Peterborough Half Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Peterborough, Ontario
Canada
Trisport Canada
25C / 77F
Sunny
Total Time = 6h 10m 45s
Overall Rank = 216/283
Age Group = F30-34
Age Group Rank = 14/20
Pre-race routine:

We stayed over in Peterborough so there really wasn't much routine. My husband and I both signed up for this race as tune up to Ironman Mont Tremblant in August.

We arrived the day before had a big pasta dinner and relaxed. In the morning I got my bottles ready and doubled checked things. Put on sunscreen and even though we were staying around the corner D drove over to the park and i biked because we just couldn't figure out how to get both bikes back in the rental car - it was really early ...
Event warmup:

I made a pit stop at the porta potties and then went down the beach to put on my wetsuit and test out the water. I did a few strokes and mentally quieted myself down.
Swim
  • 45m 30s
  • 2000 meters
  • 02m 17s / 100 meters
Comments:

So, at my last race, I really got so nervous and panicky right before the race. This time around I was very calm. I knew with the mass start there really wouldn't be anyone behind me. The gun went off and i let about 2/3's of the group go but didn't wait much longer and started swimming. There were lots of people around but it wasn't too much bumping or contact.

I was breathing calmly and just stroking - the current was pushing me out a bit but I kept on. The water was pretty warm. The buoys were a little confusing as i thought it was three heading out, around back down three but they seemed to be more angled. It was fine, I was around enough people that I could keep going.

When I got back to shore i noticed someone swimming just ahead of me that could be my husband and sure enough it was. And our swim group friend Nat was just ahead. It took me a second after running on the beach to will myself back into the water. I could have just stood and looked at the water for a while.

Got back in and stroked it out. No problem. On the way back my goggles seemed foggy and all i could see was the flags on the beach so I aimed for those. I seemed to be swimming away from people but i made it just fine.
What would you do differently?:

Not too much - this was a good swim for me. I just need to focus on getting faster.
Transition 1
  • 02m 35s
Comments:

Felt a little disoriented in T1. My head just wasn't in it. I had to flop down on the ground to get my wetsuit off. It was okay but i could have focused better.
What would you do differently?:

Focus better.
Bike
  • 3h 07m 48s
  • 86 kms
  • 27.48 km/hr
Comments:

The bike. This is where I knew I could improve enormously over the HIM I had done in Muskoka. Aside from the fact that Muskoka was long bike course (94k) this was just less difficult climbing.

Leaving transition i farted around with my Garmin because I forgot to set it to auto-multisport. The day was very calm and relatively cool given the heatwave. I felt good and just got going.

I felt really good coming into this town Millbrook, I was working on my bonk breaker bar and hydrating. The downhill into town was awesomely fast! Except there was a tough bump at a bridge. A guy passing me lost a bottle and some of his nutrition. As i rode away i checked and my other bottle of Perform had launched. Darnit. Now i needed a plan because on a day like this I couldn't go without.

The pavement was pretty rough in a few spots and i started drinking from my bottle instead of the aerodrink so i wouldn't lose a tooth! We turned at Pontypool just before the 45k mark and I knew I had to climb a hill to get back and decided to down more of my bar and caught some rough pavement and dropped it! Darnit #2! Thankfully i had another (but a flavour i hadn't tried before).

On the way back I grabbed Gatorade at the bottle exchange and took my sweet time getting settled. Dumped it into my aerodrink and had to reach way back to get it into my rear bottle cage. Here the roads were bumpy and I got orange gatorade all over me.

Coming back to transition i felt like i hadn't quite eaten or hydrated enough but it was fine. I felt like I had reasonably paced to keep my legs and cadence up. I did get up out of the saddle a number of times but I felt good.
What would you do differently?:

Focus more on nutrition than climbing.
Transition 2
  • 02m 25s
Comments:

Nothing much to say - this came and went.
What would you do differently?:

I might have brought my handheld water bottle. I took a drink from it and decided i would just go from aid station to aid station
Run
  • 2h 12m 30s
  • 21 kms
  • 06m 19s  min/km
Comments:

The first 4k of the run were around the edge of Beavermead Park. It was grassy and partially shady but it was getting very hot and it didn't seem to help. I tried to slow down to keep my HR in check but it was high.

Mentally, this was really tough. I don't like the heat. I would never choose to run a half marathon at this time of year let alone at the noon hour. I was set on running between the aid stations and with the heat walking through and really taking in fluids. I cracked open my gel after about 5k coming into an aid station so i could down some fluid. It was tough to get enough in just walking through and starting up again. It was okay but time to reevaluate.

Kept running between aid stations, all the hills - near to the turn around 13-14k-ish the aid stations seemed far apart and i was getting thirsty. I was telling myself to keep running because you don't walk just because its warm. I wasn't hurting or anything so keep running. I kept running and by the 17k I was getting a side stitch and just really freaking hot. I walked a little longer through the next aid station and really drank the gatorade and water. I cracked my gel and took some more. From here i did more walking but kept going as best i could - i reminded myself that there was no need to demolish myself to prove i could run the whole thing - this is not my goal race, Ironman Mont Tremblant is and i need to be training again very quickly.

Got to the 20k mark where some traffic cops were having fun - and they coaxed me into running and I ran the last k with no problems. Thankfully, the finish line was in the shade. My husband was there cheering for me and I was thrilled to see 6:10 on the clock!
What would you do differently?:

Brought my handheld water bottle or a fuel belt for conditions like this.
Post race
Warm down:

Not too much, sat in the shade with D and waited for some of our fellow swim group athletes to come in.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

This was not a goal race so no taper. And the heat.

Event comments:

The results showed that the bike course was only 86k. It was obvious when we were out there that it was short but overall it was a good race and i am happy with my effort. It was a fun bike course and a nice spot for a race.

The volunteers were really excellent! It must have been just as difficult to be out in the sun all day helping us out.

That said, I am not sure I would race the half distance again here just because of the time of year. The weather is just too hot to race comfortably.




Last updated: 2012-05-24 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:45:30 | 2000 meters | 02m 17s / 100meters
Age Group: 19/20
Overall: 228/283
Performance: Good
Suit:
Course: Two loop, mass-start.
Start type: Wade Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 02:35
Performance:
Cap removal: Below average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
03:07:48 | 86 kms | 27.48 km/hr
Age Group: 0/20
Overall: 0/283
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course:
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 02:25
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
02:12:30 | 21 kms | 06m 19s  min/km
Age Group: 13/20
Overall: 196/283
Performance: Good
Course: Grassy loop around the park and then an out and back on a country road.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4