![]() Swim
Comments: Lined up on beach on inside right behind the guy who was racked next to me in transition....and who ended up winning our 40-44 age group. My intention was to try to stick with him out to the first bouy for a solid start. I lost him about 1/2 way to that bouy and proceeded to get passed by a good number of fast swimmers. I was really hoping to improve upon my 14 minute time from last year. I had a goggle issue early on with the right side leaking a bit. I did not draft much....big mistake, again! Finally, the seaweed was TERRIBLE! On three occasions one arm was tangled in the stuff and I literally came to a complete stop and had to pull my arm hard to get free! Finished pretty well and hit the timing mat at 14 flat. What would you do differently?: Draft, draft, draft ![]() Transition 1
Comments: Last year I walked up the crazy steep hill from the beach to transition. This year I was determined to run it. I did just that and passed people both walking and others running. I stepped out of my wetsuit off while putting on my helmet and glasses. Shoes were already clipped into my pedals so I just grabbed my bike and run to the mount line. Got my feet into my shoes before entering PCH. 4th fastest T1 of everyone!! What would you do differently?: Nothing! ![]() Bike
Comments: I was really looking forward to the bike as I've been working hard on it. I got my feet into my pre-clipped shoes quickly and was out of the saddle right away to get up to speed. I was not passed one time and did plenty of passing. I've been working on attacking the hills by jumping out of the saddle as soon as I sense my cadence dropping. I stay in my biggest gear when coming off of a downhill and transitioning to the climb...out of the saddle and push hard for, ideally, the first few 100 yards, then drop to the saddle and downshift 2-3 gears while on the bullhorns. The out of the saddle for the final 50-100 yards of the hill and over the top. This strategy had me flying, but breathing very hard. I'd not worn my HR monitor, but I'm sure I was in zone 5 at the top of each hill. I'd push the downhills for the first 1/3 to get to about 35mph, then coast for a bit, then hammer hard for the final part of the downhill through the transition to the flat or hill. No nutrition needed on such a short course, took in perhaps 1/3 of a water bottle mounted between my aero bars. This was my strongest bike to date, I was very happy with the top split in the 40-44 and the 8th best overall. What would you do differently?: Nothing ![]() Transition 2
Comments: This is where things fell apart....or rather my left calf decided I was done! 2 weeks ago when on an easy recovery run, my left calf stared hurting quite badly. I went to a physical therapist the next day and shut down all running until the day before this race. Pain had been 100% gone a week prior to the race and no pain on a 2 mile run the day before....even during a 1/2 mile hard effort at a 5:20 pace. As soon as I took my first running step after dismounting, the pain was right back and with a vengeance. I knew I was in the hunt for winning my AG and likely a top 10 overall, but I just didn't want to risk turning a strain into a tear by pushing through the pain....thus, my day was over. I racked my bike, removed my helmet and sat down in complete disbelief. While this would be my first DNF at a triathlon in my short 1 year "career" it was the 3rd in a row with "issues" that cost me the AG win. While there is no guarantee that I would have caught the AG winner here, I was expecting to run a 17:20 to 17:45 time, which would have put me within seconds of the winner here. At the Full Vineman I was stopped on the bike for 15 minutes for a road closure due to an accident, costing me the win there....and at The Auburn Half, I had a wrong turn and dropped my chain, also costing me the AG win.....ggggrrrrrrrr What would you do differently?: Received more PT to insure my calf was 100% ![]() Run
Comments: Didn't run....see T2 ![]() Post race
Warm down: Hobbled around, got a massage on my calf. Iced it when I got home and complained a lot! What limited your ability to perform faster: Damn 43 year old calf! Event comments: Not much else to say here....very frustrating finish to a day that was so promising until I got off the bike! Last updated: 2012-05-04 12:00 AM
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United States
Pelican Coast Events, LLC
Overall Rank = /490
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 0/55
This ended up being my first DNF...
Up at 4:15. Grabbed 2 bananas, bagel w peanut butter, a Clif Bar and water. Loaded the car and left by 4:45. Parked in lot about 1.5 miles from start and road my bike to transition.
Got great spot on end closest to bike in/out.
Ate banana and 1/2 of bagel at 5. Ate Clif bar at 5:30. Had gel at 6:45 before 7:06 wave start.
Walked 1/3 mile from transition to swim start with my neighbor. Swam perhaps 200 easy effort before coming back for beach start.