Grand Rapids Triathlon - Half Iron Course - Triathlon


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Ada, Michigan
United States
Tris4Health
64F / 18C
Precipitation
Total Time = 5h 29m 55s
Overall Rank = 357/713
Age Group = 50-54
Age Group Rank = 6/30
Pre-race routine:

up at 4, ate applesauce,protein,banana , 1/2 c of coffee, dressed, packed car (long process as we had to check out) and drove to the off site parking and waited for the sky to lighten up a bit (it was raining really steady)

Ate 60c chews in transition, 1 carmel gu 15' pre swim, about 4or 5 oz perform. Gave the rest of my bottle to Alec who had forgotten his nutrition. I love that kid!
Event warmup:

Rode from lot to transition. arm swings/hip looseners pre swim, walked transitions.
Swim
  • 38m
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 48s / 100 yards
Comments:

swam 1.44 miles according to the garmin, almost an extra .25!!! Got pushed off course several times by the current after the first buoy turn and on the return into shore. MUST.SIGHT.MORE at IMMT. Pace was good for a nice pr if I could just sight properly!
What would you do differently?:

Sight more frequently. It's like a golf short game to me...very much habit related. Don't work on it consistently (hard to do in MI what with winter and all!) and you loose your touch. Or as least I do! It will be better for IMMT!
Transition 1
  • 02m 19s
Comments:

Wetsuit strippers were great! I still am bad at getting out of this suit I bought last year. :) LONG run to bike rack and was totally off. Fumbled quite a bit getting the helmet on, glasses were wet from the rain and I had to "think" if I wanted to put them on, clean them....finally got going!
What would you do differently?:

Ugh...the rain messed me up. CANT think in Transition!!! Decide and just go! First race of the year, so yeah...a cluster you know what! Transition in this race is not set up the day beforehand as it's on a road that has to be closed. I usually visualize transition when trying to sleep the night before! :) If I do the race again, I'll have a frame of reference at least.
Bike
  • 2h 44m 55s
  • 56 miles
  • 20.37 mile/hr
Comments:

It was raining at race start and part way into the bike...chip seal and rough road in places, but Stony prepared my butt for that! Legs felt pretty good throughout, and the effort was good. I couldn't ride my power at the end of the ride due to some chickas drafting and slowing, and speeding up etc.I was soft power wise and lower HR the last 15 miles. I choose not to burn a match in the last few miles of the bike to get a pr, and save it for the run. Good decision on my part. Was just a few seconds off of Steelhead last year and felt much better. Considering my spotty training this winter, I'm pretty damn happy with this bike split.
What would you do differently?:

Try and ride a little higher watts overall. The last six miles were very fluffy due to traffic,but that was tough to avoid. I should have been riding harder in the last 15 miles, but I fell off power and hr was lower. Don't really know why...Had I ridden a bit stronger throughout, I may have been ahead of that and gotten the pr. Mental focus in the middle of the ride is always a challenge for me. Work in progress. ;)
Transition 2
  • 02m 42s
Comments:

legs were a bit noodle like hitting the pavement at dismount. By the time I racked it was better. Too me forever to get Fiona on the rack it seemed, and I had to mess with my feet a bit as they were wet from the ride too. As always, it didn't go quite as I'd practiced lol.
What would you do differently?:

Hustle more and stay focused!
Run
  • 2h 01m 57s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 19s  min/mile
Comments:

Stony had me well prepared for this run too. Running the Nature Center loop was good prep for today. Tried to execute as I'd rehearsed, but went a little too hard in the beginning, and slowed a bit on the hills in loop two. Walked up the big hill partially on loop two as well. It was getting hot out! Last 5k I was doing math in my head (never good in a race!) to see if I could break 2 hours, kept running but it was still a hill to go...nope, but realized I could pr, so picked it up..was running hard, ran through last 2 aids, and in the last mile I had to take a walk break...was pushing a bit too hard too early. Then picked it back up and went HARD. Finished just 30 seconds off of my half pr from 2010, AND with a 20" run pr from a flatter course where the swim was cancelled, also in 2010. Yay!
What would you do differently?:

Still working on steady pacing in the first 3 miles, staying focused of not slowing in the middle and hitting it in the last 5k. I executed nutrition and cooling strategies perfectly. Happy with the time and willing as always to try and get execution better next time! Hopefully with more long runs before IMMT, I'll peak at the right time!
Post race
Warm down:

just hung out waiting for the rest of the team to finish, and get awards.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

First race of the season, limited long runs, no tough open water swims, loss of focus on bike, and pacing as always on run. Still, happy with the day for what my training has been this year!

Event comments:

Didn't like the difficult parking situation (and walking all my shit back to the car post race 15' away!) and the long transition area but I know that can't be helped in this race. Very pretty course, nice swim. I gave post race a good because I hung out with a ton of friends, and there was decent fruit as well as pizza (I can never eat that...gut won't have it!) for recovery food.
As always, this race was made a great one because I raced with so many teammates and friends. Endurance Nation teammates, Team Fraser teammates, friends from the local tri scene. It was perhaps the most social race of my career...maybe surpassing Motor City! I had a total blast. :) Rooming with Jen and Nell (we were the chatty room!), sharing a meal at Brewery Vivant and Carraba's with friends and teammates before racing...all awesome stuff. Great weekend! Wish I could have stayed race night instead of heading home to celebrate at another brewery! GR is a pretty cool town!




Last updated: 2014-01-10 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:38:00 | 2112 yards | 01m 48s / 100yards
Age Group: 6/30
Overall: 292/713
Performance: Average
Suit: zoot full
Course: rectangle with buoys on left,
Start type: Deep Water Plus: Waves
Water temp: 76F / 24C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting:
Waves: Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 02:19
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
02:44:55 | 56 miles | 20.37 mile/hr
Age Group: 4/30
Overall: 324/713
Performance: Good
AVG HR 143 AVG Power 152 NP 158 VI 1.04 TSS 154.8
Wind: Some
Course: chip seal for 8 miles, some rollers, then a few hills about 17 miles in, turn it around an back into transition.
Road: Rough Wet Cadence: 88
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:42
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
02:01:57 | 13.1 miles | 09m 19s  min/mile
Age Group: 8/30
Overall: 414/713
Performance: Good
AVG HR 154 1-9:15, 150hr 2-9:40, 150 3-9:06, 152 4-9:23, 155 5-9:31, 155 6-8:58, 155 7-9:17, 156 8-9:37, 153 9-9:28, 155 10-9:49, 154 11-9:57, 153 12-8:52, 159 13-8:36, 162 .1 7:01 pace, 171
Course: Out n back with a couple small side loops each lap. Lots of shade, 2 hills, one in full sun. Pretty!
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4