
Overall: 108/215
Performance: Average
Course: Sort of out and back twice.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
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] 4