Rev3 Wisconsin - Half Rev - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Earlier in the summer with all the heat, we were sure it'd be a non-wetsuit swim. But I don't think it's hit 80 in the past week, not in the last 4 days, and went down near 50 each night. Water cooled off enough for wetsuit legal. Pros still had non-wetsuit. I opted to go without as Vegas is highly unlikely to be legal and I needed to know how this would affect me. Since it was above the pro cut-off, I knew I'd be fine. Some were concerned about the temps for the bike, but the first few minutes would be cool anyway (in the 50's to start) and I knew there were some hills quick to get some work going.

I got in and just swam my race. I tried to draft, but it was difficult to find someone the right speed. Thought I had one, but he kept taking breaks every 50m or so to breaststroke. Went around and left him. Had one guy go by, and I have never seen anyone go that fast before. Not when I'm in the race. Will have to figure that one out.

Finished up feeling ok, but eyes were foggy again. I don't know if it's the distance or something to do with Rev3 events as this is twice now. They've been fine in the 2 mile OWS practices.

Keep the swim volume up. It's working. Similar time difference as Quassy when compared to Cunningham & Malaika Homo. They were non-wetsuit both times while I was wetsuit at Quassy.

Get a handle on going straight again. I veer off a bit more often now that I breathe more one-sided (as opposed to bilateral before). Happens most around when I switch sides.

Layout is to get out of the water and run a few hundred meters uphill to T1. It's all paved, I can't run on pavement. It destroys my feet. Once on the grass in transition I was fine.

Learn to run on pavement.

Get the Bont shoes molded & adjusted.

Hopped on the bike and got out of the lot. It's very tight the first 100m or so until you get to the road. Then it opens right up and I lit out. The first ~1.5 miles really wake you up. They're fast and go up, down, left right, all over the place through a subdivision. It's a lot of fun to fly on. Got out to the main road and started watching what I was doing more, while zipping on by people. Power was up around 300 to start, more lively feel than 2 weeks ago, but didn't think I could quite hold that.

Hit the two early hills well. They were easier than I remember from riding the course a few months ago. Might be having race gear on. I left on the gearing from that ride too. 54/42 up front and 11/23 in the back. I knew it'd be tough, but I'd done it before. Actually twice around that day. And wanted to challenge myself here to make sure I'd be ready for Vegas.

Kept cruising on the county roads down through Baraboo to the first of the 3 climbs (A Cat 4). After doing all those other massively hilly rides, this one wasn't very hard anymore. Seemed very short and the lower cadence I dropped to wasn't hard to manage. Some people tried to hang on, one even passed, but I have no idea what they're thinking. I made up massive ground on them in flatter terrain and pulled away fast at the top. They also have to weigh at least as much as me. This happened every climb all over the course. This is how you blow up or destroy your run!

Got over that hill easily enough and rode on to the DL descent. Large sweeping s-cruves on a section that has an 8% sign. Today there was no wind and I was moving significantly faster than the training ride. Managed to get up to ~44 for sections of this, scrubbing a little speed on the turns since I hadn't taken them that fast before. Something on the training ride just killed speed everywhere, up & down. Seemed to work well as I lost sight of the guy I passed near the top.

Made my way along the lower sections, keeping the effort in check for the big one up Bluff road (Cat 3). It's easy to know when that one starts as there is a big blue sign that says "Devil's Head" where the trees start, and the road launches up into them, out of sight. I just dropped right to the bottom gear, stood up, and had at it. This hill kind of stair steps up, with alternating steep and less steep sections. It's hardest in the first mile as it's more like steep & very steep. I was around FTP, over or under depending on exactly where. And again watching people who I know were going to blow up trying to speed up.

There was also concern about gravel being thrown on the road, but it was just some pea gravel. Gave me no trouble moving around people.

Got to the top and zipped down the 2 mile descent. Able to stay in aero more this time as I knew what was coming and about how to take it. Things like this are why I have the 54x11 gear on there and why I make sure I can hold a wide cadence range. I went from 55-60 climbing up to 100-105 or so down this thing, holding around 40, and getting up to ~44 again. When it's easy to do, it is faster, and I do gain noticeable ground on people with partial power (2/3 here?).

Caught & passed some others, and then onto the county roads for a few miles again. Things were getting spread out now. Saw people here & there, but more in bunches. Then at least a few minutes with no one. And this is fine as it's how I train.

Made my way through the few miles to hill 3 (Cat 4), where a number of people were at. Caught up and went by, and yet again, some tried to pick it up or stay with.This one is deceptive too. It doesn't look like much until you're on it. Even then, it doesn't look like as much as it makes you work. It also has a few hairpin switchbacks. I stayed to the outside. It's longer, but noticeably less steep.

After that, I knew there was nothing hard left, so cruised it on in. Some more fast sections going down, but nothing hard going up. And these later sections are where aero practice pays off. There are longer stretches where there is no good way to get up. Being able to hold position is definitely a benefit.

Late in the ride, I had to decide if I was going to run or not. Strained my calf a little a week ago, and have been working it back. Have been running, but slow. Decided not to as I could feel the spot tired already and I hadn't run more than an hour, and not after a solid ride like this one.

Raising position by an inch helped with hip, but still want to work on getting back down more.

Practice in aero helped in holding it. None of the chest constrictions from last time Quassy. Side support muscles also felt better.

Food seems to work better, but need a run to be sure.

Keep riding, find that spark again. I was noticeably underpowered here.

Turned in timing chip. They let me take my stuff out right away.

No run. Not worth run/walking a 10/mile pace for a half marathon when I should be running near 7/mi.

Made my way over to the finish just in time to watch Richie Cunningham go by for the win. 3 for 3 now for him (Quassy & Portland). Hung around to watch some others come in too.

Saw Thomas Gerlach come in, completely hamming it up. Making all kinds of faces with someone 10 ft behind him. It was hilarious.


Love this venue. Parking right at the start and finish. Both are only a block from each other. Fun and challenging course. Stuff for family to do. Noah's Ark is literally right there (Finish is in the parking lot) and there are loads of restaurants & other things to do easily within walking distance. Places to stay are everywhere as that's what this area is for. Definitely have to do this again when I can really go at the whole thing.