Skinnyman Triathlon - Triathlon


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Skaneateles, New York
United States
SkanRaces.com
62F / 17C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 19m 6s
Overall Rank = 307/470
Age Group = 65-69F
Age Group Rank = 1/4
Pre-race routine:

I had decided not to get a hotel the night before, since I usually don't sleep past 3am on race mornings anyway. This was a record, though. I woke up at 1 am and stayed awake, even though I didn't have to leave home until 3:45. I was pretty tired after the drive, which was only 1 1/2 hrs not the 1:45 predicted by my navigator. I drank a lot of coffee which had a strong effect since I had been cutting back for several weeks. Then as soon as I got to Skaneateles the adrenalin kicked in and I was fine.
Any time the day starts out with the registration volunteers asking the athletes to go find rocks to keep their papers from blowing away, you might suspect you are in for an interesting event! Skaneateles Lake is 16 miles long, and the wind was barreling straight up it at 19 mph, gusting to 27. Fortunately for my mental state, during my last swim workout I had just thought to myself that while I am not a fast swimmer, I am a strong one. I didn't doubt that I could complete the swim despite the strong headwind and chop, strategizing to keep a fast turnover & to "follow the bubbles",but I knew I'd be exhausted afterwards.
Nutrition: 2 hb eggs & v8 juice at 4 am; ww bread with hummous at 5:15 for 7:30 start.

Event warmup:

Set up transition; rode bike just to check equipment. Started run warmup at 6:35 for nine minutes including 3 x 20" strides. While running I heard that the swim might be cancelled due to unsafe conditions, and at 7:00 we were informed this was the case. I wasn't sorry.
Swim
  • 00m
  • 0 yards
  • / 100 yards
Comments:

Swim leg canceled due to high headwinds (gusts to 27 mph), unsafe conditions. RD made the decision NOT to substitute a run, but to start directly with the bike segment.
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

No T1 of course because there was no swim!
Bike
  • 47m 57s
  • 13 miles
  • 16.27 mile/hr
Comments:

We were started one at a time at intervals of ~4 seconds. This took a long time, and I got pretty cold waiting for my turn. At least I could wear my m2m short-sleeved jersey over the singlet.
I didn't know whether to leave shoes clipped into pedals as I normally do, or to put them on my feet in advance. The run from the timing mat to the mount line was only about 15 feet. I chose to mount barefoot as usual, but lost a few seconds getting my feet into the shoes.
I felt quite strong on the ride, not having had to swim first. The headwinds & crosswinds were quite challenging in places, especially going up the longest hill in a strong headwind. I had some concern that the 60 mm wheels would get squirrely in the crosswind, but they were fine. (When I first got them I found them hard to manage in crosswinds, but apparently have gotten used to that.)
I'm happy with my time/speed, given the adverse conditions. 35th %ile among all participants and 54 %ile among all women.
Nutrition: 1 Hammer gel (with caffeine) 1/2 hr prior; 2 Perpetuem solids on the bike plus 1 water bottle.
What would you do differently?:

I suppose I could time myself in advance in a similar mounting situation and see which method is fastest, shoes clipped in or unclipped. My hill climbing is still very slow & needs work. If I'd brought socks I would've had the option of wearing some since we didn't swim; but I didn't & it didn't matter.
Transition 2
  • 01m
Comments:

No problems; already had race belt on before the bike.
71st %ile among all participants and 77th %ile among all women (44th out of 197). I'm happy with this.

What would you do differently?:

Make a study of whether I run faster with or without the bike (I would guess without, but you never know) and then rack the bike strategically if I have the option. I did rack near the bike in.
Run
  • 30m 9s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 09m 44s  min/mile
Comments:

I could see Ruth R about 30 yards ahead of me all the way to the turn-around. I beat her at CLT by only 58 seconds & had been concerned she would take it this time. However, I knew she had started her bike before me, although I wasn't sure by how much. I was pushing myself to keep her in my sight, but I knew that at the turn-around when she saw how close I was, she would amp it up, which she did. (My age, she has completed 100 marathons and is a better runner than me!)
I really wanted to walk on that last nasty little hill, but I thought about my friend Zsofia, who always puts out 150%, and ran up it using my sideways running technique.
I'm not unhappy with my time, since the course was so hard & my effort was at the max. 27th %ile among all participants and 38th %ile among all women.
Nutrition Hammer gel at about mile 2, just in order to get that caffeine boost!
What would you do differently?:

Just keep running!
Post race
Warm down:

Fizz electrolyte and 1/2 Recovery bar. Water, pizza, pb bagel, banana. After walking around awhile eating, did my rolling & stretching on the grass.
Hung out chatting with Ruth waiting for the awards. Despite or because of our rivalry, we have become friends and mutual supporters, and it'll be sad not to see her until spring. (I did beat her by 4 minutes this time!)
Good news: right leg/knee did not hurt either during the race or after, although it had been hurting some before the drive.


What limited your ability to perform faster:

Just need more training, especially running & biking uphill.

Event comments:

My overall time was in the 35 %ile among all participants and 49th %ile among all women.(40 seconds faster & I would have been at 50th, but I don't know where that 40 secs could have come from.)
This was a special race.Since I was unable to participate in mountain2mountain Global Solidarity Ride in support of my beloved Afghan National Women's Cycling Team, because it was on the same day, I had decided to dedicate this race to them. I did what I could on Facebook to raise awareness and funds, and am also donating to their cause the cost of the hotel I did not take .
When I was struggling up the big hill with the big headwinds, I thought of them and all the hills both literal and figurative they have climbed. During my ride I sent out many thoughts of prayer & protection that none of that group should come to any harm.


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Last updated: 2014-04-05 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:00:00 | 00 yards | / 100yards
Age Group: 0/4
Overall: 0/470
Performance:
Suit:
Course: Out & back loop at northern end of Skaneateles Lake.
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current: High
200M Perf. Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance:
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:47:57 | 13 miles | 16.27 mile/hr
Age Group: 1/4
Overall: 306/470
Performance: Good
Kept in target HR zone 129-131for 30% of the time, but only in several bursts of 3-5 minutes each. This is my supposed zone 5a, but I'm not sure of its accuracy. 50% was at HR 121-128, which is supposed zone 4. Seven minutes were above zone 5a, at the very beginning & very end.
Wind: Headwind with gusts
Course: Very pretty loop course mostly on back roads with no traffic. Included 2 or 3 good hills. Roads generally good condition, but there were some potholes, which were marked.
Road: Potholes Dry Cadence: 85
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Below average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:00
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
00:30:09 | 03.1 miles | 09m 44s  min/mile
Age Group: 2/4
Overall: 344/470
Performance: Good
My goal was to keep HR in zone 4 (138-144) most of the time, and I did so (23:46); had enough to kick up to zone 5 for the last 19 seconds.
Course: Out & back with a side loop on the return. Started with a pretty good-sized hill for the first 8/10 mile, then some small ups & downs; the long descent was interrupted by the side loop which included an uphill steeper than the first, although shorter.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
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