Tri To Beat Cancer Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Athens, Georgia
United States
Georgia Multisports Productions
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 23m 51s
Overall Rank = 35/224
Age Group = F40-44
Age Group Rank = 4/24
Pre-race routine:

Woke up to the sound of rain coming down - d'oh! (But it subsided by the time I left the house and only sprinkled a little during the race.) Smart me had set the coffeemaker the night before and had some coffee and oatmeal as soon as I got up. Gathered all my stuff together, pumped my tires, hit the potty, and loaded the car for the 6-minute drive to the race site. Got there by 6am and had just enough time to get through body marking, chip pickup, and set up transition by 6:30. Also broke the cardinal rule of racing and tried GenUCAN for the first time prior to the race - no problems. Do as I say, not as I do.
Event warmup:

Swam a bit to get warmed up. Lots of standing around, as I was in the second to last wave.
Swim
  • 07m 57s
  • 437 yards
  • 01m 49s / 100 yards
Comments:

I positioned myself in the front row, just to the right of center. It was still crazy at the start - I fell back before I moved up and finished second in my AG and the wave of 60+ . This was my first big running splashing into the water start, so yet another learning experience. I found room to swim after 100 meters or so. Ran into the back of the pink wave near the second turn so there was weaving to be done but there was room to maneuver. I even saw a white cap or two as I came up toward the beach. Run to transition was long - up a ramp right off the beach, then a path around to the end of transition. Kiddie pool to splash the sand off the feet if necessary. I actually slowed down my jog up the path to get my breathing under control.
What would you do differently?:

I could have managed the immediate start a bit better but overall the swim was good.
Transition 1
  • 02m 13s
Comments:

I was pretty directed in T1, though the time seems a bit long - it was a big area to run out of. I have not even attempted to master mounting the bike with shoes already clipped in, so I ran the lengthy length of the transition area in my bike shoes. It wasn't so bad, actually. I had rationalized to myself that the pavement was so rough that I'd rather be running in my shoes than bare feet.
What would you do differently?:

I forgot a gel I was going to stash in my jersey pocket, so not forget that, but in the end I wouldn't have eaten it.
Bike
  • 46m 52s
  • 14 miles
  • 17.92 mile/hr
Comments:

Going into this race, the bike - specifically, the hills - were what had me the most worried. I rode most of the route the week before and the hills on the back-roads loop were momentum killers, and I wasn't feeling at all optimistic after that ride. But something about getting all warmed up and pumped during the swim puts me in the mindset to keep the pressure on during the bike. The highway sections were nice and fast for the most part, and I managed to hold my own on the hills. Unlike the last sprint where I knew the course would net me a fast (for me) bike split, going into this one I really wasn't sure.
What would you do differently?:

Work hills more, just work on improving bike fitness. Also, aerobars - I have a fitting scheduled next week along with adding aerobars to my road bike so I can take advantage of the fast flats and downhills.
Transition 2
  • 01m 14s
Comments:

This was a good T2, not fumbley. The rack placement that made it a long run out in bike shoes made it a short run in, helmet off, bike shoes off, running shoes on, skip the visor, grab number belt and GO! And the long run out of T2 was in running shoes.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing, this was good.
Run
  • 25m 37s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 08m 14s  min/mile
Comments:

Felt good, got my legs under me right away. I just kept chugging, tried not to think too much about how much longer I'd have to run. I picked off one woman from my AG early on which was a good feeling. Passed a lot of people and wasn't passed by many. I took a gulp of Gatorade from the water station around mile 2 - probably too late to make a real difference, but it woke up my taste buds! Not long after that I realized that I had a bit more left and picked up the pace a little bit - that's the closest I've ever come to having a hammer to be able to drop. It may be a coincidence that it's also the first time I've used GenUCAN but it's a positive sign. If the course was accurate, this would be a 5K PR for me.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing, it was good.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around a bit gathering snacks and drinks.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The crazy thing is my bike and run are really similar in terms of placement in the field, even though I was running for two years before taking up the bike. In the end, aside from minor tweaks (e.g. aerobars), probably the thing holding me back at this point is an excess 10-15 pounds I should lose.

Event comments:

I am really impressed by the scale and organization of this race. The course is good for beginners - challenging but not hard. The bike is a good mix of flatter highway and rolling hills on country roads. The run is all on paved roads. Plenty of post-race food choices, lots of volunteers, ample parking. I'm so happy to have this race just a few miles from my home!




Last updated: 2012-05-23 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:07:57 | 437 yards | 01m 49s / 100yards
Age Group: 2/24
Overall: 13/224
Performance: Good
Suit: tri top and bottom
Course: Clockwise 3-sided rectangle.
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:13
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:46:52 | 14 miles | 17.92 mile/hr
Age Group: 5/24
Overall: 48/224
Performance: Good
Wind: None
Course: 3-ish miles on a divided US highway, then turn onto a lollipop loop of country roads, then back on the divided highway. The pavement was wet from the rain earlier but there wasn't any standing water.
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 01:14
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:25:37 | 03.11 miles | 08m 14s  min/mile
Age Group: 6/24
Overall: 60/224
Performance: Good
Course: Paved roads in the park and nearby neighborhood. Rolling hills. The last mile or so flattens out.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
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? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5