Ironman Lake Tahoe - Triathlon


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Lake Tahoe, California
United States
World Triathlon Corporation
28F / -2C
Sunny
Total Time = 14h 58m 22s
Overall Rank = 1108/2650
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 148/376
Pre-race routine:

Just get all my drop off stuff to the locations all over the place.
Event warmup:

Hlaf mile walk to T1 and running the 1 mile in transition to get my stuff to the various locations
Swim
  • 1h 27m 6s
  • 4224 yards
  • 02m 04s / 100 yards
Comments:

Impossible to sight with so much fog. Water chilly, waves a nusance but not bad.
What would you do differently?:

Having swim socks would have been very nice, stores were sold out.
Transition 1
  • 12m 30s
Comments:

T1 sucked, no lighting in changing tent, not nearly enough room, went all the way in to find an open spot then gave up.
What would you do differently?:

If it were the same event with the same layout I would just drop on the ground and change as I wasted time going into the changing tent.
Bike
  • 8h 05m 7s
  • 112 miles
  • 13.85 mile/hr
Comments:

Bike was cold and hills sucked. I actually pulled muscles around right and left kneecap (top and center) and calves were iffy from mile 40 on.
What would you do differently?:

12 months of ridding 12,000 feet on a ride every weekend with sustained hills of 10 t o 15%. grade might help.
Transition 2
  • 06m 16s
Comments:

Was ok, had to get gear ready for a long cold walk/run hit the bathroom.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing really, maybe a bit faster if the bike went better.
Run
  • 5h 07m 23s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 11m 44s  min/mile
Comments:

This was just a sufferfest as my knees and calves were seriously shot from the bike. It was an act of will just to finish this part of the race. It got dark, cold, was long, but got it done.
What would you do differently?:

Couldn't do the run because of the bike. Bike course was significantly beyond my bike shape, not my aerobic conditioning but my leg muscles for really steep climbs.
Post race
Warm down:

Just got food, warm dry clothes and sleep.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The hills were way worse than indicated in race condition. There was a 35% DNF rate for this race making it more than twice as bad as the previously hardest course. It was just that bad and I don't have the bike fitness for it. I did finish it, but not nearly as well as I would have liked to have done it. It was the muscle issues that dropped me out of hitting this race hard, probably cost me 2-3 hours.

Event comments:

This was a poorly organized race for an IM branded race. Gear was left out overnight in rain and freezing temps, no one know how the transition for T2 worked or where the finish line was going to be, T1 was a complete nightmare with no lighting in a tent that was nearly pitch black and about 1/4 of the area needed for the athletes. T1 was very long, extremely long distance running in bike shoes and with bike. The standard stuff, food, aid stations were fine. Given how cold the race was and now nasty the bike was with such a high DNF rate, I really can't recommend this race to anyone. If the race would have been the day before folks would have been in rain and snow all day long. If the race were held the day before the race completion rate would likely have been around 10-20%. Risks are just too high to do this one again.




Last updated: 2013-09-23 12:00 AM
Swimming
01:27:06 | 4224 yards | 02m 04s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/376
Overall: 0/2650
Performance: Average
Suit: Sleeveless
Course: Really bad fog on the lake made sighting bouys nearly impossible, 6 inch chop to start up to 1 foot ish later in the swim
Start type: Run Plus: Time Trial
Water temp: 58F / 14C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Average Drafting: Average
Waves: Average Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 12:30
Performance: Bad
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
08:05:07 | 112 miles | 13.85 mile/hr
Age Group: 192/376
Overall: 1308/2650
Performance: Bad
HR and respiration high due to elevation.
Wind: Some
Course: Course totally sucked 32 or more miles of climbs of up to 12% grade (up and downs, longest sustained hill 4 miles each loop). Bike course completely sucked, very cold, shivering still for 40 miles, feet numb for 70 miles.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Below average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 06:16
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
05:07:23 | 26.2 miles | 11m 44s  min/mile
Age Group: 148/376
Overall: 896/2650
Performance: Bad
faster HR and breathing than pace indicates due to elevation
Course: Run was hillier than expected given the description. I injured muscles in legs on the bike so the run was just gona suck.
Keeping cool Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? No
Evaluation
Course challenge Too hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 2