TryCharleston Half - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
United States
Set Up Events
55F / 13C
Precipitation
Total Time = 5h 31m 39s
Overall Rank = 137/205
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 23/40
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 4am, with a 5am departure from the house for race site. As we were leavin for race site it was a steady right rain.

Ate a banana and mini-bagel (cinnamon raisin), washed down with 1 cup of coffee and some beet juice. Stomach was not happy but never had the nervous stomach evacuation that I had before B2B.

Got to race site, setup T2 and loaded on to the shuttle to T1. Got to T1 got the chip, marked, and generally setup for race sans wetsuit. Went to the port johns (surprisingly without a line) and sat down inside taking my time since it was dry warm and surprisingly not stinking.
Finally went out, put on wetsuit and then the race was starting…

Event warmup:

Trying to stay warm in the rain and cold, getting on the wetsuit, trying to setup/cover up transition areas. Never really got warmed up, just not as cold.
Swim
  • 36m 52s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 45s / 100 yards
Comments:

Got in the water, positioned myself in the middle about the second line, and lined up the buoys to the tree/skyline and waited for the gun to go off. As gun went off tried to drop in on someone’s heels to draft but no luck in finding a good partner, either they could not sight or they were too fast.

There was a good deal of beating and banging all the way thru the first turn. Stayed with the plan breathing every strokes, reaching out and pulling thru, pointing fingers at turn buoy. As I hit (yes hit) the buoy, I believe (GPS may later show us) that I swam extremely straight. To plan, as I turned the buoy I went to bilateral breathing, and focused on stroke, setting up the new sighting, and middle finger to buoy and settled into the rest of the swim.

On last lap, hit the last buoy and started elevating my kick and pulled deeper. Got out of the water with a light jog, turned the jog into a wetsuit limited run to T1, feeling good and not as space as times past.
Overall this was my best ever open water, no current, swim.

What would you do differently?:

Find a drafting partner.
Ensure wet suit is pulled up appropriately over the shoulders
Transition 1
  • 04m 33s
Comments:

Horrific T1. Wetsuit got stuck on my wrists and ankles making it a b**** to get off. Second, I took time to get the armwarmers on my wrists (pulled up while riding), a vest (zipped while riding), and socks, given the rain and cool temperature.

No issues finding bike, getting out on bike, or the like, just the DAMN wetsuit.

What would you do differently?:

Not rent a brand new wetsuit.
Bike
  • 2h 44m 45s
  • 56 miles
  • 20.39 mile/hr
Comments:

Bike was interesting given the wet conditions. I was intentionally cautious going into corners and when approaching/overtaking or being overtaken. Additionally, we had guides calling out the Sprint turn around so there were a number of racers doubling back on the course after the half turned off 17. Nearly involved in a bike wreck for me as I was overtaking two racers who then decided to turn off as I was on their left; luckily non one collided and I skated thru without incident.

Always felt like we were riding into or across the winds.

First 1/3 of the ride was really good, settled into the cockpit, cadence felt great, the power numbers looked in line. While the drafting and the blocking was annoying, I stayed to my IPS. By 2/3 of the bike, my seat was getting uncomfortable. Even now, the day after, my saddle area aches. By the last 3rd of the bike, I was working hard to keep mentally out of the basement. The saddle issue made it difficult to be in focus and keeping cadence up.

Successfully hit the water bottles at each of the handoffs. First one I was extra slow to ensure I got the bottle and to ensure I had control given the wet conditions. I went thru each remaining aid station slightly faster and with equal hand off success.

Nutrition, used nearly all the infinit that I took with me. Took several GU and Rocktanes, not quite to 1hr schedule but as I was hungry. By the end the stomach was a little questionable.

Back held up well and was not an issue thru the ride or dismount. Overall, without seeing the power numbers, it was an average bike but not a great bike. If not for the “seat”, it would have had potential to be great ride.

What would you do differently?:

Not much other than more saddle time training and make sure I get a proper fit.
Transition 2
  • 01m 44s
Comments:

Overall a good t1, a little wobbly getting bike shoes off since I did not take them off while riding.
What would you do differently?:

not talk to Leigh
Run
  • 2h 04m 6s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 28s  min/mile
Comments:

What to say about this run… it started out good and fell apart. Without looking at the GPS data, I can’t say exactly where this fell apart, but I know it was on the second lap.

What went well: Right knee did not bother me except for a few minutes right at mile three. I kept the cadence up and it vanished in about 100yds not to return (even now a day later), total WIN to Mark Kane, the foam roller, and stretching. The back held up well, no issues other than me mentally catching myself to ensure I was keeping the core engaged so as not to pound the spine. (New IPS: Tight abs). Breathing, I used Charlie Brown’s breathing control which worked to help keep me for over excerting early.

What did not go so well: Somewhere on lap 2 the wheels really start coming off. It became a mental exercise to “put one foot in front of the other…”. I focused hard on my job, keeping the cadence up. That was about the only reason I finished.

What would you do differently?:

What would I do differently: Do what SWMBO says and run more during the week. Continue to work more on comfort at high cadence. Work on nutrition overall. Thinking back on it from Friday all the way thru end of the race my stomach was never quite settled. I have not been managing my diet the way I had for the last half.
Post race
Warm down:

First time I became one of those people that hits the finish line and then goes over and lays down.

Hanging with TriJinx-ers at the line and cheering in the rest of the crew.


What limited your ability to perform faster:

Bike saddle, stomach, and training time

Event comments:

Overall a decent race for level of training recently put in, swim was comparable to B2B (no current this time), transitions were faster (albeit short T1 distance here), bike was faster, only the run was really suspect versus previous half. In the end, while it was cold, windy and raining at the start, the rain subsided and the temperatures really worked to my advantage.




Last updated: 2013-04-19 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:52 | 2112 yards | 01m 45s / 100yards
Age Group: 15/40
Overall: 94/205
Performance: Good
Suit: Full Wet Suit
Course: 2 Lap Triangle
Start type: Deep Water Plus: Waves
Water temp: 74F / 23C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 04:33
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
02:44:45 | 56 miles | 20.39 mile/hr
Age Group: 22/40
Overall: 122/205
Performance: Average
Wind: Some with gusts
Course: Long loop on flat course
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills:
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:44
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Bad
Jumping off bike Bad
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
02:04:06 | 13.1 miles | 09m 28s  min/mile
Age Group: 25/40
Overall: 154/205
Performance: Below average
Course: 2 Lap out and back
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3