Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Birmingham, Alabama
United States
Team Magic
85F / 29C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 18m 21s
Overall Rank = 313/418
Age Group = Beginner
Age Group Rank = 45/71
Pre-race routine:

Woke up at 0445 and had a quick shower, then ate a small bowl of oatmeal and drank a cup of Earl Grey. Made it to event and setup my transition area (with may tips learned from here at BT) and then talked to a few of my rack neighbors.
Event warmup:

I could kick myself for not getting in the water. This was my first OWS and I knew it was going to be a psychological challenge more than a physical one. I spent the time waiting for the start being nervous and standing around.
Swim
  • 13m 26s
  • 400 yards
  • 03m 22s / 100 yards
Comments:

It sure felt like more than 400 yards, but then again, I really thought I was in the water for 30 minutes. My stroke (what stroke?) completely fell apart,and I had a lot of trouble breathing. Frequently I would roll to my back to take deep breaths and reset myself, but as soon as I rolled over and looked down into the murky deep, I freaked out and had to roll back again, gasping for air. What's wrong with me? I swim thousands of yards a week (albeit slowly) and I can barely make it through this?
What would you do differently?:

Get in the water next time instead of standing around. Also, spend more time practicing OWS ahead of the event. Time in the water, Mike, time in the water.
Transition 1
  • 02m 31s
Comments:

Not much to say here... I was dizzy from the swim but I ran to my bike and started getting my shoes on.
What would you do differently?:

Not really anything. In the future I'd like to start practicing with quicker transitions, but I'm not unhappy with the way things are currently.
Bike
  • 43m 58s
  • 12.6 miles
  • 17.19 mile/hr
Comments:

After the poor swim, I was determined to not suck on the bike and run, so I had already started getting my mindset ready before even touching the bike. I was pretty pleased with my performance, having not raced bikes in several years. I was able to keep up a good pace up the hills, and because of the turns, I stayed in the drops most of the time instead of on my aerobars. With the number of people that I passed, it almost felt like a road race, not a TT. I hit 40 mph on one of the long, twisty descents and that made me feel especially good.

Karma moment: I stopped and gave my under-saddle bag to a guy with a flat and told him to catch up with me after the race. When I finished the run, he had already returned it to my transition area.
What would you do differently?:

I need to do more intervals and climbs, but I'm pretty happy with my performance. My speed has improved dramatically since my first tri, and I'm getting faster and stronger all the time. Now if I could just learn to swim... hmmmm...
Transition 2
  • 00m 46s
Comments:

They didn't list times for T2, and after seeing that the bike time didn't jive with my computer, I figured out that they lumped in T2 with the bike time. I listed my T2 time as the difference between the official bike time and my personally observed bike time. It went well, all I did was grab my race belt after I racked my bike and switched shoes, and I was off.
What would you do differently?:

I still need to practice quick transitions, but I'm still a beginner and my transition times are improving.
Run
  • 27m 40s
  • 3 miles
  • 09m 13s  min/mile
Comments:

I was a little concerned that I had left it all on the bike, but after the first half-mile, my legs didn't feel heavy at all. I've been doing two bricks a week, and I think that's payed off for me. I'm still new to running, but I was pretty happy with this run leg. My wife, a marathoner, looked at my times and couldn't believe it was me. She says I'm doing pretty well for someone who's only been running for a few months. The hill was tough to keep from walking, but it was fun to come down.
What would you do differently?:

Not much. I didn't drink too much, go out too fast, or anything. Obviously I'll be putting in some more training and speedwork, but I can't complain about my pace today. It was good for me.
Post race
Warm down:

Ran past the finish line, grabbed a bottle of water, and walked over to my wife and daughter. Walked around in circles for a little bit and then sat down. I felt great (but spent) and didn't need that much of a warm-down.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Crappy swimming. Lousy warmup, both physical and mental.

Event comments:

I got a real charge out of doing this, my second tri. I've got others on my calendar for this season, so I just need to practice, practice, practice. Wish me luck!




Last updated: 2006-06-02 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:13:26 | 400 yards | 03m 22s / 100yards
Age Group: 69/71
Overall: 412/418
Performance: Bad
Suit: Zoot Trisuit
Course: Pseudo-combined entry/exit point with two buoys out in the water... counter-clockwise loop
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Bad
Breathing: Bad Drafting: Bad
Waves: Bad Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 02:31
Performance:
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
00:43:58 | 12.6 miles | 17.19 mile/hr
Age Group: 32/71
Overall: 228/418
Performance:
Wind: None
Course: Pretty hilly out-and-back course with a couple of moderate climbs.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 95
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:46
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:27:40 | 03 miles | 09m 13s  min/mile
Age Group: 44/71
Overall: 280/418
Performance: Good
Course: Out-and-back on paved road/trail. One long hill but mostly flat.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4