Alligator's Creek Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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O'Fallon, Missouri
United States
City of O'Fallon
80F / 27C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 47m 58s
Overall Rank = 112/241
Age Group = M3034
Age Group Rank = 9/17
Pre-race routine:

PB&J toast and a banana for breakfast, then headed out to O'Fallon for the race.
Event warmup:

Just stretching and got some pool water on me to test the temperature. Perfect racing temp!
Swim
  • 04m 35s
  • 300 yards
  • 01m 32s / 100 yards
Comments:

Decent enough swim. Had a foot cramp for the middle 100, but that worked itself out. Ended up passing one person who had very obviously overestimated their start time. Nothing bad, except they didn't stop at the wall after the requisite foot tap, and so I ended up passing a bit more...aggressively. Snuck between him and the lane line right after the turn, exchanged a blow each, and I was off. Not sure where the time cutoff actually is, as the chips were imbedded along with our race bibs.
What would you do differently?:

I will probably submit a faster time next year, but all in all a pretty good swim. Estimated a 4:45 this year, and was ten seconds faster with a cramp and having to get around one swimmer. Probably a 4:25 or 4:30 submittal next year.
Transition 1
  • 01m
Comments:

Transition times were included in the bike split, however, I had my MapMyRide going for the bike so I can back out the total transition time. This time is two-thirds of that, allowing for a longer T1 (which is typical for me).

Actual transition was out of the pool up some steps, out of the pool area, up more steps, and then to the bike. Probably 60-70 yards total? Then back down the hill to the mount line. Tried to take it very easy here, as the bike course has uphill right off the bat and I knew I wouldn't have a chance to get my HR down much there. Plus, with the stagger in the swim starts, it wasn't very congested in transition at all. Almost lonely!
What would you do differently?:

Until I get bike shoes, nothing. I was happy with this one, and not having to put a shirt on (first race with the tri top) was great.
Bike
  • 1h 09m 36s
  • 18.6 miles
  • 16.03 mile/hr
Comments:

Wow, was this sucker hilly. Luckily I drove the course Saturday after getting my packet, so I at least knew it was coming. Absolute roller-coaster of a ride. The steepest climb was on the road north to Hwy P at about the mile 5 mark. The others weren't cake, but that was definitely the worst offender. Just tried to keep myself under control and really concentrate on taking in all of my fluids, which I was able to do.

After driving the course I had guessed my own time at 1:20-1:25, so I'm very happy with the 1:09 time. 16 mph is a very solid pace for me on this course.
What would you do differently?:

This course may have been slightly beyond my ability, but I was happy that I was able to push myself and finish without having to walk any of the hills. Just need to train more for this course and I'll be fine.
Transition 2
  • 00m 30s
Comments:

Nothing spectacular here, just get the bike racked, helmet off, and get moving.
What would you do differently?:

Not much, was happy with this one as well.
Run
  • 32m 24s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 10m 27s  min/mile
Comments:

I was feeling pretty darned good for most of this leg. I was mindful of keeping my pace under control (or so I thought), and was joking and thanking the volunteers as I went so I wasn't horribly out of breath. Took half a cup of water at each station and poured one on my head. All was well until about the Mile 2 marker, were just like last race I started to feel my left hamstring cramp up on me. Similar to before, tried to take it a little easier and run through it, tried stretching it out some, but it finally seized up on me with about a half mile to go (the downhill part of the course, naturally). Stretched again at the top of the hill and then just went for it. Once again, the cramp subsided as I neared the finish line. I need to figure out if that is just due to the "finish line adrenaline" or if running faster is actually helping the cramp go away somehow, because again I finished with plenty of energy in the tank and was only inhibited by not wanting my leg to fully cramp up.
What would you do differently?:

Not cramp? Given my finish time, my pacing is right where I'd have wanted it to be when you take out the times I stopped to stretch, etc (just under 10 m/m).
Post race
Warm down:

Lots of walking around and fluid intake. Food once I felt like it, then packed the stuff into the car and went back to sample the brewery sponsor's offerings. Chatted with a younger competitor while waiting for the giveaways.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Bike course was probably a little beyond my ability, and then moreso than that the leg cramping issues. Need to get this figured out, because it is definitely annoying to do well for 95% of a race and then have your body get in its own way.

Event comments:

Very good value race. I will most likely do this one again next year. Couldn't have asked for better weather, despite a few sprinkles to start the bike.




Last updated: 2012-07-23 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:04:35 | 300 yards | 01m 32s / 100yards
Age Group: 4/17
Overall: 20/241
Performance: Good
Suit: 2XU Tri Shirt and Shorts
Course: Serpentine pool swim, 6 lanes with a lap in each lane. 15 second intervals between swimmers.
Start type: Inside Pool Plus: Time Trial
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 01:00
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:09:36 | 18.6 miles | 16.03 mile/hr
Age Group: 9/17
Overall: 91/241
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Hilly route through subdivision, then out past Bryan Rd, north to St. Paul, west to Josephville, south to Wentzville and then east along the I-70 access road back to the park.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Below average Hills: Below average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:30
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:32:24 | 03.1 miles | 10m 27s  min/mile
Age Group: 13/17
Overall: 137/241
Performance: Below average
Course: Again, pretty hilly run through the same subdivision as the start of the bike course.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Too hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4